Travel Money: Cards, Cash and Fees Abroad

Your toolkit

• A credit card with no foreign transaction fees for most purchases and for purchase protection.
• A debit card with low or no international ATM fees for cash.
• A multi-currency account or travel card, which can hold and convert currencies at close to market rates.
• A backup card kept separately in case one is lost or blocked.

Cash

Many countries are nearly cashless; others still run on cash, especially for taxis, markets and tips. Withdraw a moderate amount from a bank ATM on arrival rather than exchanging at the airport kiosk.

Before you go

• Check your card fees and limits.
• Make sure your bank app works abroad and that you can receive verification codes (eSIM data plus your home line for SMS works well).
• Note your bank's emergency number.