{"id":6021,"date":"2024-10-08T11:52:20","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T11:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/7-tips-for-using-credit-cards-while-traveling\/"},"modified":"2024-10-08T11:52:20","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T11:52:20","slug":"7-tips-for-using-credit-cards-while-traveling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=6021","title":{"rendered":"7 tips for using credit cards while traveling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"ArticleBody js-ArticleBody\">\n<div id=\"a9fb37c8-ea01-4668-b940-a106c8fc6bc1\" class=\"KeyTakeaways border-solid border-l-2 pl-4 mb-12 sm:mb-8 relative KeyTakeaways--blue-colors\">\n    <!-- htmlmin:ignore --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"KeyTakeaways-title type-heading-four mb-6\">\n    Key takeaways<br \/>\n<\/h2>\n<p><!-- htmlmin:ignore --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"KeyTakeaways-items List flex flex-col text-gray-700 text-lg font-sans mb-0\">\n<li class=\"KeyTakeaways-item pl-6 ml-3 relative mb-3\">\n                        Before you leave, make sure to inform your card issuer so that your card spending at your destination is approved and not flagged as suspicious.\n                    <\/li>\n<li class=\"KeyTakeaways-item pl-6 ml-3 relative mb-3\">\n                        Make sure to take more than one card with you, and go with a card that offers travel rewards and travel benefits.\n                    <\/li>\n<li class=\"KeyTakeaways-item pl-6 ml-3 relative mb-3\">\n                        Stay alert, watch out for card skimming at ATMs and don\u2019t use unsecured public Wi-Fi that could compromise your sensitive information.\n                    <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Vacations and holidays are all about relaxing, so it\u2019s unlikely credit card balances and bills are on your radar.\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"top-funnel-content-top\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"top-funnel-content-mid\"><\/div>\n<p>But if you\u2019re traveling, \u201cchecking balances more often is probably good advice,\u201d according to Nessa Feddis, senior vice president for consumer protection and payment for the American Bankers Association. Staying cognizant of your card activity can help you avoid overspending, added fees and any security risks that could arise abroad.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd because of mobile banking apps, it\u2019s easier to check,\u201d she says.\n<\/p>\n<p>Want to keep that plastic safe, even as you hit the slopes? Here are seven strategies, plus a few bonus tips, that you can use right now.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"issuer\">1. Let card issuers know you\u2019re traveling<\/h2>\n<p>Notify your card issuer before a trip to avoid your first purchase away getting wrongfully flagged for fraud.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re going to be outside your normal stomping ground, make sure you let your card issuer know,\u201d says Susan Tiffany, who previously spent 17 years as director of consumer periodicals for the Credit Union National Association. \u201cEven if you\u2019re just going to a different state, it never hurts.\u201d And that goes for credit <em>and<\/em> debit cards, she adds.\n<\/p>\n<p>If you normally buy shoes on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and you\u2019re suddenly buying croissants on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es in Paris, there\u2019s a chance your card could be declined or suspended.\n<\/p>\n<p>Bonus travel tip: While you have that debit card issuer on the phone, ask if you have a daily spending limit or daily ATM withdrawal limit, Tiffany says. Not every card does, but it\u2019s something you want to know before you leave home.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"perks\" data-beam-element-viewed data-id=\"br-h2-second-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Credit Cards, Travel\" data-position=\"h2_second_placement\" data-name=\"h2_second_placement\" data-text=\"7 credit card travel tips\" data-outcome>2. Check your travel perks<\/h2>\n<p>You might normally use your credit cards primarily for their cash back or points rewards. But many cards also have extra benefits that can make your travel planning easier.\n<\/p>\n<p>A few common travel benefits include:\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"List List--unordered text-lg\">\n<li class=\"List-item\">Car rental insurance<\/li>\n<li class=\"List-item\">Concierge services<\/li>\n<li class=\"List-item\">Free breakfasts or late checkouts at hotels<\/li>\n<li class=\"List-item\">Free or discounted medical travel insurance<\/li>\n<li class=\"List-item\">Emergency evacuation insurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And while traveling, make sure to rack up rewards on your spending. Your cash back card with dining rewards can be useful for visiting restaurants while you\u2019re away, while a travel rewards card may help you save on any last-minute car rentals or excursions.\n<\/p>\n<p>Bonus travel tip: Don\u2019t keep all your cards in the same place when you travel, says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. That way, if some cards are lost or stolen, you\u2019ll have others you can use.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"spend\">3. Watch your spending<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re not paying close attention, it can be easy to let your purchases get away from you while on vacation. But any balances you rack up will still need to be paid when your monthly statement is due.\n<\/p>\n<p>Before traveling, decide on a budget or spending goal and use it to guide your spending throughout your trip. You can adjust as you go, but having a plan for how much you\u2019d like to limit your spending can help keep you in check. That way, you won\u2019t be surprised by a sky-high bill when you return home.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"atm\">4. Limit ATM fees<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s smart to travel with cash, whether in case of emergencies or simply for merchants who only accept local currency.\n<\/p>\n<p>However, going to a new location means you may not find an in-network ATM from which to withdraw money with your debit card. And those \u201cforeign ATM\u201d and \u201cout-of-network\u201d charges can be hefty \u2014 sometimes $5 and $6 a pop. Depending on your bank, you may be eligible for refunds on ATM fees, even while abroad, but it\u2019s smart to check with your bank first.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"alert\">5. Stay alert<\/h2>\n<p>Part of the fun of any vacation is shaking up your normal routine.\n<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re visiting places you haven\u2019t gone before, keep an eye peeled for skimming devices before you hit ATMs, says Velasquez.\n<\/p>\n<p>Scope out your surroundings with an eye toward your personal and financial safety, just as you would at any other time. A money belt or travel purse to keep your belongings close can make life easier while you\u2019re out, too, Velasquez says.\n<\/p>\n<p>Make sure to opt for credit cards over debit cards for making purchases. \u201cYou have more protections,\u201d Velasquez says. Plus, if there are problems, you\u2019re disputing a credit line instead of actual cash.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"research\">6. Do your research<\/h2>\n<p>Cards from some issuers are more widely accepted than others around the world, and you don\u2019t want to arrive in another country with no way to pay.\n<\/p>\n<p>It can help to ask your card\u2019s customer service about its acceptance rates where you\u2019re going, but also consider other sources. Before you leave, talk with your travel agent (if you have one) and your hotel, innkeeper or concierge, too. Look for online posts from other travelers or locals sharing their experiences with using the same type of card.\n<\/p>\n<p>Even if you primarily use one card at home, it can help to take more than one on a trip, especially from different issuers. Plus, if one card inadvertently cuts you off or suspends privileges, you have a backup.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"security\">7. Practice safe security<\/h2>\n<p>For credit data harvesters, public Wi-Fi is an all-you-can-eat buffet. Ditto for those public-use computers in internet cafes and hotel business centers. Avoid them for anything other than reading the morning paper or checking the weather.\n<\/p>\n<p>Need to check balances? Use your own cellphone network to try your bank or issuer\u2019s app or mobile site, says Feddis. Or go old school and dial the institution\u2019s toll-free number.\n<\/p>\n<p>Never put card numbers into websites that don\u2019t have a secure connection, says Velasquez. \u201cMy rule is that I use my (own computer\u2019s) secure network for sensitive transactions \u2014 and would only use my phone if there was an urgent need and I was certain that the transmission was secure,\u201d she says.\n<\/p>\n<p>For more travel tips and tricks, check out Bankrate\u2019s travel toolkit.\n<\/p>\n<h2>The bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>Traveling is pleasurable, and there are certain precautions you can take to get more out of your credit card while you are traveling. For one, keep your card issuer informed about your plans so that your card use in faraway places passes muster. Cards from some issuers are more widely accepted than others, so make sure your card has broad acceptance at your destination. Also, watch out for credit card skimming at ATMs and other attempts at fraud. And go with a travel credit card whose travel rewards and benefits you can reap.\n<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bankrate.com\/credit-cards\/travel\/6-tips-for-traveling-with-credit-cards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key takeaways Before you leave, make sure to inform your card issuer so that your card spending at your destination is approved and not flagged as suspicious. Make sure to take more than one card with you, and go with a card that offers travel rewards and travel benefits. Stay alert, watch out for card<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[220],"tags":[420,238,251,684],"class_list":{"0":"post-6021","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-credit-cards","8":"tag-cards","9":"tag-credit","10":"tag-tips","11":"tag-traveling"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}