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Enjoy Your Vacations with The Travel Team
"When you plan a vacation, the last thing you want is an
unpleasant experience in an unfamiliar place. Often, that
happens due to the lack of proper planning. On the contrary, if
every detail in your itinerary has been planned in advance,...
Luggage, Forever your Travel Companion
Luggage is one of the most essential things that we just cant live without in an age where the whole world is literally on the move. The wonders of modern jet travel has meant that compared to 100 years ago, people are more mobile and constantly...
Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
Anyone who wants to enjoy a stress-free trip has to start with
the basic concern of any traveler - how to effectively handle
travel reservations. Below are a number of advice that may help:
- Decide on a travel plan - specific destination,...
Turkey Travel Tips
A Traveler's Guide to Turkey
Turkey is a unique country that lies along two continents. One
part of Turkey is part of Europe, while the rest is
geographically situated in West Asia, (also called the Middle
East). Many languages are spoken in...
Washington, DC a Bargain Travel Guide
Welcome to Washington, DC - The nation's capital is a city with public museums and monuments galore, but also hidden treasures that should not be overlooked. Whether you're in Georgetown, downtown, or even in Northern Virginia, and whether you're...
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Travelers Checks Versus Debit Cards
My first time overseas, I had to exchange cash in $200 of travelers checks to pay a mountaineering guide who hadn't heard of American Express. The bank charged me $8. During the same trip, I used my debit card at an ATM to get $200 from my checking account. Once home, I saw that the charge for this was one dollar, and that was the last time I used traveler's checks.
Debit And Credit Cards When Traveling
I usually carry a debit card and a credit card when I travel now. I keep them well-hidden in two separate places. If they are stolen, which has never happened yet, they have either zero liability, or a fifty dollar liability limit for any unauthorized charges. Ask your bank or credit card company about this.
When an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) won't take one of the cards for some reason - and this will happen - I use the other card, which usually works fine. Credit cards may be less trouble than debit cards. Your liability could be zero on your stolen debit card, but you probably won't have access to your account until the matter is sorted out.
Of course, on longer trips it's a hassle to pay the credit card bill on time, which isn't a problem with debit cards. Carry both, and on
longer trips you can wait until you're a few weeks from home to use the credit card. That way you'll get there before the bill does.
An important advantage credit and debit cards have over travelers checks, is that when you need the local currency, you'll almost always get a better exchange rate with your cards. Also, the cash you get from the local ATM will truly be accepted everywhere, something even American Express Travelers Checks can't promise.
I have nothing against American Express. Once, when I was robbed in Mexico, they quickly and curtiously replaced my stolen traveler's checks. Also, at times it is appropriate to carry money in several forms, including theirs. However, times change and ATMs are everywhere now, so my policy is : Travelers checks; don't leave home with them. You can take an American Express credit card instead.
About the Author
Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com
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