Credit Card Details

If you're taking a foreign trip this spring break, a credit card can be the best and safest way to pay for travel costs. But it is important to be aware of the precautions when traveling with a credit card, especially when traveling outside of the US.

The first obvious piece of advice is to choose a credit card that is widely accepted. Credit cards from MasterCard, Visa and American Express are a safe bet in most countries. Even with these accepted cards, you can expect additional fees to be involved such as higher ATM fees and currency conversion fees, usually ranging from 1-3 percent. It�s a good idea not only to call your back to double check these fees, but also to update them on your vacation plans. Otherwise, if they track your card being used in an unusual location, it may raise a red flag and lead them to believe the card or your personal account data was stolen and they can block the credit card. If your card is blocked, you will need to call the issuer and expect a delay before you can re-access your credit.

Remember to go over the basics before your trip- check your credit limit and your card�s expiration date. Nothing is worse than leaving the country and finding out you have to limit your vacation expenses to the one hundred dollars in cash you happened to bring. Speaking of, do bring some cash on your trip. Some foreign restaurants and gift shops don�t accept credit cards and you don�t want to be limited or unable to bring souvenirs back, do you?

When you are able to use the credit card, watch out for double or dishonest billing. Keep all receipts and keep track of your spending. This is most easily done if you scale down to only one credit card during your vacation abroad. Using a single credit card will make it easier to budget and track your spending when you return home. Holding on to all receipts will make it easy to identify any unusual charges on your credit card statement.

While on vacation, store your credit card account numbers somewhere secure (under password protection or in a safe) in case you lose your credit card or get it stolen while away from home. This will make it easier to cancel the account when calling your card issuer. In case this happens, it is good to have a back-up credit card, also kept in a safe, for remaining expenses.

Your credit card works hard all year; doesn�t it deserve the chance to travel during spring break?