Whether it's a road trip or a jet flight across the world, chances are you'll be using a credit card on those travels. Before you depart, here's a roundup of some good-to-know credit card travel tips.
1. Call Before You Go:
Especially if you're travelling overseas, it's always wise to alert your credit card company. Otherwise, if you leave and start charging purchases in Canada, for example, your credit card company will likely flag those transactions as suspicious. They might try contacting you by phone to verify the transactions. Or they could simply freeze your card, playing havoc with travel plans. To avoid those scenarios, pick up the phone and call your issuer, using the number on the back of your card. Many card issuers let you do the same thing online. Log onto your account and look for "travel notification" or a similar tab, where you can fill in the dates and countries where you'll be travelling.
2. Know The Numbers:
Keep a copy of your card's toll-free customer service numbers with you, separate from your wallet, in case you need to report a loss or theft. Bury one in your luggage; send a copy to a friend or family member, just in case it's needed. Also, many travel experts recommend carrying two credit cards, keeping one as your backup in case your main card is lost or stolen.
3. Get Your Freebies:
Many consumers aren't aware of little-known benefits that come free with their credit cards. Depending on the card and the issuing bank, the perks can range from free referrals if you need a lawyer or doctor in a foreign country (the referral is free, not the professional services) to hotel room upgrades. In all cases, to find out what your card covers, read the fine print in your service agreement or look it up online.
4. Minimise Fees:
Most credit cards add a 1 to 3 per cent currency conversion fee to the cost of any purchase outside Australia, even when you pay in dollars. Some cards however have eliminated it entirely. If you have more than one credit card, you might want to check the fees and use the one with the lowest foreign transaction fee.
Avoid going to a currency exchange office or airport kiosk which typically charge high currency conversion fees.
- Call your card issuer to ask if it has partnerships with bank ATMs in other countries.
- Use a debit card, which tends to have lower fees than a credit card.
- When doing ATM cash withdrawals, get large amounts so you're not making frequent ATM stops and incurring fees.
5. Chip or no Chip?:
If your credit card has been around a while, it's probably not imbedded with a microchip, a security feature that makes it harder for cyberthieves to steal your credit card info. These so-called microchipped cards are standard in Europe, but many Australians don’t have one yet.
In most cases overseas, a standard magnetic stripped card will work most of the time, in most places, however certain situations, such as trying to use a self-service fuel station or ticket kiosk may cause the card to be rejected. Overall, if your bank offers the option of getting a chipped card, it’s recommend because it decreases the chances of running into a problem.
6. Pay Bills in Advance:
Don't forget to pay off credit card bills before leaving, so you don't come home to unanticipated late fees or other penalties. Especially if you'll be gone for an extended period, you can pay your monthly bill ahead of time or set up an online automatic payment.
7. Check your Limits:
If you'll be charging lots on your trip, be sure you've got enough available credit on your card. Let's say your card has a $1,000 limit and you exceed that while renting scuba gear: Your card transaction could be denied or you could get hit with penalties on your next bill. To avoid those unpleasant surprises, contact your card issuer before you leave about raising your credit limit. Otherwise, monitor your travel spending so you don't go over the card limit.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
