In today’s post I want to give you a quick glance at credit cards and some basics you should know when it comes to travel. That have always been an important tool for accessing my on the road and have even helped me travel further and safer. If you haven’t had one before, you can apply for a credit card easily, making it a viable option for most travellers.
I’m pretty good at managing my money. Since I was 17 I have paid my own way, through school, life and all my travels around the globe. Though I don’t make a ton of moolah, I manage it well and do my research when it comes to how I do my banking.
When you are looking into a credit card for your travels, here are a few things you want to keep in mind.
Benefits and Rewards:
So many cards these days offer incentives, often specifically for travellers, that encourage you to spend more on your card. In exchange you get everything from travel money and account credit, to flight miles and gift certificates. In the last 3 years I’ve racked up over $1000 in travel credit, all because I did some research on the best card for me.
Pay The Balance:
If you don’t have it, don’t spend it. I pay my balance off in full each month to avoid paying extra for my travels. If you are paying interest each month, any points or benefits you are acquiring become worth nothing. It takes diligence and control but simply think of your card as cash. If you don’t have the cash, it can’t be spent. Pay attention to your account and you’ll do fine.
Yearly Fees:
Make sure you read the fine print and understand what your credit card costs. The cards with the best reward plans often have a yearly fee. Balance out whether you will use the card enough to accumulate enough reward value to offset the cost of the card.
Are You Insured?:
One of my favourite aspects of my current card is that it provides me 10 days of travel insurance. So, when I take a quick jaunt out of the country I don’t have to buy shirt term travel insurance. I am automatically covered. When you are looking at your options for credit cards, make sure ask about insurance and the extra perks that the card provides you.
When Your Debt Card Won’t Work:
I’ve found myself in a pretty frustrating situation before where my debt card won’t work in any ATM in the country. To this day I cannot understand why it happened but I was left with no money. Thank goodness for my credit card. I was able to pay for things for other travellers using my card and they would me cash in exchange. In the buggest jam of all when I was in Kenya and my debt card wouldn’t work, I was able to do an advance withdrawal on my credit card and later my bank refunded the fees.
Having access to money on the road is something I’ve always found really important when helping people learn how to travel the world.
I’d like to continue this discussion with more tips and things to consider when it comes to credit cards and even highlight some of the best from around the world.
Do you travel with a credit card? If not, why?
If so, why do you love the card you use?
Share your answers in the comments below as I’d love to share some more info on this subject!
Travel safe everyone.