MT Week - Best credit and debit cards for travel
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve written about the things you should do before you book your holiday and why it’s important to take out travel insurance as soon as you do.
This week I want to talk about spending money while you’re away.
I remember when I first started travelling on my own, I would scout around for the best exchange rate and buy my travel money before I go.
Usually you had to buy at least £500 worth to get the best deal. At a time when a lot of people didn’t pay with cards, you could reasonably need that amount of money while away.
Things have changed a lot since then. Now, cash is a bit of an afterthought.
Admittedly most of the destinations I visit will accept cards everywhere. The only exception I’ve come across in the western world is Berlin, where cash seems to be king.
But even in places where you need to carry a bit of cash, whether for snacks or souvenirs, my preference is to just take it out from the ATM on location, so there’s no need to buy ahead of time or carry a large amount of cash, and the exchange rate tends to be better.
Fortunately there are now plenty of debit and credit cards that offer fee-free spending abroad.
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