TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

Never just assume that your various credit, bank or debit cards will function at your destination if you are leaving your own country. Even traveler's checks are no longer a guaranteed currency option, as several developing nations don't accept them.

Even if a city claims to have certain kinds of banking machine services, you can get stuck if that turns out to mean there is one single machine in the business district, 50 blocks from your hotel. You really just shouldn't rely on banking machines anyway. Banking networks can be complicated, and service can be spotty. Credit cards can be a safer bet, but only large restaurants, hotels and stores may accept them.

Major cards like Visa and MasterCard are your best choice, but be prepared to pay some extra fees to use them. Smaller cards issued by your local banks are not likely be be accepted.

When you are a tourist, you don't want to stick out. Tourists are easy targets for pickpockets, thieves, scam artists, and those who may want to do you harm. Therefore, the more you blend in, the better. This advice is especially pertinent when traveling to a foreign country, where you are most likely to stick out like a sore thumb.

Don't wear flashy jewelry or walk around with a fancy ipod (unless you're a tourist in Beverly Hills, in which case, forget all of this advice because it's not applicable to you).

Be discreet when opening your wallet.

NEVER count bills out in the open.

Keep your credit cards tucked inside deep wallet pockets where people can't see them when you open your wallet.

Wear a money belt.

Never let your credit or debit card out of your site. If you're at a restaurant and the waiter tries to take your credit card away to slide it through the machine, follow him. If he's a good person, he'll understand.

Above all, use common sense!

If you plan to use your credit or debit cards during a trip abroad, it's a good idea to let your bank and/or credit card companies know that you will be traveling.

If they don't know that you are traveling, they may lock your account, thinking that your purchases and withdrawals are suspicious because they are out of the ordinary compared with your usual use. This can not only be embarrassing, it can also leave you out in the cold when you most need the cash!

You can often get the best exchange rates abroad simply by pulling money out of the ATM.

When you pull money out of the ATM, you will usually get hit up with a fee from your bank as well as from the bank you are using. Did you know that you can sometimes avoid these bank fees?

Before you leave the country, find out if your bank has any agreements with any banks abroad. If it does, this might mean that you can use your debit card abroad at those affiliated banks, and avoid an ATM fee from either bank.

For example, I belong to Bank of America. Bank of America has affiliations with Barclays in the UK and BNP Paribas in France, so I can use either of those banks when I am in the UK or France without getting hit with ATM fees.

Considering that ATM fees can be anywhere from $2-5, and that they really add up - it's well-worth finding out if your bank has any agreements with banks overseas!

If you are traveling abroad, you can often get the best exchange rates at ATMs. The currency exchange kiosks at airports often have high fees, so avoid them if you can.

ATMs are really convenient, because you don't even need to go into the bank or go through the hassle of paperwork, like travelers once had to do when exchanging traveler's checks.

In foreign countries, it's often a good idea to wear a money belt under your clothes. This keeps your money (and passport) safe and hidden from pickpockets and purse-snatchers.

If you want to be extra-cautious, you can also hide some money in your shoe, where thieves will never get it!

If you're traveling abroad, you can often exchange money before you even leave the country. Contact your local bank to see which countries you can get currency for. Or if you are a AAA member, go to your local branch and see what countries they have currency for. They usually sell "tip packs" for various countries.

It's handy to have some local currency in your pocket when you step off the plane, because you may need it right away for things like taxis, bus fare, a quick bite to eat, etc.

If you're going to a foreign country, don't worry about getting traveler's checks. They're practically a thing of the past, and they're a lot of hassle on both ends. These days, you can easily and safely use your debit card at any ATM machine in the world.

Just be sure to let your bank know that you are traveling, otherwise they may lock your account due to "suspicious activity"!