Going on an international trip to a place that uses a different currency than your home country presents some challenges that can end up being costly if you aren’t careful. There are plenty of ways to ensure, however, that you don’t end up paying a crazy price just to buy things while abroad.
Use these strategies to ensure that your wallet isn’t taken advantage of by a foreign currency.
Get Currency Before Your Trip at Your Bank
Starting off with a little bit of currency upon your arrival in your new country is never a bad idea. Avoid unfair exchange rates upon arrival by requesting some foreign currency at your local bank before your travels. They generally offer the fairest exchange rates that you’ll find.
Check Your Credit Card’s Foreign Transaction Policy
Using a credit card while traveling abroad can be an effective strategy if your credit card company offers a policy that includes no foreign transaction fees and fair exchange rates. If so, you won’t even have to worry too much about using hard currency.
Never Exchange Currency at the Airport
In general, the worst thing you can do upon arriving in a country that has a different currency than your own is exchanging at the airport. The monopoly held by the small number of shops that offer this service ends up creating exorbitant exchange rates that are completely unfair.
