Being abroad gives you the opportunity to taste new food, visit iconic places, and buy souvenirs to take back home. But all of that can be a little confusing when you take currency conversions into account. Do you exchange money beforehand? Subject yourself to exorbitant charges each time you swipe your card? Here is some info to help you make the best decision.
Cash
Carrying a small amount of local currency is always a good idea. In some countries, markets will only accept cash, and it can be useful to pay taxi drivers. That said, don’t keep too much cash on you as it could be stolen or lost.
Travel Cards
Credit and debit cards are accepted around the world, but there is also usually a foreign country exchange fee that comes with using them. Travel cards, however, are specifically for, well, travel. They typically charge a flat fee and are less expensive to draw cash with. If you must use a credit or debit card though, opt to pay in the local currency.
Cryptocurrency
The new baby of the financial world. Not all countries are on the crypto bandwagon yet, but if you’re heading to one that is, crypto can be quite useful. It doesn’t involve having to exchange currencies and all transactions are encrypted.