On vacation? 6 rules to be safe for your finances
Summer is vacation time. Traders go to warm seas, traditionally preferring foreign resorts to domestic ones. But traders(As well as ordinary people are no stranger to anything human :), and none of them is immune from all sorts of difficulties and problems that arise when you vacation abroad - you can lose money, documents, become a victim of theft.
To such situations are hopelessly not spoil the rest, and to reduce the negative impact of them to a minimum, it is enough to adhere to a few simple recommendations.
Tip #1. Stop by your bank before you travel
The payment terminal didn't accept your card, and the ATM "ate" it altogether. What to do? Many banks have offices abroad. Go to your bank to get information about your bank's branches in the country you are traveling to, as well as about foreign partner banks.
It would not be out of place to clarify the procedure in case of emergency situations with a bank card, as well as write down the number of the bank hotline to block the card, if necessary.
Tip #2. Make copies of your personal documents
Staying abroad without documents is a situation you wouldn't wish on your enemy. However, there is a way out here as well.
Before the trip, it is advisable to take a photo, as well as paper copies of your personal documents: passports (internal and foreign), driver's license, etc.
It is optimal to make three sets of copies of documents. The first set should be taken with you, but preferably stored separately from the originals. This can be your suitcase, bag or hotel safe. Leave the second set of copies at home. The third set is better to give to a relative or a close person with whom you will keep in touch during the trip.
Why is it necessary? For example, on some airlines you may be allowed to fly even if you do not have the original document. But you will need a copy and a police report confirming that your document was lost or stolen.
Tip #3: Don't overload your wallet
Traveling light is as comfortable as possible. It is not necessary to bring all the bank cards. Take only those that you will definitely use.
There is one very important point here. It is advisable not to use your payroll (debit) card, because it gives direct access to the current account and allows you to perform some operations without a pin code request. It is best to have a separate card for the trip.
Tip #4. Give priority to bank cards without fees
A suitcase full of money looks cool only in movies. In real life, it is inconvenient and dangerous. Fortunately, many banks offer the opportunity to get a bank card that has zero commission on transactions abroad. In addition, a nice bonus of such cards is the option of fraud protection.
Choose the ATM where you want to withdraw cash carefully. Very often banks charge a fairly tangible fee for withdrawing "cash". In addition, you may run into a device that reads your card details and passes them to fraudsters. To protect yourself as much as possible, it is best to use ATMs in large bank branches, hotels or airports. Better yet, before you travel, check on the Visa or MasterCard website for the availability and location of ATMs.
Tip #5. Money in your underwear - and this is no joke
No matter how developed the financial system is in the country where you are going, you still can't do without cash. Keeping it in your wallet is convenient, but not always safe.
Here it will be useful to remember the experience of grandparents. You can use a special pocket for money in your clothes or even underwear. And perhaps you will not need to engage in needlework, sewing such a pocket yourself - the sale is full of clothes, underwear and even shoes with such "upgrade".
You can carry the money in a pouch around your neck - whatever you like.
Tip #6: Left without money and documents? Don't waste a second!
So, it did happen. You were left in another country without money and/or documents. There is no time to grieve, every second counts.
First, you have to go to the police to draw up a report of the accident. This is not only to get back what was lost/stolen, but also to get the insurance payout (you had insurance before the trip, right?).
The next step is to block access to the lost bank cards or ask the bank to trace the withdrawals for a police investigation.
Naturally, it is necessary to immediately contact the nearest embassy or consulate (you wrote down its number before the trip, right?) and follow the recommendations of its staff.
It is worth saying that following these recommendations cannot 100% guarantee that you will not find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Nevertheless, they will significantly smooth out the criticality of the moment and help you remember it not as a disaster, but simply as an unfortunate accident. Have a nice rest!
money in your underpants 🙂