| Our three credit card tips - guaranteed to save you money and time.
1. Use your Credit Card, but Notify the Bank Before Your Trip and Know the Card's Conversion Rates - First, use a credit card for the majority of your purchases. Virtually every café, restaurant and store accepts plastic. And, you will receive the best exchange rate possible.
However, notify your credit card company that you are travelling to Paris and a rough estimate of the dates in question. Credit card companies have automated fraud detection software that automatically suspends an account with activity out of the ordinary, especially overseas purchases. If you normally use your card in Peoria, not Paris, you'll almost be guaranteed to have your account suspended without a "heads up" to your cc company in advance.
2. Bring More than One Credit Card with You on Your Trip. We've found that even calling in advance, sometimes mistakes can happen. And, being able whip out another card can alleviate the confusion at checkout.
3. Read the Fine Print of Your Credit Card Agreement before Using Your Card Internationally. Each company has their own fees and additional charges for overseas transactions. Some cards are reasonable and others charge highway robbery rates on each purchase. And, to complicate matters, an not all cards from the same company have the same rates. For example, there are a gazillion MBNA Visa Cards - some with a 1% standard Visa/MasterCard transaction rate, others with a 1% transaction fee and a 4% surcharge.
Before your trip, its probably worth your while to open and read the dozens of credit card offers that flood your mailbox each week. In January 2006, the best deal for international travel was a Capital One Visa. For international travel, Capital One charges no surcharge..zero...zip. They even eat the 1% Visa transaction fee. And, their interchange bank exchange rate on purchases can't be beat. And, remember CC companies change their policies constantly so always verify the transaction fees before your trip.
For those of you yawning and thinking who cares about a couple percent, the difference between a 0% and 5% can translate into a few more gourmet dinners or a killer pair of stillettos. It all adds up, and there is no one more undeserving of your hard earned cash than the credit card conglomerates.
Read our Paris Time Savers and Sanity Savers.
|
