Many of us have experienced the anxiety of not being able to find a money exchange stall easily upon arriving to the destination. To save yourself the worry, it’s always best to exchange your money before you travel at a local currency exchange that you trust to give you a fair rate.
Whenever you travel, you must always carry cash and cards – debit and credit – but they must be stored in two different places. Don’t put everything in your wallet. In case your wallet or your bag is stolen, you’ll thank yourself for not keeping it all in the same place. If you’re taking a large amount of cash, make use of your hotel room safe to store most of it whenever you go out. Use cash for small purchases such as coffee, and use your card to pay for shopping, restaurants and tours.
What to do if you get robbed? Make sure you memorize the phone number of your bank’s call center, and not your branch because it may be closed during the time of emergency. If any of your cards have been stolen, contact the call center to have them blocked straightaway. And if your credit card is stolen but you still have your debit card, you can transfer money from your saving account to your debit card. If both your cards are stolen and you run out of cash, use your mobile app or online banking to send money directly from your bank account to Western Union agents around the world. Furthermore, you can receive money in your bank account via Western Union transfers in case your saving account is empty too.
