Familiarise yourself
Look up the local currency and get an idea of how much the basics cost in comparison to what they cost at home – like a taxi from the airport or a cup of coffee. You can look at Visa Europe’s competitive exchange rates here: www.visaeurope.com/making-payments/exchange-rates. Card issuer fees may vary.
Take less cash
Using a Visa card on holiday is the smarter way to spend abroad as you’re protected against fraud. With Visa cards accepted at millions of locations around the world, spending abroad shouldn’t be greatly different to how you pay at home. Just look out for the Visa logo in nearly every country in the world to help make the foreign, familiar
Get the best value
Keep in mind the cost of using your Visa card abroad will vary but it is usually better value than the airport bureau de change and comparable to the cost of buying currency at a high street bureau de change.
Use the tools available to you
If you need cash then it’s more convenient to take it out locally, use an ATM locator and find out where you can safely and conveniently withdraw money – wherever you might be on holiday. You can look at Visa Europe’s ATM locator here: www.visaeurope.com/making-payments/atm-locator
Keep it local
If using your card to make a payment or withdraw cash locally, you might be asked if you’d prefer to pay in the local or your home currency. Selecting the local option will usually give you the most competitive rates and avoid hidden fees.
Pay it forward
If you have any extra small change or foreign currency leftover from your break, why not donate it to a charity before leaving the country and put it to better use?
