Happier Abroad Forum Community

When I was robbed, I was at least glad that I had some six credit cards left, a couple of which had PIN's for use at ATMs. My regular ATM cards from bank accounts were stolen, but the credit cards were in a very hard to find pocket. So, I immediately took two of them and ran to the nearest ATM to get some cash. One would not work, but the other consistently gave me cash until I got home.

This is why it is important to have several of them. You just never know when one can get blocked, or the local network may not be compatible with some of them. This is why you have spare ones. And you can, online, post a travel notice.

The best is Capital One cards. They usually do not have foreign transaction fees and the withdrawal fee is a flat $10. $200 a day limit which is good.

AmeX is also good but it is for real emergencies when they steal absolutely everything and then, you just call Amex and they put you up at a hotel, help you restore your passport and give you some cash. But hopefully, it will not come to that.

I wish I've read this before. Recently I lost my card and had a lot of problems to with my bank. It's crucial to act quickly in such situations to protect your financial security. I reached out to ameris bank customer service here https://ameris-bank.pissedconsumer.com/ ... rvice.html right away to report the lost card. They guided me through the process of canceling the card and getting a replacement.

I don't think I've ever gotten a cash advance with a credit card. I don't like fees or interest. But I could see doing that if I were stuck overseas with no cash.

I avoided using a US credit card overseas, too. Actually, it's not too bad. I accidentally used an Amex card with Uber. Uber took cash in Indonesia, so you got a ride and ended the ride with a cash payment and that was fine. But my employer paid for me to take a trip to California, and I had to enter a credit card to take a trip to Best Buy to pick up some Apple chargers to take back to the kids. Then the card was stuck in my Uber when I was in Indonesia and it was easy to accidentally use the card.

I did have a local credit card for a while, which was good for getting discounts. I had it set up to pay out of my bank account so it was kind of like a debit card for not having fees. And I could even use a lounge at an airport for a while when I was travelling a lot domestically for work.

Get a money belt that you can tuck under your pants. Store backup cards and cash in there. Always worked for me.