- Lihat Wikivoyage: Mata wang untuk mengedit garis panduan ungkapan mata wang.
Maklumat mengenai menggunakan wang dilindungi di membeli-belah, dan juga Beli bahagian panduan destinasi. Artikel ini mengandungi maklumat umum mengenai memperoleh wang, dalam pelbagai bentuknya, untuk digunakan di banyak destinasi, sering dengan mata wang selain dari rumah.
Terdapat beberapa cara untuk mendapatkan dan menukar wang semasa dalam perjalanan. Anda selalu menukar perbelanjaan, risiko, dan kemudahan. Malangnya, penjenayah teratur dan lain-lain telah mengembangkan banyak cara untuk mengambil wang anda. Kad kredit mempunyai had undang-undang mengenai jumlah tanggungjawab anda jika digunakan secara haram. Kad debit dan ATM mempunyai risiko dan faedah lain. Artikel ini membincangkan cara menggunakannya, risiko mereka, dan bagaimana mendapatkan mata wang atau wang tunai.
Kadar pertukaran
Pertukaran mata wang asing serupa dengan pasaran saham; namun, perubahan kadar dari hari ke hari yang sangat besar tidak biasa. Sebelum dan semasa anda melakukan perjalanan, anda perlu mengetahui nilai pasaran relatif mata wang dan mata wang kediaman anda di mana anda akan melancong. Nilai tukar boleh didapati melalui pelbagai sumber, seperti saluran berita perniagaan, bahagian perniagaan surat khabar, laman web bank, laman web kewangan, laman pertukaran mata wang, dan mesin carian popular seperti Google, Yahoo dan lain-lain akan menukar secara langsung di bar carian. Anda juga boleh memuat turun pelbagai aplikasi atau menggunakan aplikasi penukaran yang telah dipasang sebelumnya yang disertakan dengan beberapa telefon pintar. Tetapi seperti yang akan dibincangkan di bawah dan di bahagian-bahagian berikutnya, kadar sebenar yang akan digunakan untuk penukaran runcit selalunya akan menjadi beberapa mata peratusan lebih buruk kerana gerai pertukaran mata wang asing adalah perniagaan dan perlu mencari jalan untuk memperoleh pendapatan.
Penting untuk mengetahui sama ada kadar tertentu adalah jumlah unit asing dalam mata wang asal anda atau sebaliknya. Mendapatkannya ke belakang boleh menjadi sangat kesilapan mahal. Kesalahan ini kemungkinan besar berlaku sekiranya kedua-dua mata wang berada dalam nilai dua atau tiga lipatan antara satu sama lain. Cara terbaik untuk mengelakkan percampuran adalah dengan mengetahui sama ada satu unit mata wang di destinasi anda bernilai lebih banyak lagi atau kurang daripada mata wang kediaman anda. Anda juga boleh menggunakan alat penukaran dalam talian dan mudah alih yang dijelaskan dalam perenggan sebelumnya untuk panduan kasar. Sebagai contoh, paun Britain bernilai lebih daripada satu dolar AS, sementara yen Jepun bernilai lebih rendah daripada dolar AS. Mata wang yang bernilai lebih semestinya mempunyai kadar lebih besar daripada satu - gunakan pengganda ini. Sebaliknya, mata wang yang bernilai lebih rendah harus bermula dengan perpuluhan (contohnya: 0.2345) - gunakan pengganda ini juga. Sekiranya anda hanya mempunyai kadar ke arah lain, the timbal balik atau songsang kunci kalkulator (biasanya 1 / X) akan mengubahnya kembali. Sebagai contoh, jika anda mempunyai kadar 4.264 tetapi tahu nilainya lebih rendah daripada mata wang asal anda, kunci timbal balik akan menukarnya ke 0.2345 sekali lagi (kira-kira). Sebagai pemeriksaan ralat, dua bentuk kadar dikalikan bersama harus sama dengan satu (0,9999, 1.0001 atau serupa). Sekiranya anda mempunyai satu kadar untuk membeli dan sebaliknya untuk penjualan, perhatikan sebar di bawah.
Kedua-dua bentuk kadar pertukaran itu mempunyai tujuan. Dengan menggunakan contoh sebelumnya, semasa ketibaan, anda akan menerima 4.264 unit mata wang asing untuk setiap unit mata wang kediaman anda (tolak yuran). Semasa berlepas, anda akan menerima 0.2345 unit mata wang kediaman anda untuk setiap unit mata wang asing yang tersisa (sekali lagi, tolak yuran). Begitu juga, kalikan dengan 0.2345 untuk menukar harga asing ke mata wang kediaman anda.
Di kaunter pertukaran, harga "beli" dan "jual" untuk mata wang kediaman anda akan dipaparkan. Semakin dekat antara satu sama lain (disebut "penyebaran"), semakin baik kesepakatannya. Harga pasaran antarabangsa yang diterbitkan (hanya tersedia untuk mereka yang setara dengan jutaan dolar AS) semestinya berada di tengah-tengah harga beli dan jual. Mata wang yang jarang ditukar cenderung mempunyai spread yang besar, menjadikannya agak mahal untuk membeli dan menjual.
Selain kadar pertukaran di kaunter pertukaran, juga perhatikan semua bayaran yang dikenakan untuk sebarang transaksi. Sebilangan mungkin diperbaiki, yang lain berubah dan dibina mengikut kadar yang digunakan. Kos bersih untuk pertukaran mata wang seringkali jauh lebih tinggi daripada mendapatkan mata wang oleh ATM (tertakluk kepada bayaran bank anda), kerana kosnya lebih besar untuk juruwang perbankan dan ruang pejabat (terutama di lapangan terbang).
Sekiranya anda akan menukar wang untuk berbelanja, kadar faedah adalah yang merangkumi yuran. Anda mendapatkannya dengan membahagikan jumlah wang asing yang anda dapat dengan jumlah wang domestik yang anda bayar. Oleh kerana anda tidak mahu menggunakan kalkulator anda sepanjang masa, adalah idea yang baik untuk mencari anggaran kasar yang dapat anda hitung dengan sedikit usaha. Sekiranya anda membulatkan hingga 5 dalam contoh ini, anda boleh mengalikan dengan lima (atau membahagi dengan dua dan memindahkan titik perpuluhan) untuk mendapatkan harga yang konservatif dalam mata wang anda sendiri. Anda kemudian menolak tawaran yang tidak lebih murah daripada di rumah dengan kadar itu - sebenarnya 15% lebih murah - atau gunakan kalkulator anda untuk tawaran yang hampir. Sekiranya anda mahir dalam matematik dan pecahan biasanya anda dapat mencari sesuatu yang lebih dekat daripada itu.
Wang Tunai
Wang tunai adalah kaedah pembayaran tradisional dan serba boleh, dan kaedah yang masih boleh digunakan untuk membayar kebanyakan barang dan perkhidmatan umum yang anda perlukan semasa dalam perjalanan. Namun, wang tunai tidak dapat digunakan untuk semua pembelian. Terdapat juga sekatan untuk membawa atau mengirim wang melintasi sempadan negara (lihat di bawah).
Elakkan mempunyai nota yang terlalu besar. Sekiranya nota anda bernilai gaji seminggu, beberapa tempat akan dapat memberikan perubahan. Sekiranya anda mengunjungi kawasan yang lebih miskin daripada negara anda sendiri, hanya menghairankan nota kecil yang boleh digunakan. Juga di negara kaya gerai kecil, bas dan lain-lain mungkin tidak mahu mengambil nota besar. Sekiranya anda bermain buruk ketika tawar menawar, anda tidak mahu menunjukkan nota besar semasa membayar. Di beberapa tempat muslihat tanpa perubahan adalah penipuan biasa.
Sebilangan besar negara menghendaki anda mempunyai wang tunai dalam mata wang tempatan. Namun, di beberapa negara membangun sebagai pelancong, anda akan diharapkan menggunakan mata wang yang sukar (lihat di bawah) dan bukannya mata wang tempatan - biasanya dolar AS atau euro, atau mata wang keras serantau. Di beberapa kawasan pelancongan, lapangan terbang, kapal terbang, dan wilayah perbatasan, anda mungkin dapat memperoleh dengan mata wang utama atau mata wang negara yang bersempadan. Selalunya ini akan dikenakan perbelanjaan tambahan dengan kadar pertukaran. Makau secara praktikal menerima dolar Hong Kong dengan dasar 1: 1 dengan pataca dan perbezaannya tidak dapat dilihat untuk transaksi yang lebih kecil. Tetapi menukar wang Macau kembali ke dolar Hong Kong di luar Macau agak mahal jika tidak mustahil, bahkan di Hong Kong. Bayaran berkaitan pengangkutan rentas sempadan dari Malaysia ke Singapura menerima dolar Singapura berdasarkan 1: 1 kerana pertukaran memberi keuntungan kepada penjual. Ia tidak akan berfungsi secara terbalik.
Wang tunai tidak boleh digunakan untuk semua pembelian. Banyak transaksi berasaskan kios (contohnya di McDonalds) dan transaksi berasaskan aplikasi telefon bimbit tidak menerima wang tunai. Sebilangan besar syarikat penyewaan kereta memerlukan kad kredit. Hotel utama sering memerlukan kad kredit atau bon tunai yang besar. Sekiranya anda hanya mempunyai wang tunai, anda akan berada di barisan untuk mendapatkan tiket masuk sementara jiran anda telah melompat dan pergi ke mesin tanpa giliran yang hanya menerima kad kredit, atau membeli tiket secara dalam talian dalam perjalanan ke sana. Beberapa tol plat hanya boleh dibayar dengan kad dalam talian, dan tidak ada kaedah praktikal untuk pelancong membayar dengan wang tunai. Wang tunai tidak akan membolehkan anda menyewa basikal Washington DC, atau tambah kad transit anda di stesen di Sydney. Rangkaian hotel utama di Nordik tidak lagi menerima pembayaran tunai, seperti juga beberapa muzium di wilayah yang sama. Sistem transit awam di seluruh dunia - termasuk di tempat seperti Managua - menghilangkan wang tunai sama sekali, memerlukan pembayaran dengan kad yang dibina khas.
Kelemahan lain untuk wang tunai adalah risiko. Sekiranya anda kehilangannya, anda tidak dapat mengembalikannya, dan jika seseorang mengetahui bahawa anda mempunyai sejumlah besar wang tunai, anda menjadi sasaran berpotensi untuk pencuri atau perompak. Beberapa pertahanan dibincangkan dalam pencopet artikel, tetapi tidak ada pembelaan sepenuhnya - membawa wang tunai selalu melibatkan risiko. Insurans perjalanan boleh melindungi kerugian atau kecurian wang tunai ke nilai tertentu. Sekiranya anda mendapat nota palsu, atau mendapat perubahan yang salah dari perniagaan, anda biasanya mempunyai sedikit jalan keluar.
Apabila anda menggunakan wang tempatan, biasakan diri dengan reka bentuk nota asas dan ciri keselamatan mereka (tanda air, hologram, dll.), Dan perhatikan wang palsu dan mata wang usang. Pastikan untuk melihat kadar pertukaran sebelum memulakan perjalanan anda dan jika boleh, cari dari hari ke hari untuk melihat sama ada ia berubah-ubah. Sekiranya anda terlupa untuk melakukannya, dan memerlukan angka taman permainan kasar, pertukaran lapangan terbang dan wang bank biasanya mempunyai kadar pertukaran yang tepat (jika kadang-kadang buruk). Ingat: perbezaan antara kadar jual beli adalah keuntungan mereka, jadi semakin rendah, semakin baik kadarnya. Sudah tentu semua ini tidak berlaku untuk negara-negara dengan nilai tukar "rasmi", yang tidak ada hubungannya dengan nilai sebenar mata wang mereka, atau negara-negara dengan inflasi yang melarikan diri. (Venezuela, dan Zimbabwe hingga 2015, adalah contohnya.) Bank dan pengurup wang (beroperasi di luar pejabat, tidak mengeluarkan wang tunai dari poket mantel) hampir selalu selamat, tetapi pemandu teksi dan peniaga kecil mungkin tergoda untuk meletak nota yang tidak berguna. Sekiranya ragu-ragu, tolak nota yang tidak dikenali. Juga, sangat mencurigakan nota besar, kerana ia lebih sering dipalsukan.
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Sekiranya anda bermaksud menukar wang anda ke luar negara, pastikan anda membawa wang kertas dari mata wang anda sendiri hanya dalam keadaan baik dan hanya reka bentuk (semula) paling baru (melainkan sungguh baru). Bank-bank di destinasi anda tidak boleh menukar atau menukar mata wang usang dengan mudah atau murah seperti yang mereka dapat dengan mata wang negara mereka sendiri. Mata wang kertas yang dipakai mungkin mengalami penurunan nilai - jika ia diterima sama sekali. Walaupun dalam keadaan baik, reka bentuk mata wang anda sebelumnya mungkin tidak diterima kerana masalah pemalsuan. Sekiranya anda berhasrat untuk menggunakan dolar A.S. di luar negara, perhatikan siri tertentu yang diterima, dan hanya ambil nota ringkas. Sekiranya anda memperoleh dolar A.S. untuk dibawa ke negara selain A.S., beri tahu bank atau pertukaran, supaya mereka dapat memberi anda nota baru mengenai siri yang betul.
Biasanya tidak ada had untuk jumlah mata wang anda sendiri yang dapat anda bawa masuk atau keluar dari negara lain. Walau bagaimanapun, anda mesti menyatakan jumlah melebihi nilai tertentu. Biasanya sekitar AS $ 10,000 atau setara - tetapi baca borang imigresen dengan teliti. Beberapa negara mempunyai had jumlah mata wang tempatan yang dapat anda bawa dari negara tersebut. Periksa panduan tempatan.
Di mana untuk mendapatkan atau menukar wang tunai
 | Nota: Keadaan berbeza di setiap negara dan bahkan di setiap kawasan. Apa yang mungkin menjadi kaedah terbaik untuk mendapatkan wang tempatan di satu negara bukanlah cara yang paling ideal di tempat lain dan sebaliknya. Petua di bawah adalah amalan umum yang mungkin dilakukan dan lebih baik merujuk kepada panduan negara dan bandar yang berkenaan untuk maklumat lebih lanjut. |
Di banyak negara, yang pilihan terbaik (memandangkan kemudahan dan kadar pertukaran biasanya baik) adalah untuk gunakan ATM di negara tujuan bukannya membawa sejumlah besar wang tunai untuk ditukar. Biasanya terdapat yuran yang lebih besar dan kadar pertukaran yang lebih rendah yang berkaitan dengan pertukaran wang tunai menggunakan ATM (lihat bahagian di bawah mengenai penggunaan kad dan ATM). Pengecualian dari peraturan ini adalah pusat kewangan Asia Singapura, di mana pengurup wang yang kecil dan bebas sering memberikan harga yang lebih baik daripada bank atau syarikat kad kredit, terutama ketika menukar jumlah yang lebih besar.
Pertukaran wang berfungsi berdasarkan menjual mata wang asing pada satu kadar dan membeli dengan harga yang lain. Pastikan bahawa anda mengetahui kadar pertukaran antara bank semasa sebelum anda meninggalkan rumah. Sekiranya terdapat lebih banyak persaingan, harganya mungkin lebih baik. Lokasi pertukaran yang paling sesuai (seperti di lapangan terbang, pusat membeli-belah atau hotel utama) umumnya mempunyai kadar terburuk. Sekiranya boleh, periksa perbezaan (atau spread) antara "kami menjual" dan "kami beli". Apabila ini melebihi 10%, anda pasti akan tersingkir. Walau bagaimanapun, beberapa pengurup wang tidak menawarkan spread yang sama di kedua-dua bahagian tengah. Di kawasan pelancongan, mereka mungkin menjual mata wang tempatan lebih jauh dari harga tengah daripada membeli - mengetahui bahawa kebanyakan urus niaga mereka dilakukan dengan pelancong yang perlu berbelanja dalam mata wang tempatan. Pertukaran terbaik boleh menjadi serendah 1.5% dari midrate. Juga, periksa apakah ada komisen tetap tambahan untuk setiap transaksi, dan masukkan ke dalam pengiraan anda. Berhati-hatilah apabila anda menemui tanda "tiada komisen" atau "komisen 0%": ini mungkin bermaksud menukar mata wang asing secara langsung dengan bank biasanya boleh dilakukan. Anda biasanya boleh bergantung pada bank untuk tidak mempunyai kadar terbaik atau terburuk. Beberapa bank hanya akan menghiburkan anda jika anda mempunyai jumlah yang banyak dan / atau mempunyai akaun dengan mereka atau sekutu mereka di negara asal anda, dan yang lain telah mengalihkan fungsi pertukaran mereka kepada biro pertukaran. Kelemahan lain ialah mereka mempunyai waktu operasi yang terhad sehingga pada hujung minggu dan cuti, anda tidak bernasib baik. Gerai mata wang yang dipasang di kedai pajak gadai mungkin patut dicuba dengan harga yang berpatutan. Beberapa institusi memerlukan pengenalan diri sebelum menukar mata wang, terutamanya dengan jumlah yang lebih besar.
Dalam beberapa kes, mungkin lebih baik anda menukar wang anda sebelum anda pergi, sementara yang lain mungkin lebih baik untuk melakukannya di destinasi anda. Sebagai peraturan umum, mata wang yang kurang dikenali di dunia mempunyai kadar pertukaran yang kurang menguntungkan di luar negara di mana mereka menjadi tender sah. Sebenarnya, mereka pertama kali boleh ditukar menjadi mata wang terkenal seperti dolar AS sebelum ditukar kembali ke mata wang hos juga pada kadar yang tidak menguntungkan. Sekiranya ini berlaku, tukar mata wang utama anda menjadi mata wang utama (biasanya dolar A.S.) sebelum pergi, kemudian tukar mata wang utama itu menjadi mata wang tuan rumah semasa anda tiba. Anda juga mempunyai lebih banyak masa untuk berbelanja dengan harga terbaik sebelum anda pergi. Di destinasi anda, mencari pengurup wang dengan kadar terbaik memerlukan masa percutian berharga anda.
Sebilangan besar mata wang utama dikenakan pemalsuan hari ini. Kaji nota mata wang negara asing untuk mengetahui bagaimana rupanya dan rasa. Hampir semua mata wang menggunakan teknologi anti-pemalsuan, termasuk dakwat peralihan warna, tanda air, benang khas, dakwat warna-warni, percetakan dinaikkan, hologram dan ciri-ciri lain. Biasakan dengan mereka sehingga anda dapat memeriksanya dengan cepat ketika mendapat nota baru, sama ada dari pertukaran dari nota yang lebih besar, atau dari pertukaran wang. Sekiranya anda tidak pasti, jangan takut untuk mengatakan bahawa anda lebih suka mendapatkan nota yang berbeza, atau mengatakan anda lebih suka mendapatkan dua nota yang lebih kecil untuk perubahan. (Contohnya, jika anda mendapat sepuluh perubahan yang tidak anda gemari, minta dua 5s.) Jika anda berakhir dengan palsu, anda tidak akan mendapat pampasan setelah anda pergi oleh sesiapa yang memberikannya kepada anda, dan anda mungkin terpaksa menjelaskannya kepada polis.
Pertukaran pasaran gelap
Di beberapa negara, kadar pertukaran rasmi ditetapkan pada kadar yang sama sekali tidak masuk akal atau tidak realistik. Di negara-negara ini pasaran gelap akan memberikan penilaian yang lebih realistik mengenai nilai mata wang dan secara praktikalnya tidak dapat dielakkan. Sebagai contoh, pada tahun 2007, kadar pertukaran rasmi adalah 250 Zimbabwe dolar ke dolar A.S., sementara kadar pasaran gelap mencapai 600,000: 1.
Walau bagaimanapun, risiko pertukaran pasaran gelap adalah legiun. Pertama dan paling utama, pertukaran pasaran gelap adalah haram dan kedua-dua pembeli dan penjual mungkin menghadapi sekatan yang teruk sekiranya ditangkap: penjual itu mungkin (atau bekerja dengan) pegawai polis untuk memerangkap pelancong. Kedua, risiko penipuan tinggi: anda mungkin mendapat wang kertas usang, wang kertas palsu, kurang daripada jumlah yang dijanjikan atau tidak sama sekali. Pertimbangkan dengan teliti sama ada anda perlu melakukan pertukaran di tempat pertama, kerana perniagaan di negara-negara dengan mata wang kotak biasanya akan lebih senang menerima mata wang keras secara langsung (walaupun ini juga sering tidak sah), dan anda mungkin mendapat semua mata wang tempatan yang anda perlukan sebagai perubahan.
Tukar sedikit sahaja di satu tempat dan selebihnya di tempat lain sehingga jika anda ditipu, tidak akan rugi.
Garis panduan utama untuk urus niaga pasaran gelap yang berjaya adalah menerima wang sebelum anda menyerahkan. Hitung nota, periksa nota dengan teliti, bandingkan dengan yang anda ada, dan, hanya kemudian, serahkan wang anda sendiri kepada penjual. Jangan izinkan mereka mengambil kembali wang yang mereka berikan kepada anda, kerana di sinilah pelbagai tipuan tangan dapat ditarik untuk menggantikan kumpulan yang sah dengan sesuatu yang sama sekali berbeza.
Di negara-negara di mana kadar pertukaran asing adalah wajar, yang terbaik adalah mengelakkan pasaran gelap sepenuhnya: anda berisiko kehilangan semua wang anda dengan sedikit keuntungan.
Pengecualian mungkin berlaku di negara-negara seperti Nepal dan India di mana melakukan pertukaran undang-undang di bank boleh melibatkan membuang masa satu jam atau lebih tetapi kebanyakan hotel akan menukar wang untuk anda dengan serta-merta dan cukup selamat. Harga mungkin tidak jauh lebih baik, tetapi kemudahannya.
Mata wang yang boleh ditukar
A mata wang boleh tukar adalah mata wang yang boleh ditukar dengan mudah menjadi mata wang negara lain; sebaliknya, sebuah mata wang yang tidak dapat ditukar secara teorinya tidak bernilai di luar negara asalnya. Beberapa negara, seperti Cuba, masih mengeluarkan satu mata wang boleh tukar untuk pelancong dan satu mata wang yang tidak dapat ditukar untuk penduduk tempatan. Di beberapa negara seperti Tunisia dan India, mengimport atau mengeksport (tidak dapat ditukar) dinar dan rupee dilarang, walaupun peraturan tersebut jarang ditegakkan untuk jumlah yang kecil. Masih, cari tahu undang-undang sebelumnya dan ikut mereka.
Kebolehpercayaan ditetapkan oleh undang-undang dan tidak selalu tercermin sepenuhnya dalam kenyataan: beberapa mata wang seperti Orang India rupee tidak dapat ditukar secara teori tetapi agak mudah untuk diperdagangkan dalam praktik, sementara yang lain menyukai Swazi lilangeni boleh ditukar sepenuhnya dalam teori tetapi hampir mustahil untuk dijual atau dibeli di sebahagian besar dunia.
Walaupun namanya, mata wang yang tidak dapat ditukar selalunya dibeli dengan potongan harga di luar negara asal kerana orang yang memegang mereka ingin menyingkirkan mereka. Mencari seseorang untuk beli mereka lebih sukar. Kedai-kedai yang dikendalikan oleh negara di beberapa negara juga akan menegaskan bahawa pelancong akan menghasilkan perakuan pertukaran untuk membuktikan bahawa wang mereka diperoleh dari sumber yang sah seperti bank tempatan pada kadar pertukaran rasmi (biasanya lemah), dan sijil seperti itu juga sering diperlukan jika anda ingin menukar wang yang tidak diperlukan di negara ini.
Sekiranya melancong ke negara dengan mata wang yang tidak dapat ditukar atau yang anda tidak boleh, dalam praktiknya, membeli atau menjual di negara asal anda, anda harus menukar semua wang anda menjadi mata wang antarabangsa utama sebelum meninggalkan negara ini. Mata wang berikut yang disenaraikan sangat aktif diperdagangkan di pasaran pertukaran asing, dan dengan demikian tersedia secara meluas dan boleh ditukar di bank di mana sahaja di dunia:
Senarai ini mengikut urutan pilihan dan pada hakikatnya, 3 senarai pertama biasanya ditukar di pejabat pertukaran wang paling jauh. Walaupun tidak diperdagangkan secara meluas seperti lapan mata wang yang disenaraikan di atas, Yuan Cina menjadi lebih meluas di pengurup wang kerana status China yang semakin meningkat sebagai kekuatan ekonomi utama.
Mata wang keras
Di banyak negara miskin dengan mata wang inflasi, tidak stabil, dan / atau tidak dapat ditukar, mata wang asing mungkin terbukti lebih berguna daripada mata wang tempatan. Walaupun nilainya berubah-ubah, "standard emas" untuk mata wang tetap Dolar A.S.. Ia mungkin diterima sebagai pembayaran secara langsung oleh penduduk tempatan, walaupun tidak semestinya pada kadar pertukaran yang baik. Sebenarnya beberapa negara di Caribbean, Amerika dan Asia Tenggara menggunakannya sebagai milik mereka de facto - atau rasmi - mata wang. The euro juga semakin diterima dengan baik, sekurang-kurangnya di wilayah yang mempunyai banyak pengunjung Eropah, dan negara-negara miskin dengan negara jiran yang kuat dari segi ekonomi juga dapat menerima mata wang keras serantau (seperti Orang Thai baht dalam Myanmar, Laos dan Kemboja, Orang Australia dolar, atau kadangkala New Zealand dolar dalam banyak Oceania, Afrika Selatan rand di Afrika selatan dan Orang India rupee dalam Asia Selatan). Beberapa mata wang mempunyai kadar pertukaran tetap berbanding euro, dolar A.S. atau mata wang lain. Walaupun beberapa "disatukan" 1: 1 (Panaman balboa ke dolar AS, Falkland pound ke pound Britain) yang sering berakhir yang bermaksud bahawa kedua-dua mata wang diterima sama, yang lain seperti, misalnya, tanda tukar Bosnia disatukan dalam mata wang lain kadar pertukaran (dalam kes ini 1 euro untuk 1.95583 mark) dan harus ditukar lebih mungkin daripada tidak. Oleh itu, mata wang tersebut cenderung sukar ditukar dengan apa-apa kecuali mata wang yang disambungkannya dan kadangkala pertukaran hanya boleh dilakukan di negara di mana mata wang tersebut adalah tender sah. "Pasak" ini juga cenderung untuk pecah jika pemerintah mengeluarkan wang ini kehabisan euro, dolar atau pound untuk membeli kembali mata wang tempatan. Ringkasnya: balbo, pound Falkland atau tanda Bosnia cenderung tidak lebih dari sekadar cenderahati sebaik sahaja anda meninggalkan kawasan di mana mereka rasmi.
Sekiranya rumah atau negara tujuan anda tidak menggunakan mata wang yang terkenal di seluruh dunia, anda harus menggunakan mata wang keras yang paling kerap ditukar di destinasi anda. Contohnya, seseorang yang melakukan perjalanan dari Singapura ke Mexico harus mengambil dolar A.S. Walaupun ini melibatkan penukaran berganda, ia hampir selalu terbukti lebih murah daripada penukaran tunggal (iaitu kadar pertukaran di Mexico untuk dolar Singapura, atau di Singapura untuk peso Mexico cenderung mengerikan).
Anda juga boleh menggunakan mata wang sukar ketika tawar-menawar dengan penduduk tempatan dengan menawarkan wang bukan mata wang tempatan. Gunakan kadar penukaran untuk keuntungan anda dan buat tawaran dalam mata wang sukar. Menunjukkan beberapa dolar A.S. dalam proses mungkin akan membantu tetapi pastikan untuk menunjukkan hanya apa yang anda sanggup bayar. Juga, jika anda berencana untuk tawar-menawar, pastikan untuk menyediakan nota kecil sehingga anda tidak perlu banyak perubahan, terutama jika anda hanya menawar harga yang jauh lebih rendah. Anda tidak mahu memberikan vendor 50 untuk item bernilai 5; anda akan menjemput vendor untuk mencuba menjual lebih banyak barang kepada anda atau, lebih teruk lagi, beri tahu poket di sekitar anda berapa banyak yang anda ada.
Adalah bijak untuk membawa simpanan mata wang kecemasan yang dipisahkan dari semua barang dan barang berharga anda yang lain. Beberapa perniagaan yang berurusan dengan banyak pelancong asing mungkin juga menerima wang asing tetapi hampir selalu pada kadar pertukaran yang lebih rendah untuk menanggung kesulitan.
Syiling
Dalam kebanyakan keadaan, anda tidak boleh menukar duit syiling setelah anda meninggalkan negara. Tukar mereka sebelum anda pergi, letakkan di kotak amal, atau cenderahati. Membiasakan diri dengan duit syiling dan mata wang untuk negara tujuan anda dan tidak mencampurkan duit syiling dari pelbagai negara dalam beg tangan atau poket anda dapat menjimatkan anda mengumpulkan terlalu banyak duit syiling sebelum anda berlepas. Untuk mengelakkan terkumpul terlalu banyak duit syiling dari awal, gunakannya sebanyak mungkin untuk membayar (bukannya nota) semasa transaksi tunai. Beberapa negara mempunyai syiling yang nilainya agak besar (seperti 2 euro, 5 Orang Switzerland franc, 2 Orang Kanada dolar, 500 Orang Jepun yen atau 5 Bosnia tanda tukar), yang disarankan untuk dibelanjakan terlebih dahulu.
Di A.S., UK, Ireland dan Kanada, anda boleh menemui a Coinstar mesin di banyak pasar raya. Ini akan membawa sedikit perubahan dan ditukarkan ke eCertificate untuk beberapa kedai atau sebagai baucar untuk dibelanjakan di kedai tempat anda berada. Oleh kerana terdapat caj 10% pada baucar belanja di kedai, ini kurang menguntungkan daripada hanya menghabiskan duit syiling itu sendiri disimpan pada nilai nominalnya, tetapi ini mungkin lebih baik daripada membawa banyak duit syiling kembali ke negara asal anda.
Kad debit, kredit, ATM dan prabayar
Kad debit, kad kredit dan kad prabayar boleh digunakan untuk mengeluarkan wang tunai dari mesin juruwang automatik (ATM), membayar restoran dan hotel dan membuat pembelian, di mana ia diterima.
Kad debit kadang-kadang dikenali sebagai "kad cek" atau "kad bank", kerana mereka mengeluarkan wang dari akaun bank anda semasa anda menggunakannya. Kad ATM adalah kad debit yang hanya boleh mengeluarkan wang tunai dari ATM. Mereka dihubungkan ke akaun dengan cara yang sama seperti kad debit, tetapi mempunyai risiko yang berbeza. (Lihat "Kad debit dan ATM: Risiko / pertukaran" di bawah.)
Kad kredit tidak dihubungkan ke akaun dengan dana di dalamnya, tetapi sebaliknya dikenakan ke atas had kredit, yang akan dibayar kemudian.
Kad prabayar, kadangkala disebut kad "wang perjalanan", adalah kad nilai tersimpan yang anda tambah nilai dan kemudian turunkan. Kadang-kadang mereka dapat menyimpan sejumlah mata wang yang berbeza pada kad.
Semua kad ini biasanya berjenama dengan salah satu jenama kad, seperti Visa atau Mastercard. Syarikat-syarikat ini memudahkan penerimaan kad tersebut. Kad yang hanya membawa jenama bank anda biasanya kad ATM sahaja. Kad-kad ini boleh digunakan di ATM bank anda, serta rangkaian ATM dan rangkaian tempat membeli-belah tempat ahli bank anda.
Selalunya fungsi kredit dan debit digabungkan dalam satu kad, sehingga setiap kali kad dibaca, anda memilih sama ada menggunakan akaun bank atau kredit anda.
Menggunakan ATM
Menggunakan ATM (atau mesin tunai) boleh menjadi kaedah paling mudah untuk mendapatkan mata wang apa pun semasa anda jauh dari rumah, dalam negeri atau antarabangsa. Kecuali di beberapa negara, kad rangkaian Mastercard, Visa, dan Cirrus- dan Plus diterima di hampir semua ATM di seluruh dunia. Dengan menggunakan ATM atau kad debit, wang akan datang terus dari akaun bank anda, dan ini biasanya kaedah paling murah untuk mendapatkan wang tunai tempatan.
Bayaran yang dikenakan berbeza-beza bergantung pada bank anda, pengendali ATM dan hubungan mereka. Maklumat yang disiarkan di ATM atau ditunjukkan di skrin akan menunjukkan berapa banyak yang akan dikenakan oleh pengendali ATM kepada anda; penerbit bank / kad anda sendiri boleh menambahkan yuran dan surcaj sendiri, oleh itu jumlah yuran boleh lebih tinggi daripada yang dinyatakan di ATM. Bayaran tersebut mungkin dikenakan pada kadar pertukaran yang digunakan atau tidak, atau mungkin merupakan bayaran tetap: periksa yuran penerbit bank / kad anda untuk maklumat lebih lanjut. Di Kesatuan Eropah yuran diatur, jadi mendapatkan euro dari akaun euro sering percuma - tetapi tidak dengan semua kad dan tidak dengan semua ATM.
ATM di seluruh dunia mengikut corak yang ditetapkan untuk mengeluarkan wang tunai. Memasukkan kad anda dan mengesahkan diri anda dengan nombor pengenalan diri (PIN), sebelum menentukan jumlah pengeluaran anda. Mungkin menggunakan ATM secara intuitif dalam bahasa tempatan. Tetapi ATM yang lebih baru, atau dari bank utama atau di kawasan pelancongan, membolehkan anda memilih bahasa alternatif yang biasa di skrin awal atau setelah memasukkan kad anda. Pastikan anda mengetahui kadar pertukaran semasa sebelum masuk ke skrin penarikan, kerana jumlah pengeluaran anda biasanya dalam mata wang tempatan.
Gunakan langkah berjaga-jaga keselamatan yang anda lakukan di rumah: perhatikan orang atau kamera tersembunyi dapat melihat PIN anda semasa anda memasukkannya, dan gunakan ATM di lokasi yang selamat. ATM di lapangan terbang, lobi bank, dan yang terdapat di dalam pusat membeli-belah cenderung mempunyai keselamatan yang lebih baik (memasang kamera nakal atau pembaca kad lebih sukar di sana, dan keselamatan akan campur tangan sekiranya berlaku rompakan oleh pencuri berhampiran). Ada kemungkinan ATM diretas, dengan perisian hasad yang dipasang oleh penjenayah. Dengan menggunakan mesin ini dapat memberi orang lain kemampuan untuk menguras akaun anda. Menggunakan kad yang mempunyai beberapa jaminan penipuan, seperti kad kredit dan bukannya kad debit dapat memberikan perlindungan. Gunakan juga mesin yang dikendalikan oleh bank yang lebih mapan dan cenderung mempunyai sistem pencegahan penipuan yang lebih baik.
Kad prabayar yang dijual untuk perjalanan biasanya boleh digunakan di ATM. Sebilangan kad prabayar mungkin hanya terhad untuk pembelian. Sekali lagi, periksa yurannya.
Di negara maju, ATM biasanya mudah didapati di bandar yang lebih besar, tetapi tidak semestinya di kawasan luar bandar. Walaupun negara-negara membangun biasanya boleh dipercayai memiliki ATM, tetapi anda mungkin mempunyai lebih banyak usaha untuk mencarinya, dan mereka mungkin lebih tidak dapat dipercayai ketika anda melakukannya. Negara yang mempunyai sekatan ekonomi boleh gagal menggunakan kad antarabangsa. Beberapa ATM negara membangun hanya boleh mengeluarkan mata wang tempatan, di mana tempat pelancongan hanya menerima dolar A.S., atau yang serupa. Ini menjadikan ATM di sana tidak berguna. Rujuk artikel negara. Beberapa ATM menawarkan lebih daripada satu mata wang, yang sering didorong oleh lokasi dan pangkalan pelanggan mereka.
Berhati-hati pengklonan kad di negara penipuan tinggi. Pencuri boleh meletakkan peranti pada pembaca kad ATM untuk mengambil maklumat kad anda, atau memintas data semasa anda menggunakan kad anda di restoran atau kedai, dan kemudian membuat pendua kad anda yang boleh mereka gunakan sendiri. Untuk mengurangkan risiko seseorang mengklon kad anda, cari ATM di lokasi yang terang dan dapat dilihat oleh pekerja. Periksa pembaca kad di ATM sebelum anda menggunakannya — jika bentuknya aneh, mempunyai komponen yang longgar, atau tidak sesuai dengan ATM lain yang berdekatan, jangan gunakannya.
Anda mungkin dikenakan bayaran untuk memeriksa baki wang anda oleh bank anda. Walau bagaimanapun, kadangkala baki anda akan dicetak secara percuma pada resit pengeluaran tunai; langkah terakhir mungkin bertanya sama ada anda mahu. Dengan pelbagai kadar pertukaran dan yuran, jumlah yang dipaparkan di skrin mungkin tidak tepat. Cara terbaik untuk memeriksa baki anda tanpa caj adalah dengan menggunakan perbankan Internet atau aplikasi telefon pintar bank anda. Semasa melihat aktiviti akaun anda dalam talian, pengeluaran dan pembelian ATM anda akan ditukar menjadi mata wang asal anda. Secara tradisinya, anda mungkin tidak menerima baki pada ATM asing, atau hanya dalam mata wang asing. Walau bagaimanapun, banyak ATM moden akan menunjukkan baki semasa anda dalam mata wang tempatan dan rumah anda, dan bahkan memberi anda kadar pertukaran yang digunakan semasa pengeluaran.
- Dalam China, UnionPay adalah jenis kad pilihan, walaupun tidak terlalu sukar untuk mencari kedai atau ATM yang menerima lebih banyak jenis global seperti Visa atau Mastercard.
Walau apa pun, lakukan penyelidikan yang diperlukan untuk mengetahui mengenai ATM di mana anda melancong. Panduan kebanyakan negara seharusnya dapat memberitahu anda sama ada ATM tanpa bayaran adalah kebiasaan. Dan mempunyai kaedah sandaran jika ATM kelihatan berisiko.
Memiliki akaun bank dengan bank yang mempunyai kehadiran di seluruh dunia (seperti HSBC dan Citibank) menawarkan beberapa faedah. Selalunya mereka mempunyai penggunaan ATM tanpa bayaran di cawangan bank yang sama di luar negara, dan ciri-ciri sambungan dan keselamatan yang lebih baik menjadikannya lebih dipercayai. Walaupun mereka biasanya tidak dapat menolong anda di juruwang, mereka akan sering menghubungkan anda melalui telefon ke pusat panggilan bank anda sendiri, yang dapat menangani masalah yang anda hadapi.
ATM sering mengeluarkan sebilangan bil (wang kertas) sebanyak mungkin. Sebagai contoh, pengeluaran € 150 mungkin akan menghasilkan tiga bil € 50. Banyak orang enggan membuat perubahan dari bil besar, jadi disarankan untuk menarik sejumlah yang tidak dapat dihasilkan hanya dengan bil besar, dalam hal ini, mis. € 160, untuk mendapatkan beberapa bil 20 € untuk pembelian kecil. Bil apa yang dihasilkan oleh ATM, dan berapa banyak bil yang diterima, berbeza dari satu tempat ke tempat yang lain. Di AS, banyak ATM hanya dilengkapi dengan $ 20 bil.
Menggunakan kad di tempat penjualan
The acceptance of debit and credit cards by business varies by country and area, so check the local guides. Acceptance is generally more common in more developed countries, but on the other hand, don't be too surprised if a market stall holder in a the remotest of small towns produces a credit card terminal from under the counter.
By far, the most accepted cards worldwide are Visa and MasterCard. If you are acquiring a card for travel, you should get one of these two brands of cards; most issuers should offer either of these cards by default. American Express and Diners' Club cards have global networks but acceptance varies widely depending by country and merchant. Discover, JCB, China UnionPay, NYCE, Star, MAC, and Shazam are regional. Acceptance outside the region is usually limited to areas catering to visitors.
Discover, JCB, China UnionPay, and India's RuPay have an alliance with each other, which allows any of these cards to be accepted on any of the other networks in the home markets of each issuer. This is purely a network alliance, that largely serves to make Discover more usable in China, Japan, and India. This doesn't mean that if the Ugg boot store in Sydney accepts JCB, that it will also accept Discover. Sales personnel may not be familiar with this, but it will work if you can convince them to try. JCB has a separate network alliance with American Express that operates worldwide.
Even if your card is accepted worldwide, you may come across some points-of-sale (e.g. ticket vending machines) that only accept domestically-issued cards. This is manifested through the requirement to enter a postal or zip code of your billing address. If you don't live in the country you are performing the transaction in, you won't obviously be able to provide the postal code. A similar situation may await you when you try to buy local transport tickets using a transport operator's mobile app (this is more common in the US and when this is the case, such apps are not going to be available on your country's mobile app store anyway); in this case, you will have to use the vending machines or a manned ticket desk and possibly pay only in cash.
Debit/ATM versus credit cards
Debit/ATM cards are linked directly to a bank, checking or cash account and immediately deduct the amount of the purchase or ATM withdrawal from the account. Credit cards are not linked to an account with funds in it, but instead charge against a credit line, to be repaid later. Debit cards can be used for general purchases and for obtaining currency. ATM cards can only be used in ATMs for withdrawing currency. This means somewhat greater security for the latter, i.e.,
- If your ATM card is lost or number stolen, thieves cannot use it in any way without its PIN.
- If card and PIN are compromised, ATMs will dispense currency only in the general locations, dates/times and amount limits you arranged with your bank/credit union before travel.
- If a debit card number is lost or stolen, thieves can use it (with a "cloned" card and phony identification) anywhere to buy goods or services less than a certain amount (for each use) set by your bank...often $100 (equivalent) or less.
- If card and PIN are compromised, thieves can promptly empty the entire account, and may gain ability to use or steal other assets by examining account details.
When using any type of card to withdraw cash, your bank may charge a fee of 1–3% on top of foreign exchange, an ATM fee and perhaps others. In addition, most credit card users will be charged a cash advance fee and interest on any cash advance ("loan") from the day you withdraw it from an ATM until the credit card balance is fully paid. Credit cards sometimes also have a higher than normal interest rate applicable to cash advances. In some cases you can use a credit card like a debit card or prepaid card by making a payment into your credit card account in-advance, keeping the balance positive. In this case you can avoid the daily interest charge, but still may face other fees. Your bank may also limit its liability to the credit limit on the card if it is lost or stolen.
- Such costs will be unlike and separate from those for retail purchases, and the interest rate for cash advances will often be higher than for purchases. In some cases, your bank may limit credit card cash advances or loans to an amount substantially less than your overall credit line.
- While there is usually a grace period when using your credit card for purchases (you will not be charged interest if you pay off your balance in full within that billing period) there is usually no grace period for a cash advance using a credit card.
- Your bank's liability in case of credit card or PIN loss may be limited by law, at worst equal to your credit limit and credit balance.
Despite the fees you or the merchant pays, when making point-of-sale purchases, your costs or fees will nearly always be better if you use a credit card than a debit card. If your card is stolen, your liability will usually be limited by law (for U.S. banks, $50 for all misuse), and you can dispute fraudulent charges made by unauthorized users on a credit card. But, a stolen debit card and PIN may be used to empty its account, and require many hassles to re-establish security and (perhaps) regain funds. See "Risks/trade-offs" below for ways to avoid this.
As above, credit card companies will protect you if you are charged more than you agreed to pay, if you pay for something and never receive it (strict deadlines may apply), or if your card is cloned (duplicated) without your knowledge and then fraudulently used without being physically stolen.
Credit cards may also include other benefits such as cancellation insurance for flights (usually only in the case of serious sickness), theft or loss insurance for goods (usually only if stolen within 90 days of purchase and a proper police report is filed), collision insurance for rental cars, and emergency health insurance in certain situations while you are traveling. Your card's issuer should fully describe those benefits and their limits.
Credit cards may also provide rewards programs that give you free flights or cash back after a certain (large) amount of spending. The cards may be linked to a frequent flier or hotel loyalty program. If you have an American Express card, in case of a lost or stolen card, you can obtain cash advances and replacement cards easily, by visiting an American Express office.
There are, however, a few merchants (mostly hotels and rental car firms) who abuse credit card clientele.
- A hire car firm may attempt to rent you a vehicle with minor windscreen damage or small dents, then accuse you of causing that or more damage when or sometime after you return the vehicle. It may automatically charge claimed repairs to your card at questionable or inflated prices. This justifies action before you accept the vehicle for use, i.e., inspect the car thoroughly, inside and out, for damage or missing items, photograph/document any untoward condition seen, and have the condition noted with an agent's initials/signature on your contract at check-out. Consider taking similar photos as you return the vehicle as proof of its condition.
- With hotels, examine the details of your bill before you pay and leave. It can be very difficult to get your bank to process a charge-back if you are careless about an overcharge or hidden charges at the time of booking, e.g. resort fees.
Many Visa or Mastercard debit cards (mostly issued by banks in Asia) are not embossed (no raised letters/numbers), hence they are indicated as "For Electronic Use Only." This means that they can't be used for transactions that require physically imprinting on a merchant's charge slip and/or manual authorization. Acceptance of these "Electronic Use Only" debit cards for online purchases may not be guaranteed even with sufficient funds, and may need clarification with the issuing bank. Consult the issuing bank about how to effectively use the card if going somewhere you've not yet used it.
Before you leave home
- Advise your bank about when and where you are travelling. This can help avoid triggering its fraud monitors that may cause transactions to be rejected, or even freeze your card account. They may also need to get international support specifically activated for your debit or credit card.
- Make note of what to do if your cards are lost or stolen. Note the numbers of your cards, the numbers to call. If your bank has an app that can freeze your card, download it.
- If your bank detects fraud, they may try to contact you. Some banks will send you a SMS notification if they decline your card. If you don't have a phone where you can receive a phone call or a SMS, it may result in your transaction being declined or your card frozen.
- Take a backup card or cards. Keep them separate from your primary cards. Make sure they are also activated for use where you are travelling to. Consider leaving a spare card with someone who could courier it to you in an emergency. Banks can charge large sums for this service.
- Get a separate PIN for each of your cards, and remember them! You can and should choose PINs that you can remember easily. Choose numbers, as not all ATMs have or accept letters. Don't write any down, or make any obvious (e.g. 1234 and 1111).
- PIN code lengths vary from country to country, but for maximum compatibility you should try to make each you'll use 4 digits before traveling. If you have a six digit PIN and can only enter four, try the first four.
- Ensure you accurately enter the PIN when using an ATM. Some ATMs keep your card during your access, and might confiscate it if you make three incorrect PIN entries.
Most banks do not hold you responsible for any transactions made on your card that occur after you report it lost or stolen. So make sure you report any loss or suspected compromise immediately. Use of credit and debit cards is not recommended in a few countries due to high potential for fraudulent misuse, e.g. Nigeria. Your bank should be able to advise you.
"Chip cards"
"Chip cards" are credit and debit cards with an embedded chip in addition to or instead of the magnetic stripe. These cards are ubiquitous in Europe, Africa, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and are being introduced rapidly in the U.S.
A 'chip card' will generally need to be inserted rather than swiped at point of sale. Generally you will enter a PIN (cards with this configuration are called 'chip and PIN' cards), but sometimes the terminal will still generate a sales docket to be signed. In ATMs when you insert your card, there is no change. Some swipe ATMs will ask you to reinsert your card after you have swiped it.
In the U.S., all stores that display the Visa, MasterCard, or American Express logos must also accept the swipe-and-sign version of the credit cards; however, some may initially refuse to do so (be persistent, asking for the manager if necessary). Elsewhere however, with self-service machines such gas pumps and ticket vending machines, you may be out of luck. This is also the case in countries where 'chip and PIN' is the norm where chip cards that do not have a PIN may be declined.
As with all cards, check your statement regularly, and report any instances of unauthorized transactions.
Contactless cards and mobile phones/smart watches
Chips on some cards (and passports) include radio frequency identification (RFID), made to be energized by a nearby (authorized) scanner. Often times, a signature and/or PIN are not needed for small transactions done through contactless. Cards that come with this technology and bear the contactless symbol (see the right hand side) and merchants that accept contactless payments will have that decal posted somewhere in their premises (either at the window/door or at the tills). Most of these use an entirely different technology from the debit or credit cards and have inadequate security, e.g. allowing almost any nearby wireless scanner to read data the card/chip holds. That can include personal and financial information, or enough data to gain access to it. This has spawned a small industry in RFID-protected wallets for cards and passports. Learn from each issuer how secure your RFID cards are, and carry and protect them accordingly.
Some mobile phones (notably iPhones released since 2014 and selected Android models), and by extension smartwatches linked to them, have a provision where users can input their debit and credit card information and 'tap' such phones on readers that accept contactless cards (Visa, Mastercard, and AMEX) to pay for a transaction. They work similar to contactless cards but have an added layer of security (e.g. fingerprint verification) before the transaction goes through. Once set up, the device doesn't need an internet connection for use in traditional brick-and-mortar merchants but information about the transaction will only be displayed once an internet connection has been established. Although in theory such technology is supposed to work anywhere with a contactless symbol, it may be difficult to use devices linked to European bank accounts in North America and vice versa due to technical differences between each region. Availability of this technology varies by country and bank. But if this is available to you and contactless is much more ubiquitous than cash in the country you are visiting, you may want to leave your cash and physical cards in your hotel safe.
One disadvantage of contactless technology using the contactless feature of a card or smart device may not be capable of withdrawing cash at cash machines.
Holds on funds
Most large hotels and all car rental companies put a funds "hold" on your credit card for a larger amount than the amount of your pending room or vehicle charge. A $100 car rental can render a card with a $3000 credit limit useless if the car rental agency puts a hold on an excess amount for the full $3000. This usually takes the form of a pre-authorisation, and the "hold" is removed automatically when the final transaction is put through. The "hold" can remain for much longer when the final transaction is never processed, and you have to wait for the pre-authorisation to expire before you can access those funds. This can happen if the hotel doesn't use the pre-authorisation code when you check-out, or if you prepay the hotel bill, and don't incur any charges while staying, there is no final transaction to clear the pre-auth. Usually a pre-auth will expire within 10 days.
"Cardlock" (pay at the pump) fuel pumps will attempt authorization for at least $75–100 on debit cards, even when a lesser amount of fuel is requested. Usually the pump will display the amount. The hold will be released when the transaction is finalized, but you may have to see an attendant if you want to buy $20 of petrol with a debit card with only $20 of funds.
Holds on funds can be more of an issue with debit cards than with credit cards - because your own funds are being held. It's usually best to pay for car rentals and hotels with credit cards where the only hold is on your credit limit.
ATM cards
If you appreciate the convenience and increased security of such a card, you can ask your bank or credit union for an "ATM only" card. It should (per your request) be networked with ATMs worldwide and only usable in ATMs (or permitted point-of-sale systems) and only with your PIN.
As long as your PIN is secure, this removes the possibility that your card can be stolen or copied and used without your knowledge. Your "ATM only" card also can't be used for phone or Internet purchases, further minimizing the risk someone can copy your card numbers and make unauthorized purchases.
Prepaid cards
It may be possible to get a Visa, Mastercard or American Express-branded prepaid card. This prepaid card works similarly to a debit card except that it is not a bank account. Since it is not linked to your bank account, your maximum exposure is limited to the amount of money you have transferred to that card's balance (minimum top up amounts apply).
Prepaid cards may or may not be capable of being topped-up, depending on the issuer's policies. If so, once the balance is completely depleted, the card can't be used anymore and should be physically destroyed. However for cards that may be topped-up, they can be done so in the issuing banks or online. You do not need to have a bank account with the bank that issued the prepaid card but having one has advantages such as more convenient options to top-up your card (e.g. online, via ATM). There is usually no minimum denominated amount for top-up. Still, you should only top-up the amount you need for a certain number of anticipated uses.
Availability of those cards within each country varies. Some countries like the U.S. have prepaid Visa, Mastercard and American Express available at the counter of pharmacies or grocery stores; they just need pre-payment and activation at the purchase point. Others will allow you to get them from well-known foreign exchange stands (e.g. Travelex). But a few will only make these cards available directly from participating banks.
Generally, these prepaid cards can be used worldwide unless indicated otherwise (most notably, generic Visa, Mastercard and American Express gift cards issued in the U.S.) However online use of prepaid cards depends on the issuer.
Fees can be levied on the card purchase, on top-ups, on withdrawals, on non-use, and on closure. The exchange rates used when converting to a different currency on the card, are tidak the standard Visa or Mastercard rates and are determined by the issuer. These can easily be up to 10% from the "mid-rate".
Prepaid cards may or may not allow withdrawals from an ATM (depending on the issuer), and those that do may assess an additional fee on top of the usual fees imposed for withdrawals. That, because using a prepaid card is supposed to encourage electronic point-of-sale transactions.
Prepaid cards often have no PIN and therefore cannot be used for 'cardlock' pay-at-the-pump fuel purchases. They can still be processed manually by the fuel station attendant.
It will usually be cheaper to obtain and use a low foreign transaction fee debit card than a prepaid card for foreign currency transactions. The only disadvantage...you are subject to volatility in exchange rates, as your debit card only stores your local currency.
Specialist travel currency cards and fee-free alternatives
Consider purchasing currency cards such as Cash Passport. These are normally branded in a MasterCard and in some cases a Visa logo, and hence can be used in anywhere where merchants accept those cards. The normal currency cards being offered are denominated in U.S. dollars, euros, pound sterling, Canadian dollars and Australian dollars. You will top up in your home currency and it will be converted into the currency of the card.
Some currency cards are capable of containing multiple currencies at once. In this case, you may be able to change money between currencies offered by that card.
The rates usually fall between 1.0-2.5% of the base rate used by MasterCard or Visa, which is still better than using your everyday debit or credit card directly. In order to take advantage of the best rates, top up online and use the currency card only for transactions in the currencies of the card. When using a currency card having multiple currencies, make sure that the currencies have sufficient balance to cover transactions you wish to make. If you are offered a conversion to your home currency, reject it as well.
In some countries, it is possible to get debit cards that convert your transaction using the SPOT or interbank rate. This means you are going to be charged at or around the same exchange rate that you see on finance websites or business channels. These cards are usually associated with a mobile phone app, which you need to download in the first instance to apply for such cards. These apps can give you your transaction history, allow you to top up funds, convert between currencies, etc. Some cards on the other hand will not require you to top up funds; they will directly charge your "main" debit card or bank account but will use the interbank rate instead of your bank's rate, which may have foreign exchange fees or other surcharges associated with it. Other fee-free services such as Revolut, which is available in dozens of countries, act as virtual bank accounts where the account/card-holder can have accounts in as many currencies as the provider offers. This way, provided that the user tops up and converts local currency into each of his or her foreign exchange accounts beforehand sufficiently, the user will be protected from further fluctuations in the foreign exchange market. Whether these fee-free provisions extend to ATM withdrawals depends on the issuer.
EC Cards
If you have a European euro bank account you can obtain a V Pay card. This can be used as a debit card in shops and restaurants in other euro countries with no additional charge. Can also be used at European (but not worldwide) ATMs.
Card costs
Card usage fees
Transaction fees can be charged by the bank or institution that issues your card, the company that clears or processes the transaction, and the merchant or the ATM-owner where you use your card. These fees can be fixed, a percentage of the amount, or built into an exchange rate - or a combination of these.
Per the above discussion on card types, most card issuers will charge a foreign transaction fee of up to 4% of the transaction amount every time you make a purchase or cash withdrawal in a foreign country. This fee may be charged even if the transaction is in your home currency but with a foreign bank. Be careful purchasing other countries on the web, where the currency amount may be displayed in your home currency, but you still may pay foreign transaction fees. Try to find a card issuer that doesn't charge this fee or has a low fee.
- In the United States: Capital One, Schwab, Discover Bank, and Varo debit cards. Most travel credit cards.
- In the United Kingdom: Halifax.
- In Australia: 28 Degrees or Citbank Plus.
- In Canada: Home Trust, Scotiabank or Rogers Bank (which charges 2.5% exchange, but provides 4% cash back on foreign transactions).
This can save you a considerable amount on any extended travel. Card issuers may also charge a foreign ATM usage fees as a fixed fee. Check your banks fees well in advance of travel, and consider applying for a new card with lower fees for travel. Allow plenty of time for the application and to receive the card.
The processing company - Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc. - build a small margin into the exchange rate they convert at. You can find the exchange rate that Visa or Mastercard exchange rates on their website. American Express charges an exchange rate that is 0.0% to 0.5% worse than the rate charged by Visa and MasterCard. Generally the rate is 0.5% to 1% from the midrate. The exchange rate applied to a transaction is usually the rate on the transaction processing date, that can vary from the purchase date. Therefore, unless currency rates are fixed, it is impossible to know exactly what exact exchange rate will be charged until the transaction is posted to your account. Any exchange rate fluctuation may be in your favor, or against you.
When paying by a credit/debit card, different exchange rates might be used depending on your bank policies. Check which exchange rate does your bank use, the credit card company rate is usually much more favourable than the bank rate. Usual practice is that if your bank has an exchange rate available for a currency, they use that rate, and if they do not trade this currency, they use credit card company rate. Thus, exotic currencies might be actually cheaper then expected. However, if your home currency is not a first tier currency, the bank policy might be to use their rate to exchange the amount to hard currency, eg. Euros or Dollars, and then use the credit card rate to exchange it to the desired currency, meaning you will pay the exchange rate twice during one transaction. If going for an expensive or long holiday, the exchange rates are likely to be the most most expensive part of card usage costs.
As mentioned previously, some FinTech providers (e.g. Revolut) offer debit cards and virtual bank accounts with no (when the market is open) or lower foreign exchange transaction fees (during the weekend when the market is closed) than brick-and-mortar banks. This way you will be able to convert cash or perform card transactions at the real-time interbank rate.
ATM owners can charge a fixed fee' to use your card at an ATM, on top of what your bank charges you. This will usually be written on the ATM or displayed on the screen. Check for partnerships with your card issuer to reduce this fee; some ATMs may have partnership arrangements with your bank to have lower fees or fee free withdrawals. Consider larger withdrawals to reduce the impact of fixed fees. Before going to some country, get to know the local fees - so you will know that in Thailand it is normal to pay quite a large fee while in Europe this is unusual. If there are multiple ATMs next to each other, you can shop around for the smallest fee. ATMs of a local bank usually charge smaller fee than ATM only companies, such as Euronet in Europe.
Merchants may charge a surcharge or require a minimum purchase. Local laws can affect how common merchant surcharges are. Merchant surcharges can be a fixed fee or a percentage of the transaction, and they should be advised at point of sale. These can vary between card types, and between debit and credit cards.
Dynamic currency conversion
When you are paying by card for items or services priced in a foreign currency, some merchants will offer to convert your transaction into your home currency. This is called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). Unless you prioritise certainty (given that the actual amount in your home currency to be debited is disclosed), if this is offered, you should decline ia. Merchants aren't disclosing one key point: their exchange rates are often worse than whatever your card issuer would have provided had you kept the transaction in terms of the local currency – sometimes up to 10% worse.
- Always check your receipt and card terminal, and if you see anything involving your home currency in a country that doesn't use that currency, ask the merchant to redo the transaction in the local currency. Where DCC is offered, Visa requires the merchant to disclose the fee and must provide the consumer with a choice of getting the bill in the customer's home currency or the local currency.
- Some credit card terminals will show you an amount in your home currency and ask you to accept or decline the amount. Declining the home currency option will process the transaction in the local currency, which means your bank or card issuer will do the conversion for you.
- Some cash machines are also known to use DCC, much like credit cards at the point of sale, and should be declined. The machine will ask you if you would like the amount in your home currency or local currency; even though you will always receive the local currency. If you decline (cancel), some ATMs are programmed to automatically cancel the transaction, which is to say that the bank is forcing you to accept DCC. Your best choice is to just find another ATM that doesn't use dynamic currency conversion.
- Merchants may try to convince you that paying in your home currency will avoid foreign transaction fees. This is not always necessarily true and instead, depending on the issuer, may still end up paying the foreign transaction fee on top of the unfavourable foreign exchange rate used for conversion.
- Some merchants may force DCC on you. They may claim that the machine does it automatically. Insist that the merchant re-runs the transaction in local currency. If they refuse, clearly write "DCC Refused, Local currency not offered". Then dispute the charge with your bank.
- Sometimes you may be asked to tick the currency on a receipt. Mark the local currency clearly and (optionally) write "Local currency selected".
- If you have an American Express card and the merchant accepts it, use it. American Express prohibits DCC.
Cheques
Travellers cheque
A travellers cheque (or travelers check) is a cheque issued for a fixed amount in a specific currency that you purchase with your funds in advance. Once the most popular way of taking currency overseas, these are declining in popularity due to widespread adoption of payment cards; the number of businesses willing to cash a traveller's cheque is also in decline. There is often a fee (about 1% of face value) when purchasing the cheques at a bank; sesetengah automobile associations waive this fee as a service to their members.
Before buying travellers cheques, confirm they will be accepted where you are travelling. As there are many common scams involving forged or stolen cheques, many merchants no longer honor them; travellers buying travellers cheques before a trip sometimes return home having been unable to use them anywhere.
Be sure to get the cheques in the currency of the country to which you are travelling, or (if that's not possible) whichever one gives the best exchange rate there. Travellers cheques are available only in major currencies. For example, if you are travelling to the USA, you could purchase ten US$100 travellers cheques before you travel there, and use them when you arrive. You sign each cheque when you purchase it and again on the same cheque to redeem it.
One of the main advantage of travellers cheques is complete protection against loss or theft. Once you report them as missing, the issuing company will replace them. You must also keep a record of your used cheque numbers. Most travellers cheque issuers have arrangements to replace them around the world in a short time frame so you are not long left without cash. If you are unsure which cheques you have already cashed and which are missing, your refund may be delayed until the issuer can figure out which ones have been presented.
A second advantage is that travellers cheques in a foreign currency may allow you to lock-in an exchange rate without the risk of cash, or the fees associated with a pre-paid card. If you are travelling from Germany to the U.S. and know you are spending $1,100 to stay at your New York hotel that accepts travellers cheques, you can purchase that value (U.S. dollar denomination cheques) in advance with no risk of exchange movements at the time. That said, should the euro rise in value in the meantime, you paid more than you could have. Thus, it's a trade-off of stability versus possibly a better rate. Just make sure the hotel accepts travellers cheques before you purchase, or you have a way of cashing them elsewhere upon arrival.
Travellers cheques can be exchanged for cash at some banks and exchange bureaus. A hotel may sometimes provide this service to its guests. American Express travellers cheques can also be exchanged at American Express travel centers. Fees for cashing travellers cheques vary by destination and institution. Some banks will cash some brands of cheques free, but this is increasingly rare. American Express will cash their cheques free at their travel centers if they are in the denominated in local currency. More often, fees apply, a sliding scale or a flat fee that may apply only above a certain threshold. If you are cashing travellers cheques into different currency to their denomination, fees may also be charged for the exchange.
Travellers cheques can also sometimes be used for purchases at point of sale, although less widely than credit cards. In general, only the largest stores and hotels will accept travellers cheques for payment.
You will pay a fee to buy travellers cheques. If they are denominated in a foreign currency, this fee may be built into the exchange rate.
If you have travel insurance, you may care to compare the benefits under your policy. Credit card companies will usually offer a 48-hour emergency replacement or cash advance service for a fee, and these fees may already be covered under your policy. The policies may also cover the loss or theft of cash.
Personal cheques and bank drafts
A personal cheque (atau check) issued on a current account with your bank or credit union is not likely to be widely accepted for travel. Acceptance is typically confined to the travellers home country or region in local currencies and the cheque risks being worthless if the underlying account is overdrawn.
A bank draft atau cashier's cheque is issued by a banking institution, drawn on its own funds instead of an individual client's account. These are now so uncommon that they are unlikely to be accepted without special arrangements being made. These have been almost completely replaced by telegraphic transfers - funds transfer directly between international bank accounts.
Mobile payments
Jepun dan South Korea were the pioneers in mobile payments, with South Korea adopting its first mobile payment system in 2000, and Japan in 2004. The original South Korean and Japanese systems required the use of phones with a special chip installed, making them exclusively designed for the domestic market. Since the late 2010s, mobile payments have taken off in China, which unlike the Japanese and South Korean systems, were QR code based, and only required a smart phone. Today, China leads the world in the adoption of mobile payments, and these are accepted even by many street market stalls, to the point that they often do not have change for customers paying by cash.
Carrying or sending money across national borders
Countries track large movements of money across national borders. This is to help prevent money laundering, tax evasion, and transfers of funds to criminal and terrorist groups. If you transfer money between international bank accounts, or use your credit card in a foreign country, this is reported automatically, but if you carry large amounts of money (typically more than US$10,000, euro, or similar hard currency) you will need to declare it whenever you leave or enter a country. Don't forget monetary instruments such as traveller's checks count as well, as do personal cheques, bank cheques, postal orders or similar monetary instruments that are able to pay the bearer cash. If you or one of your travelling party could exchange them outside the country for cash, you should declare. This typically does not apply if you are abroad, but not the funds or the party to be paid (e.g. domestic online payment, internationally mailing a cheque both drawn and payable exclusively in your home country, etc.) If in any doubt, just declare.
Some countries, such as India dan Korea Utara, do not allow the country's home currency to be imported or exported at all. Other countries may have such a low import/export limit in the country's currency that these limits effectively stop you importing or exporting the local currency. This means that you will have to bring all the money you need in a convertible currency and change it to the local currency when you arrive. Likewise, you must change all the local currency back to hard currency before you leave. Often, these laws are poorly enforced. At other times, they can be inconvenient when converting back to hard currency may require a receipt. Check local guides for likely issues.
If you need to use your pre-existing online bill payment from your bank or PayPal while abroad to pay bills back home, let them know a week in advance which countries you will be visiting. Banking and payment websites are aware of your access from a foreign country because they can track the origin of your Internet IP address, which is country specific. You will likely be blocked from your account to prevent fraud, unless prior arraignments were made.
Getting money in an emergency
You should have a plan for how you will get money in an emergency.
If you have a spare card that you left at home, you can use that card to do things like book prepaid accommodation online through an accommodation booking site. In some countries you can even use a spare card or a friends card to purchase eGiftCards, that give you a number or a bar code you can use at point of purchase in supermarkets, etc.
If you have a premium credit card, or an American Express card, contact their assistance numbers. The credit card assistance lines will often wire you cash as a cash advance on the credit card.
If you have travel insurance, contact their assistance line. Most insurance companies cover lost cash and cards, but most will have to process a claim before they will help you, which is practically useless in the short term.
If you have someone willing to send you money, there are several options for getting money fast in an emergency. These include the following:
- Having someone back home directly depositing money into your bank account. You then use an ATM to make withdrawals. If you both have a PayPal account, this can be done online by computer. It will take a couple days for the money to transfer from your PayPal account to your bank account (longer over weekends and bank holidays), and don't forget to initiate this yourself on the PayPal website as soon as possible. However, if you have PayPal's debit card (MasterCard/Cirrus), the funds will normally be available immediately. (Don't do the aforementioned transfer in this case.) This is not without risk; as Paypal is not a bank and is not regulated as a bank, your recourse is relatively limited if they freeze your account or hold your funds for any reason. There are no fees for funds sent directly from bank accounts of family and friends (i.e. non-commercial transactions), but credit/debit card, and foreign exchange fees apply. Typically, these fees are similar to or somewhat less than what others charge. Although PayPal offers many foreign currencies for sending money, the funds must be in the same currency as your bank account back home. Only if you're relying on a trusted friend abroad, should the funds be sent in a foreign currency.
- Moneygram is a private money transfer company with many franchise outlet around the world. Someone can pay in money at one office giving the name of the receiver and will be given a reference number. Within an hour you can obtain the cash anywhere in the world if you have the reference number and some form of identification. Fees are higher than interbank money transfer but it has the advantage you do not need an account in the sending or receiving country. There are some dedicated Moneygram shops but in most countries agents are in small supermarkets (often catering for expatriates), newsagents, tobacconists, and some banks, often in areas of high immigrant populations. In the UK and Canada the Post Office is an agent.
- Get money from a friend via wire transfer services like Western Union. (similar to MoneyGram). If you know your credit card numbers, you can use it to wire yourself some money. However, this is quite expensive, since it will be treated as a "cash advance," in addition to the hefty Western Union fee.
- XOOM ("zoom") is now owned by PayPal, and has wire transfer services similar to Western Union and Moneygram. Some countries have cash home delivery available.
- Sending cash via an overnight courier service (this is reliable, but is sometimes not allowed in the courier company's terms of service.)
- You could sell personal possessions such as a camera or sport watch.
Your embassy may be able to provide a short-term emergency loan. In many cases, the embassy may only offer help in obtaining a loan from a third party. They will certainly want to see that you have exhausted all other avenues open to you.