MORE than three million Aussies are planning a holiday into 2013.
A typical Australian family of four, who will spend approximately $16,000 when travelling to a popular destination such as Bali for two weeks, can save over $400 by switching to a card with no foreign currency conversion fees.
A recent study found that 57% of people bought goods on their credit card whilst travelling abroad and yet 78% of people did not know what they were paying in foreign currency conversion fees.
Many travelers are in the dark about the fact that whilst they are shopping up a storm and enjoying their trips overseas, banks are reaping the rewards by charging millions of dollars per annum in foreign currency conversion fees.
Jeremy Cabral, Publisher of leading credit card comparison website, CreditCardFinder.com.au says: “By simply planning ahead and making savvy decisions with holiday money, Australians can make major savings. Conversion fees can eat into your travel budget but there are ways to avoid this and save cash.”
Mr. Cabral has the following tips for Australians travelling overseas:
• Research your travel money options - Before you go overseas look into your credit card’s foreign currency conversion fees, charges and exchange rates as you can save yourself hundreds of dollars by doing so.
• Consider a no foreign currency exchange fee credit card - there are some credit cards in market which do not charge for foreign currency exchange conversion and can save you between 2% - 3.5% on foreign currency conversion charges. Visit http://www.creditcardfinder.com.au/foreign-currency-international-fees-for-credit-cards.html for more information.
• Notify your bank - Before you head off, notify your bank of your travel plans and contact details so they won’t flag your transactions as suspicious or fraudulent when they see international purchases on your accounts.
• Always have some cash on you – As a backup keep a small amount of cash with you just in case you are unable to use your credit card or withdraw money from an ATM.
• Keep all receipts from purchases or payments – This will allow you to correctly verify them against your statement on your return home and will be helpful if you ever have any transaction disputes or need to do a chargeback.
• Avoid exchanging cash at the airport – Airport exchanges have much higher transaction fees than your bank.
• Separate where you store your credit cards, cash and passport. It’s important to take more than one card overseas as a backup in case your wallet is stolen. It is also important to have a copy of all your identification documents.
Carrying large amounts of cash is a major hassle when travelling. It can be lost or stolen and there is no getting it back.
Credit cards with $0 foreign currency exchange fees are worth considering when choosing between travel money options.
Many of the banks have specifically designed credit cards for overseas travel that offer no currency conversion or transaction fees.
CreditCardFinder.com.au has several credit cards available on the website that are an option to consider for overseas travel and could provide you with significant savings, including:
Bankwest Zero Platinum Mastercard
• Foreign transaction fees are waived.
• Built-in airline travel and accident insurance protection wherever you are in the world.
• $0 p.a. annual fee forever.
• 0% p.a. for 6 months (reverts to 17.99% p.a.) on purchases.
• 55 days interest free on purchases.
• 24/7 concierge service to help you arrange travel, bookings, shopping and medical services.
• Up to 3 additional cardholders – free!
• 24/7 account access via Bankwest Online Banking.
Aussie Platinum Low Rate Credit Card
• No international transaction fees charged.
• Complimentary travel insurance.
• Annual fee of $99 per annum.
• 4.99% p.a. for 4 months (reverts to 13.29% p.a.).
• Interest free period of up to 55 days.
• A personal concierge service is offered to Aussie Platinum Low Rate cardholders. Get access to local knowledge 24 hours a day seven days a week, no matter where you are in the world.
28 Degrees MasterCard Credit Card by GE Money
• No transaction fees, and no withdrawal charges or any currency exchange charges.
• $0 p.a. annual fee.
• 20.99% p.a. interest rate on purchases.
• Interest free period of up to 55 days.
