1

ATMs are widely available in most places. Although some banks do charge for taking money out abroad, it is perhaps the easiest and most convenient way to travel. Just plan ahead and take say a weeks worth out at a time.

2

Use your card most of the time just have a couple hundred dollars stashed away for emergencies.

3

As above...you will need a few hundred in emergency cash (clean and new US dollars).

I'd have at least 2 debit cards(as you say,in case one is swallowed/breaks etc.) and maybe a credit as well,for emergencies....

4

I agree with #1 and #2. Use your debit cards in ATMs and take the maximum you can, which helps keep ATM fees down. But as you are ending your time in a particular country, try and estimate your cash needs, and take out only what you need before you leave a country. You don't want to have a big wad of cash to exchange when you're ready to go over the border to the next country. You lose money every time you exchange currency.

Also, keep a stash of cash (I'm American and carry U.S. dollars because they are easily exchangable). I usually have about $200 U.S., give or take. You want just enough to get you by in case something happens and you need the cash in an emergency.

In addition, I usually carried a credit card, issued by the same bank as the debit card. I made sure that I could use the credit card to withdraw cash if needed (but I only reserved that for emergencies because credit cards are often more expensive for withdrawing cash).

So that's my three-pronged cash strategy: debit card, backup credit card, backup emergency cash stash.

Dave

5

You're absolutely right to be worried about only having one card. It would be better if you had at least 2-3 cards from more than one bank. That's because even using any one legitimate debit card at an overseas ATM, there's a good chance you'll get some kind of "transaction unavailable" message from various ATM machines. I've run into that so many times, and often had to switch to different banks, and also trying different credit/debit cards before I could get cash.

At the very least, get 2 cards, keeping one in your luggage, and one on your person just in case you're robbed. If you're travelling with only one bank account and one debit card(s) then you're going to need to carry a lot more cash, in order to guard against the "transaction not available" problem.

6

Thanks for the advice, I will definately look into getting another card and credit card.