Credit or Debit card ?

On a round the world trip for at least a year.

Do i 'NEED' a credit card and if so what for?

or

Can i make the trip without major issue with just a Debit card?

I plan to have 3 separate accounts setup at my bank with internet banking.
i will have 3 debit cards one for each account and i will use internet banking to move the money between the accounts where needed. one card will be used for hostel bookings and ATM only and the other for airfair bookings.
The 3rd will not be used unless the other 2 are lost for some reason.

I will aso have a prepaid credit card by either CaxtonFX or FairFX which i can load online.

The reason for the prepaid is that they are mastercard where as my debit cards are VISA, this gives me ATM coverage incase i cannot find a link ATM.

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Without a credit card how does this affect me with regard to flights being cancelled. Can and would carriers book me on the next available flight or give me a refund if i book via Debit card and not credit card?

I realise that small carriers which go bust before my flight will mean i loose the money if i book via Debit card.

Thanks for your help. :)

I would definitely recommend going with at least one credit cards, some places might not be as advanced as debit visas yet

Pretty much every country now uses 'Chip and Pin' for all card transactions.
The U.S i think is the only country that still uses the old and far less secure magnetic strip cards.

If anyone is going to have issues travelling with debit/credit its An american with a magnetic strip card which you will find are accepted far less globally if at all.

A VISA debit works like any modern credit card issued globally outside of the U.S and will have chip and pin.

Reading on VISA and MASTERCARDS website they have an ATM finder for every country on earth and they are pretty much everywhere.

Less so in poorer countries but always at least in the capitcal city.

No Credit Card is required, Debit Cards suffice now days.

I bring a credit card (for emergencies) but almost never use it.

Two debit cards and some US dollars cash does me everywhere these days....

The only trouble with a debit card (from the UK anyway) is the bank charges.

We used this site to help with ideas:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

i don't think it's necessary. can't remember a time i've needed one when traveling.

If your credit card is issued by a bank in the USA, national consumer banking laws give you some legal protection from fradulent charges and other fraud against your account that you do not get with a debit card.

hiii

Whether debit or credit, it's never a good idea to travel with only one card. I've several times been in a country where I couldn't find a bank that would work with my debit card, or sometimes, my preferred credit card. And since I make a point of always having at least 3 cards, I had something to fall back on. The cash advance option on a credit card might one day be the only thing that allows you to keep going.

And then there's the possibility of having your wallet or bag stolen, and losing your card that way. Or the possibility that you'll get distracted at an ATM and accidentally forget to extract your card. I've done that.

Yeah i've left my card a few times and had to go back.
I even left the money once!

I like T/Checks....i know they are the dinosaur way of getting cash but i like to go to a bank and go through the whole process,i've met some really interesting people whilst queuing.

That being said ATMs are a lot easier but far too often i've been stood behind a fellow traveller and he/she has had their card swallowed....happend in April in Mexico,so its vital to have a back up card AND a c/card and some t'cs.

Read here http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2324216

Read about the downside of pre-paid cards. Read about Section 75.

You also need to understand that if you pre-pay something using a debit card it is the same as paying cash and you are not covered/insured in the same way as you are if you use a credit card. Book a flight for example and then the airline goes bust. If you used a debit card your money is gone and you are at the end of the long line of creditors with no real hope of getting your money back. Book and pay with a credit card and you simply fill in a form and your money is credited back to your credit card.

It is NOT wise to travel without both kinds of cards. You also do not say which bank debit cards you have. Not all are created equal. The site 365rtw provided is the best site for a traveller from the UK to use to see which cards to get.

Currently the best cc for a Brit to have is the Halifax Clarity card and the best debit card is the Norwich & Peterborough debit card. The issue is how much is it going to cost you in fees and exchange loading when you use your card. They differe from 0 in the case of the best cards to as much as 4.5% of your money in the case of the worst. How much is 4.5% of your total travel budget?

It is ALWAYS best to use a debit card to withdraw cash from an ATM and to use a credit card to pay/purchase things.