20 Savvy Tips for Using Plastic on Vacation

2. Ask about fees in advance. If you're leaving the UnitedStates, ask about fees. Call the issuing bank and find what kind offees it charges for using the card outside the States. Manyinstitutions charge additional fees -- flat rate, percentage or both --for foreign transactions. "Most people don't think to ask, or know toask," says Howard.Look for a foreign currency exchange fee or foreign transaction fee,says Howard. What can be really galling: Some banks will add them tothe bill even if the merchant conducts the transaction in U.S. dollars.Take the cards that will cost you the least to use. If you belong to acredit union, see if its credit card might offer a better deal onoverseas travel.Even if you think you know your credit card bank's policies, checkagain. "A number of major credit card issuers recently made substantialincreases to the nature and amount of the fees they charge for foreigntransactions," says Edward Hasbrouck, author of The Practical Nomad(Avalon, 2003) travel series.In some cases, you'll face a similar situation with ATM transactions.If there is a flat fee on every transaction, that string of littlecredit card charges can really skyrocket.3. Carry lost/theft phone number. Before you leave for foreign ports of call, get the number to call ifyour card is lost or stolen. That 800 number you've got now probablywon't work outside the U.S., says Hasbrouck. But your card's bank hasanother number and will share it if you ask.Also ask what happens if the card is lostor stolen in the areas where you'll be traveling. Many times, theissuer can courier a new one within 24 to 48 hours.

4.Tell card issuer your plans. If you're going to bemaking charges in another country or an area of this country that'soutside your normal pattern, let the card company know ahead of time.Otherwise, their fraud department could see all that unusual activityand shut off your charging privileges. Duringone hectic book tour, Howard visited five states in one day. One of hiscard companies noticed the unusual charging pattern and temporarilysuspended his privileges. He had to call the card's fraud departmentand explain. "It was a funny phone call," he remembers. "I wasexhausted. I told them, 'Yes, I really was in all five of those statesyesterday.'"Usuallyall you need to do is make a phone call. But it's even more convenientif it doesn't happen in the first place. For a recent trip to EasternEurope, he called the issuers before he left. "I knew if I didn't call,I'd be sitting there very poor," he says.5.Prepare for emergencies. "If you have a safe place, likea password-protected contact on the Web, you need to have your accountnumbers there," says Howard. That way, if your cards are lost orstolen, you can report them without having to call home and havesomeone go through your bills. "It's great to have a list," he says."Even better, before you leave on a trip, purge your wallet of all thethings you won't need."

6. Takecards from two banks. If something goes wrong and one ofyour banks shuts off your credit, you'll have a back-up card until youcan straighten out the situation, says Howard. But if all your cardsare from the same bank, you're stuck.7. Checkyour credit limits and expiration dates. You want to findout how much you can spend on each card and know that it will work forthe duration of your trip, says Mai Lee Ua, public relations associatewith Discover Financial Services.8. Keepall receipts. "You don't have the same dispute rightswhen you use a card outside the U.S.," says Howard."That's why it's soimportant to keep a copy of every charge slip." Otherwise, if themerchant makes a mistake or puts through an amount that's higher thanyou approved, and you don't have your original slip, you've waived yourrights, he says. And hang onto them for a good long time,just in case anything questionable appears on your bills.9. Tryto use just one card. It's far easier to reconcile yourspending when you get back and it allows you to have more discipline,as far as your budget.10. Makesure certain card is accepted. Even if the merchant hasyour card's insignia on the door, ask if the card is accepted. WhenHoward went to Prague recently, he discovered an interestingphenomenon: Restaurants would sport credit card logos on the door, butwhen he tried to pay with one of those cards, management would tell himthey don't take those cards. The decals were almost like a statussymbol, he says. But they didn't really mean anything.Howard's advice: Ask first and carry alittle cash to pay for your meal "or you might have a quick case ofindigestion," he says.Bankrate.comis the Web's leading aggregator of information on financial productsincluding mortgages, credit cards, new and used automobile loans, moneymarket accounts, certificates of deposit, checking and ATM fees, homeequity loans and online banking fees. Visit Bankrate.comto get the tools and information that can help you make the bestfinancial decisions.