Money Matter

Tips:

• Make a budget and follow it! This will help avoid spending all of your money in the first couple of days.
• Carry any money or ATM/credit cards with you at all times.
• Cary in a waist belt or neck pouch.
• Think twice about using traveler's checks on the program. They aren't always accepted and traveling to a bank to cash them is time-consuming and problematic.

Cash:

• Carry a small amount of U.S. Currency ($20.00) for use at domestic airports.
• Carry some cash for small purchases and for cases where credit cards aren't accepted.

Cards:

• Use ATM cards and credit cards instead of carrying large amounts of cash.
• Check with your local bank about the use of your ATM card in the countries to which you'll be traveling.
• Memorize your four-digit pin.
• Remember that withdrawing cash from an ATM in a foreign country can cost from $2 to $5. Take a little more out instead of needing to go back often.

Foreign Currency:

• You can order foreign currency ahead of time through the OnBoard site. Of course Mrs. Herb, Alex Herb's mother is helping us with the conversion process. If you would like to handle it at your own bank that is fine. I believe that she will continue to accept money for conversion at our April meeting and then be able to get it to our delegates at the BonVoyage meeting.
• Avoid exchanging currency; it takes time and costs money
• Find the most current exchange rate at xe.com

Do NOT:

• Leave money in your room or on the motor coach.
• Carry all of your money in one place.
• Carry a wallet in your back pocket.
• Expect money to be wired to you. The program schedule does not allow for picking up money.
• Spend all your money the first few days of the program.