Call your credit card and ATM/debit card companies (ideally the fraud department) to:
- make them aware of the dates you will be away from home.
- Verify whether you will be able to use your ATM debit card and credit cards while traveling in in your specific destinations.
- Inquire about international transaction fees charged by your credit card or ATM debit card when you make a purchase in a foreign currency and the charge shows up on your account in $US currency.
- Confirm that you have a good phone number to reach your credit card company from abroad.
Visa & MasterCard are widely accepted world-wide. AMEX and Discover are NOT as widely accepted. It is not uncommon to encounter difficulty using ATM/debit cards in foreign destinations; credit cards are more convenient. Beware: many vendors including rental car companies do not accept payment by debit card or bank card.
Consider making a photocopy or camera image of the front and back of your ATM/debit cards and credit cards. Leave a copy behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen; carefully hide another copy in your travel pack in a location separate from the actual cards.
Be sure you know your pin number as it is often required with use of a chip card.
May All of Your Travels Be Happy and Safe!