For a very
long time, anyone who ventured abroad with a wad of cash instead of a money belt of traveler checks was very foolish
indeed.
Thankfully that has all changed. With the advent of technology, we no longer have to trek half way across a
city to find the American Express office in order to procure some local currency. I still bring a few checks as
an emergency measure, but otherwise I travel with just my ATM card and two credit cards.
Of course some prep work is necessary to make sure that local banks can accommodate your cards, and great care must
be taken that you don’t lose that card either. You also need research hidden bank charges and commissions to
make sure that you aren’t getting screwed by your bank. I’m always a bit confused with this and was
therefore happy to run across a recent LA
Times article that discusses the pros and cons of various money options available to travelers these days.
Author Jerry Hirsch recommends a combination of methods, but check it out yourself and see what you’re most
comfortable with.
Also, take a peek at travel guru Rick Steves’ forum regarding problems some travelers have encountered while weaning
themselves off of traveler checks in Europe. Another page on his site delves deeper into the best currency options available for
today’s savvy tourist.