Money-minded Travel Tips
TIP #1 - Alert your credit union or bank about your vacation destinations and travel dates.
Give your credit union or bank a call before you go on vacation, providing them with the locations and dates of your trip. That way, they can put your cards in “vacation mode” so the charges won’t be flagged as potential fraud, and you can use your card easily.
Always use a credit card instead of a debit card when traveling. Credit cards offer more security and fraud protection. Have a main card and a backup card in case of emergencies. Add both cards to your mobile wallet and use your mobile wallet as much as possible for an extra layer of fraud protection.
Take pictures of the front and back of your credit cards so if they are lost or stolen, you can contact the number on the back of the card directly.
TIP #2 - Connect with your cell phone service provider to check your data plan limits.
A call or online chat with your cell phone service provider before your vacation can save you a surprise post-trip bill. A man in Florida was recently hit with a $143k bill after a 3-week-long trip to Europe.
Especially if you’re traveling out of the country or to a remote destination, don’t assume your coverage will be the same as at home. If your coverage doesn’t include international roaming for data and calling, use your phone’s airplane mode and Wi-Fi when using data to ensure the device doesn’t connect to an international network.
Ask about your specific destinations and see if there are phone settings to change so you don’t rack up roaming charges. And, if you’re traveling with kids who also have phones on your plan, confirm their coverage and settings, too.
TIP #3 - Don’t post to social media until you return from vacation.
It can be fun to share photos and updates while traveling, but broadcasting that your home is unoccupied is not a good idea. Burglars lurk on social media sites and popular travel hashtags to spot potential targets.
If you want to share photos online, wait until you’re home to post and make sure to include that you’re back home.
If you're traveling with friends or family, have a conversation about posting travel photos to social media sites after the trip.
