Use Other People’s Money for Free
Protection for Purchases
Protection for Losses
Travel Advantages
Car Rental Savings
General Tips

Smart Strategy:
Take your major credit cards with you overseas, but be sure to check your credit card receipts carefully to make sure the amount is correct (foreign currency may sometimes throw you off) and keep a record of your card numbers in case there is a problem.

Whether you’re packing for a trip across the state or overseas, don’t forget to pack the plastic. Major credit cards are convenient, widely accepted and offer you additional protections mentioned earlier — both for purchases and in case you and your wallet part ways.

When you venture overseas, you’ll find that in many places, American Express, MasterCard and Visa cards will be accepted by many merchants — in some places, they’ll prefer plastic over traveler’s checks.

Besides the convenience, another advantage to using credit cards overseas is the fact that you’ll usually get a better exchange rate than you can on your own through local merchants.