Credit Card while backpacking!!!

sarahmccarthy

Hey

Im goin backpacking for around 7 months around Europe, Asia and then arrive in Oz!! But what would be the best way to carry around money. I have just finished my last year of college and applied for a student credit card from Bank of Ireland. But I'm wary of the charges I wil be charged using it abroad. On english websites I have found reviews about a Caxton credit card that seems to be very good!! Has anyone used this before or is there anything similar in the irish market??

Thanks

Sticky Fingers

Hi, Yeah the CC is great to use, BTW you can also use your Laser card. I rang my Bank and told them where I was going and they put it on their system. I didn't want any problems with getting cash, I even used my card in Fiji with no problem. There will be charges, but I didn't mind them too much as you have peace of mind getting cash. Hope this helps.

H8GHOTI

I got a prepaid Mastercard from Moneybookers recently and find it dead handy. Put money on it before I went on holiday & used it to pay for most things when I was away. No interest charges, as you can only spend what you have in your account.
You can withdraw from ATMs too. Limit of €250 per day & a fee of €1.80 per withdrawal, so a Laser might be better for that purpose. But as a credit card it's great. €10 application/annual membership fee. That's it really as far as fees go.

Full details:
http://www.moneybookers.com/ads/mastercard/what-it-costs/

Plus added bonus of free handling fees on Ryanair.

Zebra3

sarahmccarthy wrote: »

Hey

Im goin backpacking for around 7 months around Europe, Asia and then arrive in Oz!! But what would be the best way to carry around money. I have just finished my last year of college and applied for a student credit card from Bank of Ireland. But I'm wary of the charges I wil be charged using it abroad. On english websites I have found reviews about a Caxton credit card that seems to be very good!! Has anyone used this before or is there anything similar in the irish market??

Thanks

Just make sure you contact the CC company before you go to let them know what countries you maybe be using it in.

Otherwise they may freeze it, thinking it has been stolen or cloned.

Happened to me once.

saywhatyousee

sarahmccarthy wrote: »

Hey

Im goin backpacking for around 7 months around Europe, Asia and then arrive in Oz!! But what would be the best way to carry around money. I have just finished my last year of college and applied for a student credit card from Bank of Ireland. But I'm wary of the charges I wil be charged using it abroad. On english websites I have found reviews about a Caxton credit card that seems to be very good!! Has anyone used this before or is there anything similar in the irish market??

Thanks

Open a Ulster bank account and get the visa debit card,there is usually no charges with it and you can use it everywhere that excepts a Visa credit card,a very handy tool for travelling

Civilian_Target

Credit card for the win.

I used to have the Bank of Ireland student visa card, and it was pretty cheap, 1 euro per transaction, so I would preload it with cash and then withdraw cash from bank machines as you go.

Visa credit is universally accepted, Mastercard is very widely spread too. Anything else can be more or less painful no matter where you go. You can generally find a bank machine in most capitals that will take Plus or Laser.

Ideally, you would take your Visa in your wallet, and tuck a Laser into your backpack, along with 200-odd euros/dollars in cash in case you need it.

Whatever you do, don't take traveller's cheques, waste of time.

sarahmccarthy

Thanks very much for all of ye replying to my question. I think I will just stick with my bank of Ireland laser card and my bank of Ireland student credit card for my travels!!!