Traveling Without a Credit Card

[nana541]

You apparently know very well the limitations of traveling with a debit card. Sadly many travelers are clueless as to the complications of not understanding the differance between Debit vs Credit Cards and get themselves into a real financial bind as a result!

 

 

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[ken02802]

I travel with a full compliment of credit cards (MC, Visa, AmEx) but rarely use any of them.

 

Instead I use ATM cards that specifically require a PIN and pay everything in cash.

 

I carry cards from two different banks, as a back up. Now matter what they do, they can't get more money than cash in those two accounts.

 

In many of the places I travel, I don't want to trust the locals with a credit card.

 

When traveling, you NEVER KNOW what might happen. Cash has frequently rescued me from potentially bad situations!

 

The weight and expense of multiple cards is insignificant. The risk of traveling without them is incomprehensible.

 

 

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[boogs]

In many of the places I travel, I don't want to trust the locals with a credit card.

 

I use credit cards as much as possible. It lessens my risk of losing large amounts of cash, and the risk of my banking account being compromised from loss or misuse of my debit card.

 

With my bank I have never had to pay for a charge on my card that I did not authorize. If it get's used by "untrustworthy locals", I dispute the charge and it is removed. Zero risk. Especially since someone stealing a debit card could access all your funds from all your accounts, with none of it insured.

Edited June 28, 2014 by boogs

[ken02802]

I use credit cards as much as possible. It lessens my risk of losing large amounts of cash, and the risk of my banking account being compromised from loss or misuse of my debit card.

 

With my bank I have never had to pay for a charge on my card that I did not authorize. If it get's used by "untrustworthy locals", I dispute the charge and it is removed. Zero risk. Especially since someone stealing a debit card could access all your funds from all your accounts, with none of it insured.

 

Notice that I said that I only use ATM cards.

 

For all the reasons you list, debit cards are potentially more risky than credit cards. I routinely travel in parts of Africa and Asia where tourists are big targets from scam and theft. I don't carry my debit card when traveling.

 

I spent much of my working life in the security industry and follow risk assessments quite closely.

 

The advantage of an ATM-only card is that it can only be used at a bank and only with your four-digit PIN. Although, I don't like trusting anyone with my travel funds, if I have to trust someone, it will be a bank.

 

If your debit card or credit card gets stolen, the thief is likely to sell your data on the Internet within hours. If an ATM card is physically stolen, it does the crook no good because the number on the card is not the same as your account and the number can't be used without your PIN.

 

The only way to fraudulently use an ATM card is to "skim" your PIN while you are actively using the card. If you're observant while using your card, this is extremely unlikely. (I don't personally know anyone who has ever been hit.) If you do get hit, the thief can't exceed your daily limit and you'll discover the theft very quickly and void the card.

 

So, I reiterate, in my experience, nothing is safer than an ATM while traveling.

 

But, like others on this thread, I do carry credit cards in case of emergency. I use a variety of safety devices to protect them from pick-pockets as best I can.

[BruceMuzz]

I travel with 2 credit cards that have $50k credit each.

But they are only for emergencies or when I am required to use a card.

I always carry around $10k in a mix of US$, Euros, and Yen for daily expenses.