How to Protect Your Money When You Travel

You're going on vacation and you know you're going to spend money. So what's safer to carry, plastic or cash? Experts say plastic because credit and debit cards have built in protections if they're lost or stolen. Here are some tips. Contact your card issuer, and tell them when and where you'll be traveling. That helps keep credit and debit card from being shut down as potential fraud concerns if they're used in unexpected locations. Keep track of the toll-free numbers on the back of your cards so you can report lost or stolen cards quickly. Make copies of your cards and securely store them, or leave them with a trusted family member in case you need access to the card numbers. Consider carrying more than one credit card. You'll have a spare if one is lost, stolen, or rejected and not all merchants take all card types. Don't carry all your cards in the same place. You don't wanna risk losing all at once. Keep the extras in your hotel room safe or at least in a separate pocket. Use your debit card at ATMs when getting cash and use ATMS you trust, such as those at financial institutions. Report a lost or stolen card immediately. To help protect yourself from pick pockets or purse snatchers when traveling in crowded, unfamiliar places, keep your wallet in a zip up pocket or pouch and keep your purse zipped or latched, and carry it close to your body. Have a good trip and be careful out there.