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When travelling with credit cards, there may be minor glitches, but on the whole, smart management is what's needed. Before travelling consumers must ensure that they photocopy all their credit cards along with their airline tickets and other documents. It is best to leave one set of these photocopies with a family member or friend while also keeping a copy with them. In the event a card is lost while travelling, this helps cancel it without any hassles.
However, it is international travels that could lead to problems related to cancellation of credit cards. When travelling with a spouse or even a friend for that matter, it is best to carry separate credit cards issued in different names. The main reason for this is that a single credit card account can create a difficulty if the credit card is lost, as it would cancel others members' credit cards also. Generally, there is a gap period of three to five days in the reissuing of the card.
There's nothing worse than an automatic credit card deactivation when travelling. Many credit card companies are known to strike off their credit cards if they are in use for six times or more in a single day. This is done to prevent thieves from misusing cards that may have been stolen. It could particularly be a problem during reactivation. For most convenience, consumers must notify their credit card companies in advance about their trip abroad.
The safest place to store credit cards when travelling is the front and back of the bag. You can also cut out the date of expiry and the name on the card. This method could especially be beneficial for users possessing multiple credit cards. Users who travel abroad frequently must also keep track of a conversion fee that is generally charged by many banks. This is done by them to ease off the process of conversion into foreign currencies. In quite a few instances however, banks may not charge a conversion fee. For those using multiple cards, they must check the bank or company providing them a good deal with this fee.
Before leaving for a trip, consumers must further ensure that they have the PIN of the credit card they're travelling with changed. There are number of foreign banks that do not accept six digit PINS. In most cases, you can change your PIN through your local ATM itself. Big banks typically aid in exchanging U.S. into foreign currency at comparatively lowered rates and reduced fees.
