💰 DON’T miss these money saving hacks for your first Europe trip! ✈️ After learning from my own experiences, I wanted to make some suggestions to hopefully help you avoid similar missteps! Let’s dive in on money matters I wish I knew before my first Europe trip 👇🏼 1️⃣ Airport currency exchanges have terrible rates! Use ATMs abroad or order travel cards beforehand. I ALWAYS get my cash from the ATM! However, you’ll want to avoid ATM’s in corner shops and small supermarkets. I prefer to find ATM’s attached to banks for security as well. 2️⃣ Not everywhere accepts plastic! BUT credit cards are your best friend in most scenarios. I find my AMEX isn’t used widely but can be used in more place than I used to. Just to be safe pack some euros for smaller shops, cafes, and public transport (especially in rural areas). 3️⃣ Set up a travel notice on your accounts. Let your bank and credit card companies know you are traveling. If you haven’t set up a travel notice, the foreign purchases can trigger a freeze on your card. 4️⃣ Tipping customs vary by country. In some places, it’s included in the bill, while others appreciate a small gratuity. Do your research! 5️⃣ Always select to pay in Euros (or the local currency) at the store & at the ATM – never convert to USD or your banks currency. This “courtesy” is known as a Dynamic Currency Conversion and will end up costing you money. Sure, it’s nice to know what the rate is in USD, but you will pay 5% – 10% more to have the money converted at the point of sale. Don’t do it! 6️⃣ Spend extra cash before leaving the country, exchange it at the airport or exchange once home. If I’m getting near the end of the trip, I’ll start paying for more in cash to get rid of it. This is especially true with coins as you can’t exchange coins back to USD. If all else fails, I usually keep it for my next trip. What are your tips for managing money in Europe? 🤔 #europetraveltips #moneysavingtips #travelhack #solotravelerwoman #europetravelexpert #travelsmarter travel money, exchange hacks, cashless travel, europe travel essentials, eurotrip, travel tips, tipping in europe, cultural travel, avoid hidden fees
💰 DON’T miss these money saving hacks for your first Europe trip! ✈️ After learning from my own experiences, I wanted to make some suggestions to hopefully help you avoid similar missteps! Let’s dive in on money matters I wish I knew before my first Europe trip 👇🏼 1️⃣ Airport currency exchanges have terrible rates! Use ATMs abroad or order travel cards beforehand. I ALWAYS get my cash from the ATM! However, you’ll want to avoid ATM’s in corner shops and small supermarkets. I prefer to find ATM’s attached to banks for security as well. 2️⃣ Not everywhere accepts plastic! BUT credit cards are your best friend in most scenarios. I find my AMEX isn’t used widely but can be used in more place than I used to. Just to be safe pack some euros for smaller shops, cafes, and public transport (especially in rural areas). 3️⃣ Set up a travel notice on your accounts. Let your bank and credit card companies know you are traveling. If you haven’t set up a travel notice, the foreign purchases can trigger a freeze on your card. 4️⃣ Tipping customs vary by country. In some places, it’s included in the bill, while others appreciate a small gratuity. Do your research! 5️⃣ Always select to pay in Euros (or the local currency) at the store & at the ATM – never convert to USD or your banks currency. This “courtesy” is known as a Dynamic Currency Conversion and will end up costing you money. Sure, it’s nice to know what the rate is in USD, but you will pay 5% – 10% more to have the money converted at the point of sale. Don’t do it! 6️⃣ Spend extra cash before leaving the country, exchange it at the airport or exchange once home. If I’m getting near the end of the trip, I’ll start paying for more in cash to get rid of it. This is especially true with coins as you can’t exchange coins back to USD. If all else fails, I usually keep it for my next trip. What are your tips for managing money in Europe? 🤔 #europetraveltips #moneysavingtips #travelhack #solotravelerwoman #europetravelexpert #travelsmarter travel money, exchange hacks, cashless travel, europe travel essentials, eurotrip, travel tips, tipping in europe, cultural travel, avoid hidden fees