Cash or credit for Italy?

[HoneySpider]

We normally use our cc for everything and rarely carry cash. However I am pretty sure all of our cc have the standard 3% foreign transaction fee (I am going to call to confirm). So I see our options as:

1. Use the cc and just suck it up and pay the 3%
2. Get a new cc with 0% fee
3. Pay cash for everything and just pay the ATM fees

I really don't feel like opening another cc that I probably won't use outside of this trip (have no idea when we'll travel internationally again)

I know regardless we will have to withdraw some cash so I'm thinking maybe just do all cash? 

[awick14]

I agree with bricco, that's the way we always travel.

[MrsMB]

I'm drawing a blank trying to remember what we did in Italy. Crap. The only thing I'd worry about with cash is people taking it then your strapped....

The card I used didn't have a foreign fee maybe? I bought the most beautiful necklace in Rome and I don't remember the charge added on for 3 percent.

Shoot, what did we DO?!

[HoneySpider]

Apr 10, 2014 11:56:23 GMT -5 MrsMB said:

I'm drawing a blank trying to remember what we did in Italy. Crap. The only thing I'd worry about with cash is people taking it then your strapped....

The card I used didn't have a foreign fee maybe? I bought the most beautiful necklace in Rome and I don't remember the charge added on for 3 percent.

Shoot, what did we DO?!

Yeah I hate having a lot of cash on me in case something happens. I think if we do cash we'll just withdraw a few times so we don't have it on us all at once (of course we have to pay more fees then though)

[melsamoony]

When I have traveled outside of the country I keep SOME cash on me and then I have a card I use that doesn't have a fee internationally. I got one that has a good points system and we use it whenever we use a credit card...which isn't often lol. The points help though.

[estrellita]

I don't do much international travel but the only time I did (in HS) I did mostly cash and put a few things on my card but I don't remember if it was my check card or credit card. Granted I didn't have to pay for much since it was a school trip.

I'd probably stick with mostly cash to avoid the fees but I liked paying for most things on our honeymoon with the cc and worrying about it when we got home. Our HM was in Puerto Rico though, so no fees.

My bank doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, just sayin

[melsamoony]

Oh also...make sure to notify your bank and your credit card company that you are going to be traveling so they don't shut down your accounts. We always selected one credit card and then our bank of course and notified them both.

[HoneySpider]

Apr 10, 2014 13:11:13 GMT -5 melsamoony said:

Oh also...make sure to notify your bank and your credit card company that you are going to be traveling so they don't shut down your accounts. We always selected one credit card and then our bank of course and notified them both.

On the to do list...I'm kinda of hating my to do list right now. I don't want to prepare anymore, I just want to go on vacation!

[melsamoony]

HoneySpider to do lists before vacation suuuuck.

I was so organized before our last vacation, had ordered maps of the place we were going, got several books, travel sized items of all our necessities, had every medication we could imagine needing, clothes, ect. Packed everything up but forgot the map. We were stuck relying on this crappy rental car map that was just terrible, no labeled roads/landmarks, everything was numbered by the time you figured out where you were you had traveled 3 roads past where you wanted to be. The whole time H said remember when we had a map that was good and then we forgot it....oh and there were no maps to be found to help. It was bad news bears.

[HoneySpider]

melsamoony oh no, that sucks!

[melsamoony]

HoneySpider it was so very sad lol. Luckily we eventually learned the roads and H finally agreed to stop and ask for directions when we were lost.

[HoneySpider]

Well nevermind, I just found out that apparently one of my current cards has no foreign transaction fees. I'm going to confirm when I call to let them know we're traveling but that's good news! We'll do a combo of card and cash then.

[mrssandro]

I would use mostly the credit card with NO foreign transaction fee. We never travel with much cash. It makes us both nervous. We much rather use a CC. We carry AMEX, VISA and MC. We only carry the ones we use. We make copies of them just in case they get stolen. I store the copies in a safe place.

[elliemonster21]

I have no idea. But I just wanted to tell you how f'n jealous I am that you are going, HoneySpider. Please eat all of the pasta in sight for me!

[HoneySpider]

Apr 10, 2014 16:45:12 GMT -5 elliemonster21 said:

I have no idea. But I just wanted to tell you how f'n jealous I am that you are going, HoneySpider. Please eat all of the pasta in sight for me!

If it makes you feel any better, this trip is basically a consolation prize for not being able to have a kid/not being able to move. If either or both of those things had happened in the last year we would not be going!

[elliemonster21]

Apr 10, 2014 16:53:08 GMT -5 HoneySpider said:

Apr 10, 2014 16:45:12 GMT -5 elliemonster21 said:

I have no idea. But I just wanted to tell you how f'n jealous I am that you are going, HoneySpider. Please eat all of the pasta in sight for me!

If it makes you feel any better, this trip is basically a consolation prize for not being able to have a kid/not being able to move. If either or both of those things had happened in the last year we would not be going!

Pasta Wine Italy > Stress from crap back home.  Well deserved, my friend

[awick14]

You really do deserve it HoneySpider.

(My phone autocorrected honeyspider for me, lol)

[HoneySpider]

Apr 10, 2014 17:31:02 GMT -5 awick14 said:

You really do deserve it HoneySpider.

(My phone autocorrected honeyspider for me, lol)

I would like this twice if I could

[Deleted]

Yay! Your trip is coming up fast. I've never gone to Italy but we prefer cash when we are away. That way we are more mindful of spending. I do bring a cc just in case though.

[Deleted]

3% of whatever you'll spend REALLY isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. If you spend $2000, for example, you will have wasted $60. And maybe you earned 1% back in points anyway. So I wouldn't bother getting a special credit card unless you plan on using it on other travels in the future.

Re: cash -- I'd look into what your bank charges. If you're getting hit with ATM fees plus foreign transaction fees (some will do that!) it may be more expensive than credit. Even if you only get hit with ATM fees, you'll only be able to take out a certain amount at a time, so the fees on a bunch of, say, 300 euro withdrawals may add up.

But either way, unless you plan to spend a ton you really won't be out that much money, so I wouldn't worry too much and would just do whatever is most comfortable to you and enjoy!

Note: be sure to call your banks/card issuers (except for Amex) to tell them about travel, and remember to take your ATM card and cash out of the machine promptly when your transaction is over so they don't get sucked back in.  

And either way, I'd bring at least your ATM card, the credit card you actually plan to use, and one extra card in case your primary card gets frozen/lost/etc.