- While traveling abroad, I used to exchange money or use ATMs to get cash in the local currency.
- I often had leftover cash that I couldn't use back in the US.
In the same drawer where I keep my travel adapters and portable charger, I have a foreign currency graveyard of sorts. A $5 bill from New Zealand. A £10 note from Scotland. Dozens of Canadian loonies and toonies.
During my past travels abroad, I used to exchange money or use ATMs to get cash in the local currency. I wanted to avoid my credit card's foreign transaction fees and figured it would be useful to have cash on me just in case I went somewhere that didn't accept credit cards. That was a mistake. Credit cards were accepted everywhere, and I got stuck with leftover bills and coins that I couldn't use back home.
I didn't want to lose more money by exchanging them back to US dollars or spend them just for the sake of getting rid of them. I held onto the cash as a souvenir, thinking if I ever returned to one of those countries, I could bring it with me. That hasn't happened yet, so the loose change is still collecting dust.
I now avoid making this mistake by using a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees and not withdrawing cash unless I know I'll need it for a specific activity or area.
A few years ago, I signed up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, which Insider calls "one of the best travel credit cards you can get." It's been a game-changer with other travel perks like primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, and bonus points for travel-related expenses. Many big banks also have their own travel cards without foreign transaction fees.
On my recent trip to Iceland, I resisted the urge to take out cash and relied on my credit card. I didn't see a single Icelandic Króna, and I didn't need to, either.