Don't Make These 10 Travel Money Mistakes! 😱 💸

[@NoraDunn]

💲 My fav currency exchange app is XE (free): www.xe.com/apps/ 📲 Other apps I love for travel: www.theprofessionalhobo.com/best-travel-apps/ RELATED VIDEOS TO CHECK OUT: 🏪 HOW TO NEGOTIATE in UBUD MARKET, Bali | Watch a LIVE NEGOTIATION Happen! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGW6ln5smt6Ed80 📱 International Cell Phone Travel Tips | Save MEGA $$$ on Roaming! kzbin.info/www/bejne/npiWeqKhfsysj8U 🏧 Don't Be Tricked! 11 Top International ATM Withdrawal MISTAKES kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2iVloV6Zd6Ud8U 💰 19 Tips to SAVE MONEY on TRAVEL! [Pro Travel Hacks Included] kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmS1m3umbdeqhMU 💸 TOP Currency Exchange Advice! | International Travel Money Tips kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmSXo36ViL-Nl9k

[@pixchick55]

Great video as always, Nora. 😀 You mentioned almost tipping twice while in the US at a restaurant, seeing the "service fee" at the bottom of your receipt. My roommate worked as a bartender/server/banquet Captain for almost 10 years at a 4-star restaurant & one of his biggest pet peeves about his job was the "service fee". In his case, it wasn't a traditional tip that went to him. Instead, it was a fee that went directly to the restaurant itself. If the restaurant is generous, they split it among the entire staff that day or shift (waiters, bartenders, dishwashers, cooks, bussers, etc.), so that service fee could be split 8 or 10 ways. If not, the restaurant just keeps it for themselves & the server gets shafted. Cash is king when tipping at restaurants. My roommate used to hate having to explain to people when he presented the bill that gratuity was not included & the service fee went to the restaurant itself. It was embarrassing & puts servers in an awkward position, but it is what it is. Welcome to 'Murica. 🙄

[@NoraDunn]

I've since heard this about the "service fee" that it's not always the same as gratuity. I think it's a terrible thing to have on the bills then! Very confusing - and misleading.

[@pixchick55]

@@NoraDunn You said it! Any chance the restaurant can get to pad the bill & shaft the help, they're going to take. That's why there's such a high turnover of waitstaff in the States. $2.13 an hour plus tips being stolen or mismanaged? Nope! It's a hot mess.

[@NoraDunn]

@@pixchick55 I think tipping culture (such as it is in North American restaurants in particular) is an archaic and unfair throwback to the days of slavery anyway. It needs to be abolished, as it has in most of the world except North America.

[@alexandramccarthy4648]

Almost paid $10 for a single postcard in Mexico because I didn't familiarize myself with money prior, but the vendor was a sweet old man who warned me and took the correct 50 cents equivalent out of my hand instead. All great tips on being prepared. US new policy of adding 20% tip to your bill is infuriating though and should be against the law really.

[@NoraDunn]

Yeah, I really wish tipping as such in North America would be done away with. I'd much rather have servers properly paid and have the "tip" such as it is built into the price, giving me the option to tip on a fully discretional basis - as happens in most other places around the world.

[@jamesh8862]

If you are taking your home currency abroad to convert in a money exchange etc. Make sure all bills are clean & as neat as possible. No crumping, tears, writing, stains etc.

[@NoraDunn]

Great tip, James!

[@jamesh8862]

@@NoraDunn Funnily enough it happened in Bangkok & your mention of Thailand in the brought back the experience. Running around in a panic with all that heat beating down, getting knocked back from multiple places & worrying you are going to run out of money. We take it for granted that stores at home will take them without question but it rarely crosses our minds that foreign places in being less familiar with the intricacies of other currencies are going to be far more cautious in what they are willing to accept. Anybody going abroad & planning to take some of their home currency with plans to exchange should make bill inspection part of their pre-departure routine just in case.

[@Em-mr6wu]

@@jamesh8862 I found this out in Chiang Mai Thailand recently exchanging crisp Canadian twenties that were new, but as the teller held them up, one had a pin prick hole in it and was rejected.

[@billg3388]

I have to admit I do frequently exchange a little USD to the local currency at the airport to at least pay a taxi. Other than that I like to use the ATM's but you do have to be very careful. Try to find one at an actual bank if possible. I just returned from 3 months traveling in SE Asia. It is so important to study the local currency ASAP.

[@NoraDunn]

Right on, Bill! Have you seen my video about ATM Mistakes to Avoid? kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2iVloV6Zd6Ud8U

[@leslie-annepepin8927]

When traveling in Beijing and Xi’an, I was told my by assistant (who was from China), to NEVER pay more then 25% of the first asking price from vendors. Note that some stores do not barter. As well, when bartering, ALWAYS do it with a smile. And when nicely rejecting their offer, you can smile and laugh (in a friendly manner), then offer your next bid. If you use the ‘tough guy’ attitude to barter, they will wave you away and not sell to you. It is very important to understand that THIS is their custom, so follow this advice. After all, you are a guest in their country. As well, learn a few basic words in their language. It goes a long way. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip there. The people are so kind and so giving. Treat them nicely and you will have a great visit!!!

[@NoraDunn]

Fantastic tip, Leslie! Thank you. Indeed, negotiating is a cultural practice, and one to be done in a friendly way. Smiles are almost always better.

[@adrianavram4911]

they do that in china with a tesla too

[@davesaunders7080]

To get lower or no atm fees see if your bank has a global atm alliance with banks in the country you visit. For example Scotiabank has an alliance with Deutsche Bank in Germany. So for my upcoming trip to Germany I can get euros at one of their atms using my bank card and not pay any access or surcharge fees, just the conversion rate. I bring some euros with me in advance and then top up as needed during my trip. Avoid non bank associated atms if at all possible, especially Euronet as they will hammer you with terrible conversion rates and high fees.

[@NoraDunn]

Great tip, Dave! I didn't realize you can use Deutsche Bank with your Scotia card and not pay foreign ATM fees. My trick is to have a bank account "tier" that allows for free foreign ATM withdrawals. It usually comes with a monthly account fee, but that will be waived if you maintain a minimum balance.

[@davesaunders7080]

@@NoraDunn Yes look up the Scotiabank Global ATM Alliance for info on all the countries and partner banks. I have used this info in Spain and France trips. Your bank tip is good, so it depends on the individual bank as to what ATM savings we can find. Same as trying to use a no foreign transaction fees credit card when not using cash.

[@chuckswaim]

I was just in Italy and there’s some bank ATMs that don’t give you the chance to decline a currency. And I noticed after I withdrew 400 euros, I got a $44 U.S. dollar fee. They double whammied me on currency fees. It was in Salerno by a bank with 1842 in their name.

[@kathryncashner3294]

What I've found to be least costly is to use an international credit card. My bank charges $95 for this card with the first year free. There are no exchange fees charged if I use the card. I pay in the local currency and my bank converts to USD at a rate that is better than any I've seen posted in other sites. Obviously, the rate changes daily. Obviously, you need to do a certain amount of travel to make up for that $95 fee. But it has enabled me to get some "good deals" even in a single trip. For instance, on my last trip to Europe, I used Turkish Airlines and got a fare several hundred dollars cheaper than any other airline for the dates I needed BUT they would only accept Turkish lira as payment, My card not only gave me a better exchange rate than I could find on line, but also allowed me to book the less costly flight.

[@NoraDunn]

That's really interesting, Kathryn! What card is it?

[@kathryncashner3294]

@@NoraDunn It is the high end of the Chase Sapphire series. (There are at least three cards that Chase calls Sapphire, but the others have no fees). I actually went back and checked my statement from the tickets I mentioned above--What was taken out of my account was actually $3 less than the advertised price of the plane tickets. I've used the card all over Europe, Japan, Canada, the Caribbean, etc. with no problem. It was particularly valuable when my daughter was living in London!

[@NoraDunn]

@@kathryncashner3294 Yes! the Chase lineup of cards is very travel-friendly. Especially the Reserve.

[@losttravelingbackpacker3757]

Ive always taken a gold ring traveling and paint it black so no one knows just in case a emergency and a couple times a rare coin so if i had i could sell in emergency and even once i rented a storage place keep my stuff and put a lil extra money there for safe keeping and my papers ticket ect stuff i not want carry and souvenirs

[@NoraDunn]

Interesting strategy! I'd never thought of bringing (and disguising) gold or coins to sell in case of emergency.

[@Carissima.]

Nora, it is a known fact that when paying with your credit card abroad, it's better to make the payment in the local currency. The question is how your bank converts the foreign currency. I've heard that Canadian banks convert foreign currencies into US dollars and then into Canadian dollars. I mean if the amount is in euros, Canadian bank will convert euros into USD and then into CAD.

[@NoraDunn]

Yes, absolutely - best to pay in local currency! And yes, it's a tad unfortunate about the double conversion to USD then to CAD; at least it's done at the bank rate with no markups (assuming a no f/x card is used).

[@lindabruce9913]

Avoid changing money at Travelex in Doha Hamas airport. They changed 37 000 tanzanian schillings for me into us $14.00 and took $8 commission (60%). This left US$6 and I was too jet-lagged to say no. The reason I changed here was that I did not know if anyone in Australia would change schillings. Next time I go to Tanzania I intend to give away all cash before I leave.

[@NoraDunn]

Sorry you had that happen, Linda. I also made this mistake once, and now I spend all my cash at my destination (or even at the airport) before I leave.

[@stevengoossen6019]

Talking about getting the correct currency for the country. My wife and I are going to Europe next month, and our bank in our local town will get the currency of those countries for us, and of course, at the correct exchange rate instead of having to get it at the airport. One thing I learned thought I’d pass it on.

[@NoraDunn]

Thanks, Steven!

[@Em-mr6wu]

ATM money tip for Thailand: they hit you hard with fees! 200 baht withdrawal fee, and my bank charges me $4 CAD for international withdrawal, so that's like $12. There use to be one ATM branch that charged less, but not anymore. So take out a lot of baht at a time.

[@NoraDunn]

Yes, I remember the ATM withdrawal fees in Thailand, and it was impossible to find an ATM (even a bank-affiliated one) that didn't charge fees. But there is a way around the $4 CAD fee for the foreign ATM withdrawal, and it is to upgrade your bank account to a "tier" that includes free foreign ATM withdrawals. These higher tiers often include a monthly account fee, but that fee can also be waived if you keep a minimum balance in the account. That's how I do it when I'm in countries where I know I'll need to use the ATM multiple times.

[@tatianapashkova7275]

Great tips, thank you so much!

[@NoraDunn]

Thanks Tatiana!

[@aussiebornandbred]

More great tips, thanks Nora, I'm so glad that I stumbled across your channel a few weeks ago, 🍻🍻

[@NoraDunn]

Yay - thank you! :-)

[@MiaHessMusic]

I found this really interesting, thank you, Nora!! How do you get your bank to give you foreign currency.? I haven't done that in EONS! Do you pay for a lot of things, like restuarants etc. with your credit card?? Unrelated question: do you have a video on how you shoot your travel videos? Eqipment, etc. Especially when traveling alone.

[@NoraDunn]

You can order foreign currency from your bank. My bank allows me to place the order online, and then go in to pick it up. And yes, whenever possible, I pay for everything with credit cards. Lastly, I shoot my videos on my phone! I also have a Lume Cube for lighting, and a Rode Wireless Go microphone.

[@MiaHessMusic]

@@NoraDunn thank you so much!

[@meganstevens8315]

Love your information Nora . Heading off to Italy soon. Thanks again 🇦🇺

[@NoraDunn]

Woohoo! Thanks Megan, and happy travels!

[@bronwynquinn4477]

Fantastic! Thank you

[@NoraDunn]

Welcome!

[@kimbarnette2994]

Great information. Going to Kenya this June, any tips for exchanges?

[@NoraDunn]

Where possible, don't exchange cash! You'll get better rates (and not have to worry about scams) by pulling money out of the ATM.

[@boston_jediwisdom]

Nice vid. Some countries in my experience may not accept (even slightly) worn USD cash notes. Consider taking new bank notes when going overseas!

[@NoraDunn]

Good tip, Nick!

[@Carissima.]

Not only worn, but issued before 2003 or thereabouts. I had an old $100 (1998). In Dubai duty-free they didn't take it.

[@loricanner7981]

Love your videos Nora! Always so informative.

[@NoraDunn]

Thanks Lori!

[@marychong7059]

Great info . Thank you for sharing.

[@NoraDunn]

My pleasure, Mary!

[@bubbles.stu26]

Banks mostly won't exchange your money. They tell you to do it at forex, which does take a huge chunk for themselves. Not every city has a place to exchange either. I don't have a global credit card, when I use my card in another country, should I choose the country's currency when asked? Is this similar to refusing the conversion at the ATM?

[@NoraDunn]

Absolutely YES - choose the to pay in the country's currency when paying with a credit card! If you choose your home currency you'll pay an additional markup that is unnecessary. It's the same with ATMs.

[@robertlee8792]

First thing I did at 52 sec. of this video was pause and install "xe money exchange rate AP". THANKS AGAIN!!!Your up to the moment,streetwise & user friendly advice is a boon for all "Wise Wanderers On The Winsome Way",sincerely,Armchair Itchyfeet.

[@NoraDunn]

Woohoo! SO glad you got some immediate good use from my video! Happy travels :-)

[@christineveals1639]

I did the same!

[@conniecassidy8628]

I've been reading the reviews on "xe money exchange rate" app and many of them have been unfavorable and have had lots of troubles described. Thank you Nora for your information - I love your videos.

[@robertlee8792]

@@conniecassidy8628 hello connie ,I appreciate the heads up on xe app.A word to the wise,etc.thanks.

[@NoraDunn]

@@conniecassidy8628 Interesting! I've had no trouble, and I've been using it for 10+ years. Guess I'm lucky?

[@Brennandh7777]

Nora, you mention that you were charged a "service fee" on your bill, yet you were also asked to pay a tip. Something that is becoming commonplace in the US is passing the credit card fees through to the merchant's customer, or purchaser. Many times this is described on a receipt as service fee, non-cash adjustment, convenience fee, etc. In any of these cases the server is not receiving any tip money. Is it possible this is what happened to you?

[@NoraDunn]

This service fee was a much larger percentage; way more than a convenience fee for charging to a credit card would have been. But I recently learned that some restaurants stipulate a separate "service fee" that isn't gratuity for the servers, and instead is some attempt to show customers that restaurants have to pay for more than food. It's a ridiculous charge, and if it isn't actually auto-gratuity, I think it should be removed from the bill, because there's no place for it in my opinion. I understand that the cost of running a restaurant is built into the food; I don't need to see separate service fees tacked on thankyouverymuch! Ha

[@abigailgerlach5443]

I got a credit card which, though there is no frequent flyer miles, does allow you to charge with whatever the foreign currancy is and does not charge to exchange to dollars!!!

[@NoraDunn]

Excellent. This is known as a credit card with "no foreign transaction fees" or "no F/X fees". Very important!

[@joycenisbet4069]

usa the ticket price then add tax attill..

[@pattyinsoflo5431]

I was in Mexico City and I paid in American Dollars and got change in Mexican Pesos. Didnt realize it at the time but I had been seriously ripped off!

[@NoraDunn]

I've totally fallen prey to this, multiple times, before realizing I'd been ripped off. That's why I prefer to pay in local currency when possible. But if I am ever faced with a transaction like this, I'll whip out my phone and do the calculations on the spot in front of the cashier to ensure I'm getting at least something close to the market rate.

[@user-zm7gm2ys4w]

Hi! A friend and I just got our tickets from the US to Lima, (latam airlines). We were buying separately but going through the checkout process at the same time. I finished first and then her checkout process said something like "ticket no longer available" and canceled her checkout process. When she started to checkout again, the price had gone up. Do you know if her added price is something that can be refunded? Or is it just always better to have one person buy tickets to avoid that?

[@NoraDunn]

Oh no! What a shame! Did she try clearing her browser history and cookies and trying again? It's never worked for me, but some people swear by it.

[@nayaknaresh]

LATAM has different rates for the spanish language and English language browsing. Much, much less when you browse in Spanish.

[@NoraDunn]

@@nayaknaresh Wow! Thanks for the tip!

[@agoogleuser4356]

@@nayaknareshoh really. Let me look up and find out what LATAM is. Airline based in Santiago Chile. Does fly to USA.

[@jjualvare]

What are the rules for tipping at foreign restaurants?

[@R0swell5104]

It all depends on the country you are in. Some have a tipping culture and some don't. I would do a quick internet search to see what is customary in that particular region.

[@NoraDunn]

R0swell's advice is bang-on. Before I go, I always do a bit of research about the tipping culture in countries I'm about to visit.

[@donnas3573]

I have to admit I've been the person holding out a handful of change, and letting the vendor pick out what they need. Not the smartest technique!

[@NoraDunn]

I think most of the time it's fine as I like to believe most people are fundamentally decent. Also, if it's a matter of coins, it's not like the potential loss would be terrible if they took more than they needed.

[@desireeworthy677]

Double tipping 😮

[@NoraDunn]

Right??

[@r_a_]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@butchfajardo8832]

Seeing almost all your tips, the best thing to do is not travel! With tons of things to remember and do, it is not fun to travel anymore! Seeing our immigration officers treat us here in the Philippines, it's best not to travel anymore! Hahahaha!

[@NoraDunn]

Aw...I'm sorry you feel that way, Butch. My aim is to inspire people to Travel Smart, not to scare people off!

[@butchfajardo8832]

@@NoraDunn, you are not scaring people off! It is they who are scaring people off! And I thank you so much for enlightening us of the evils in traveling! When we travel here locally, we research a lot also! Traveling is not fun! It's very dangerous if one didn't prepare well!

[@R0swell5104]

I agree it can be overwhelming sometimes, especially all the nonsense you have to put up with at airports these days. However that is no reason not to travel if you really want to. Treat it as a challenge, do your research which will give you confidence and above all enjoy yourself.

[@butchfajardo8832]

@@R0swell5104, it is not a challenge when we are offloaded by our very own immigration officers here in the Philippines! It's a huge loss of money! I'm sure you have seen the news lately how many thousands they illegally offloaded! It's very traumatizing, not challenging!

[@butchfajardo8832]

@@R0swell5104, it's a matter of choice! If one still wants to travel in spite of all these, we respect them! If they can ignore the bad things, good for them!