Phone service and credit cards when you go out of country?

[Anonymous]

What phone service do you need (for Europe)? Is it different for each country within Europe? Is a data plan for all family members sufficient? Planning on using google maps (a lot). Can we get by with English in Europe or we need to use an app?

How many credit cards is optimal? Do you take your debit card? Passport in hotel safe or on you? Is card accepted everywhere or we need euros in cash too? Here in the US, I go cash free for the most part. Can we pay with credit card for taxis or public restrooms?

[Anonymous]

What phone service do you have here?
What credit cards/bank account types do you have?

[Anonymous]

airalo

[Anonymous]

What phone service do you need (for Europe)?

Is it different for each country within Europe? I have AT&T and just use that when I travel. They charge me $12/day for the first phone, and then a lesser fee (I think $6?) for each additional phone. I have done this in Europe, South America, Africa....never had an issue. If I were you I'd contact your current carrier and ask them what their policy is.

Is a data plan for all family members sufficient? What we did with AT&T worked well for us

Planning on using google maps (a lot). Can we get by with English in Europe or we need to use an app? "Europe" is too vague. English is fine in countries like France, Germany, etc. especially if you are in major cities. We were in France last fall and in smaller towns fewer people spoke English, but we still got by just using google translate. If you are going to smaller countries that see less tourism (like maybe Estonia or Albania or something) there might be fewer English speakers (I've never been to either country so I have no personal experience.)

How many credit cards is optimal? We brought two

Do you take your debit card? Yes

Passport in hotel safe or on you? On me, there was a whole thread here a few weeks ago about this topic

Is card accepted everywhere or we need euros in cash too? Again, this might depend on exactly where in Europe you are going. I see that you specifically mention Euros-are you only going to EU countries?

Here in the US, I go cash free for the most part. Can we pay with credit card for taxis or public restrooms? Again, probably depends on specifics. I rarely take taxis, but did in Belfast last fall and the driver specifically requested cash before he agreed to take me. I'd plan on having at least a little cash in the local currency. I've never seen a credit card option for pay toilets-but I wasn't specifically looking for them either. Again, I highly recommend carrying at least a little cash. It's easiest to just stop at an ATM and withdraw from your bank account (as opposed to trying to change US dollars and a currency exchange.)

[Anonymous]

For a little cash, you can order it thru your bank here and if you are high enough "status" at your bank you will get discounted fees and delivery. I find that to be a cheaper way to get say 200$ for the country I am going to rather than using an ATM when abroad which has a load of fees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a little cash, you can order it thru your bank here and if you are high enough "status" at your bank you will get discounted fees and delivery. I find that to be a cheaper way to get say 200$ for the country I am going to rather than using an ATM when abroad which has a load of fees.

I have gotten quotes on ordering euros through my bank and it has always been crazy expensive- like 5% exchange fee and $10 delivery. I agree often ATM costs overseas are expensive if your bank account isn't the right one- you often see exchange fees of around 3% and a $5 fee for overseas ATM usage. But have never seen it be cheaper to get foreign currency in the US before you go.

I have a Schwab account that I use basically only for travel purposes. No minimum amount, 0% exchange costs and it refunds ATM fees anywhere in the world. Keep $100 in it normally, and move maybe $500 into it before a trip in case its needed. Then can take out small amounts as necessary and not end up with a lot of cash in a foreign currency at the end.

[Anonymous]

I have Google Project Fi and seamless phone service wherever I go.
Restroom attendants want cash.

[Anonymous]

You will need cash for tipping.

If you have TMobile - data is free internationally and you can use waze and google maps. With Verizon and ATT you will need to pay a daily fee per device. You could put the phones on airplane mode though and also use hotel wifi and keep one phone with daily plan for data/calls.

[Anonymous]

Not everywhere takes Amex so take a visa too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not everywhere takes Amex so take a visa too.

Yes this is a good point- in the UK it seemed like maybe 50/50 took Amex, but only 25% in France and Italy. Was surprised even big chains didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a little cash, you can order it thru your bank here and if you are high enough "status" at your bank you will get discounted fees and delivery. I find that to be a cheaper way to get say 200$ for the country I am going to rather than using an ATM when abroad which has a load of fees.

I have gotten quotes on ordering euros through my bank and it has always been crazy expensive- like 5% exchange fee and $10 delivery. I agree often ATM costs overseas are expensive if your bank account isn't the right one- you often see exchange fees of around 3% and a $5 fee for overseas ATM usage. But have never seen it be cheaper to get foreign currency in the US before you go.

I have a Schwab account that I use basically only for travel purposes. No minimum amount, 0% exchange costs and it refunds ATM fees anywhere in the world. Keep $100 in it normally, and move maybe $500 into it before a trip in case its needed. Then can take out small amounts as necessary and not end up with a lot of cash in a foreign currency at the end.

I get free "delivery" and another 4$ "discount" from my bank because I have a "Preferred" status there based on my balances, so it is better for me to get it thru my bank here than pay the ATM fees which I don't get for free when in international locations, only US locations with my debit card. I mean, I have a credit card with no international fees so that is my preferred method of purchase but always good to have a little cash esp for small towns.

[Anonymous]

One other option for phone "service" is to get a travel wifi unit instead of cell service. We personally don't really need to be making calls while abroad, but we do use maps a lot as well as one or two laptops among us. If you are all going to be together much of the time, just get the wifi--its under 10 bucks a day total for unlimited devices. We also download maps to offline as a backup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One other option for phone "service" is to get a travel wifi unit instead of cell service. We personally don't really need to be making calls while abroad, but we do use maps a lot as well as one or two laptops among us. If you are all going to be together much of the time, just get the wifi--its under 10 bucks a day total for unlimited devices. We also download maps to offline as a backup.

Can you recommend a wifi travel unit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What phone service do you need (for Europe)?

Is it different for each country within Europe? I have AT&T and just use that when I travel. They charge me $12/day for the first phone, and then a lesser fee (I think $6?) for each additional phone. I have done this in Europe, South America, Africa....never had an issue. If I were you I'd contact your current carrier and ask them what their policy is.

Is a data plan for all family members sufficient? What we did with AT&T worked well for us

Planning on using google maps (a lot). Can we get by with English in Europe or we need to use an app? "Europe" is too vague. English is fine in countries like France, Germany, etc. especially if you are in major cities. We were in France last fall and in smaller towns fewer people spoke English, but we still got by just using google translate. If you are going to smaller countries that see less tourism (like maybe Estonia or Albania or something) there might be fewer English speakers (I've never been to either country so I have no personal experience.)

How many credit cards is optimal? We brought two

Do you take your debit card? Yes

Passport in hotel safe or on you? On me, there was a whole thread here a few weeks ago about this topic

Is card accepted everywhere or we need euros in cash too? Again, this might depend on exactly where in Europe you are going. I see that you specifically mention Euros-are you only going to EU countries?

Here in the US, I go cash free for the most part. Can we pay with credit card for taxis or public restrooms? Again, probably depends on specifics. I rarely take taxis, but did in Belfast last fall and the driver specifically requested cash before he agreed to take me. I'd plan on having at least a little cash in the local currency. I've never seen a credit card option for pay toilets-but I wasn't specifically looking for them either. Again, I highly recommend carrying at least a little cash. It's easiest to just stop at an ATM and withdraw from your bank account (as opposed to trying to change US dollars and a currency exchange.)

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a little cash, you can order it thru your bank here and if you are high enough "status" at your bank you will get discounted fees and delivery. I find that to be a cheaper way to get say 200$ for the country I am going to rather than using an ATM when abroad which has a load of fees.

I have gotten quotes on ordering euros through my bank and it has always been crazy expensive- like 5% exchange fee and $10 delivery. I agree often ATM costs overseas are expensive if your bank account isn't the right one- you often see exchange fees of around 3% and a $5 fee for overseas ATM usage. But have never seen it be cheaper to get foreign currency in the US before you go.

I have a Schwab account that I use basically only for travel purposes. No minimum amount, 0% exchange costs and it refunds ATM fees anywhere in the world. Keep $100 in it normally, and move maybe $500 into it before a trip in case its needed. Then can take out small amounts as necessary and not end up with a lot of cash in a foreign currency at the end.

So basically just get a new bank account at Schwab? Do we need to setup auto pay or anything like that or just deposit a cash amount when setting up the account in person?