One of the newest financial tools for travellers is the prepaid Visa travel card, called TravelMoney. This is essentially a loaded debit card, but specifically designed for travellers, using the widely accepted Visa name. It is meant as a replacement for unwieldy travellers cheques, which are becoming increasingly difficult to have cashed in many places.
The prepaid visa travel card can be loaded with anywhere from $250 to $10,000, and can be reloaded anytime from a bank account or credit card by telephone or at a financial institution. It is a better choice for travellers than a regular prepaid debit card because it carries the Visa name, and because the protection against loss or theft is higher. It is important to keep the card number elsewhere, so that you can call to immediately have a new card issued and a stop placed on the stolen or lost card. The card is not connected to your bank accounts, so only the amount on the card is at risk, and with reloading so convenient to do, there is no need to carry a large amount on the card itself.
The prepaid visa travel card can be used to get local currency, simply by using an ATM in the place you are visiting. Local funds can be withdrawn, and the adjusted amount is removed from the card. The card can be used for online purchases, as well as for car rentals, hotel reservations, movies, dinners, and travel tickets. For budget conscious travellers, this card is a great option versus a regular credit card. Due to the unwieldy way in which transactions are recorded, particularly when travelling, it is often difficult to gauge how much has been charged to a card. This is especially true when dealing with foreign currency transactions. Often, after returning from a trip, there can be a nasty shock when the credit card bills arrive.
Labels: Budget Travels
