Can you believe it? 4 months from today we will be flying to Barcelona. Oooooh! I’m so excited.
So let’s focus. Now that the mountain trip has come and gone, we need to start preparing for Barcelona. Let’s begin with the credit cards we plan to bring with us:
1. Create a credit card list
This list can be created in a notebook, text file, or Google Docs. Whatever works for you. A copy of the credit card list will come with you to Barcelona while another copy will be left with someone here in the States for emergency purposes. The list should contain the credit card number, expiration date, and company name.
2. Lost card phone numbers
For each credit card, list the phone number you need to call if the card is ever lost or stolen. This number is sometimes printed on the card itself but you’ll probably have better luck finding the phone numbers on the web. Your credit card company may have a different phone number for cards lost outside the U.S. I suggest you list the US phone number and the Spain lost card number.
3. International Transaction Fees
Some credit card companies charge a fee known as the International Service Assessment (ISA). This fee can range from .8% to 3% of the transaction total. You should find out what your credit card company’s ISA fee is. This will prevent any surprises when your monthly statement arrives. If you look on the bright side, the fee is still cheaper than what you would pay to exchange your money.
I plan to cover money belts in my next posting.
