The best way to save tons of money on the road is by automating it. If you never have to think about it or make a decision in the middle of the chaos that adventure brings, you spend much less. One of the best ways to do exactly this so you can start saving now and never think about it again is constantly overlooked.
Change your bank
Banks are notorious for charging ridiculous fees constantly. Buying something overseas? Fees. Using someone else’s ATM? More fees. Calling customer support about so many fees? Yep. Another fee.
It’s painful and destroys any remaining trust people have in banks. Feeling like the person responsible for your money is constantly trying to screw you out of it is no way to go through life. Refuse to deal with any of the banks known for shady dealings. Over the course of years, you will save thousands of dollars by avoiding their nefarious practices.
If you are planning to travel, there’s one that goes above and beyond the others to be the best. Charles Schwab. In all the years I’ve been their customer, I have never been charged a single fee. In fact, they have paid for fees that other banks have charged me. They decided that rather than pouring their money into setting up a worldwide network of ATMs, they would just reimburse you every ATM fee instead.
[alert-note] Using a foreign ATM with an $8 surcharge? Boom. Free. [/alert-note]
[alert-note] Tired of hunting around cities for your specific brand of ATM? Just pick the closest one, it’s free. [/alert-note]
[alert-note] Want to buy something in a foreign currency? They even take care of that, where most companies charge 3% of everything you buy. [/alert-note]
This one simple adjustment has easily saved me thousands of dollars over the years, with much more to come. Every time I’ve called them for help or stopped by a branch, they’ve been extremely helpful and friendly. It has all the benefits, without any of the fees or painful red tape you have come to expect from banks.
The next time you find yourself staring down the only ATM in a small foreign town, get your cash without paying even more every time. Do yourself a favor and switch over to Schwab. Now. It’s a simple decision that could pay off thousands.
Leave a Reply