Using Your Plastic Overseas

However irritating the bank adverts are, (you know the ones, depicting a woman asking the unhelpful bank manager about the charges for using her credit card abroad), they have a point. As consumers, we are being charged increasingly more for using our plastic outside the UK. We are not being given enough information and awareness about the charges and how to avoid them all together.

However, help is at hand with a new travel guide for travellers going abroad. The leaflet has been designed to give information about the implications of using your credit cards over seas. As more of us are ditching the travellers cheques for the ease of using our credit cards abroad, it pays to be aware of the costs that may be incurred.

These fees are known as foreign usage loading and are charged by your card issuer. It is believed that nearly 70% of consumers are unaware of the charges they may incur whilst using their credit card abroad. The foreign usage loading fee is around 2.75% which may not sound a lot but means that if you spent £1,000 on your card whilst abroad, you would be charged a hefty £27.50. Other charges include a fee for withdrawing your cash from a cash point. You will be charged your usual withdrawing fee (an average of 2%). The combination of both fees comes to 4.75% or £47.50 on every £1000 spent whilst enjoying your already costly holiday.

The UK’s payment association, Apacs, found that half of all overseas spending was made by UK-issued cards. That is over 309 million transactions! Holidays are expensive enough for families in the current economical climate without any extra costs incurred by using your own credit cards. The advice in the leaflet is hoped to ensure a stress free holiday for all involved. Fraudsters target holiday makers as we are generally more relaxed and care-free when away. This is why the information in the guide is so important, making us more aware of what can happen when we are vulnerable.

The guide is available from websites http://www.choosingandusing.com/ and www.cardwatch.org.uk, and includes tips on how to prevent card fraud happening to you whilst on holiday as well as information on charges. Common sense advice such as shielding your pin, giving your bank up to date contact numbers for you whilst you are away and having the 24 hour numbers of your bank with you, are given along side more expert advice and information. The guide is available free and will ultimately save you money and give you peace of mind next time you travel abroad.