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Me bank offers a service I wasn't aware of: Personalized reloadable debit cards as a back up to the ATM card:

Reloadable Cards are a good back-up options to Credit and Debit Cards. This prepaid debit card is replacing Traveler's Checks and is perfect for travel. You can reload 24/7 at laketrust.org. It's recommended and you have a Personalized Reloadable Card especially when traveling abroad.

So, if the ATM card is lost or stolen I can still have access to cash and can add more to the card through the bank's website.

Fucking brilliant.

Here's the rest of the tips:

International Travel Tips

If you're planning to travel outside of the country, here are a couple of helpful tips:

* Call Lake Trust Credit Union to notify us of your travel plans. We'll place a note on your account and take the necessary steps to ensure your funds are available as you travel. We monitor unusual spending patterns and if we see unusual spending overseas and don't know your traveling, we may block your card to prevent potential fraud.

* Make a list of all your Credit and Debit Card numbers, along with the phone numbers to report a lost or stolen card. Keep in a safe place (not your wallet or purse). For a lost or stolen Lake Trust Credit Union ATM/Debit Card, call 888.267.7200. For a lost or stolen Lake Trust Credit Union Credit Card, call 800.449.7728 (United States) and 517.555.7723 (International).

* Many foreign banks don't allow ATM transactions from Savings Accounts. You'll need to have what money you think you'll need in your Checking Account as you may not be able to select a Savings Account to make a withdrawal.

* ATM operations and regulations can vary from country to country and from financial institution to financial institution. Keep in mind your Lake Trust Credit Union ATM/Debit Card has daily withdrawal and spending limits. Also, withdrawal limits may be determined by the financial institution that operated the ATM and these limits may be lower than your Lake Trust Credit Union limit.

* There is an international currency conversion fee charged through Visa when you use your Visa Credit Card.

* You can contact the credit union at laketrust.org through email or Live Chat. This allows you to communicate with the credit union without incurring an international long distance phone charge.

* Reloadable Cards are a good back-up options to Credit and Debit Cards. This prepaid debit card is replacing Traveler's Checks and is perfect for travel. You can reload 24/7 at laketrust.org. It's recommended and you have a Personalized Reloadable Card especially when traveling abroad.

Thanks for the info. Going to have to check if my bank offers this as this was a concern of mine (I dont want to carry too much cash).

MasterCard now offers prepaid cards directly, http://mastercard.com/prepaid

Peace,
Balou

do those work for atm's? Id like to have some cash on hand at all times, but I dont want to carry a wad over there with me.

MagicFloyd wrote:do those work for atm's? Id like to have some cash on hand at all times, but I dont want to carry a wad over there with me.

Yes, the link has all the info that you'll need.

Peace,
Balou

yeah I checked it out and saw a mention of ATM's but couldnt find any more specific info. The Travel Card only talks about using the card as debit and doesnt mention how to use it at an ATM which is why I asked

Good to have back up, got my debit eaten 3-4 days before I was due to leave and it was my only money source

as a uk traveller there is a whole heap of prepaid credit cards avalible,

i have just got a fair fx card http://www.fairfx.com

used it several times before, can withdraw from an ATM machine and pay in stores/online etc,

things to remember,

it does not offer protection as a normal credit card on purchases so use your normal card for flights, hotels etc,

you cannot normally check balance in an ATM as its online, but can use at any ATM that accepts mastercard etc,

i think these cards are brilliant! im setting off tomorrow with my GF and have a large chunk of cash and a smaller amount on my card but i fully trust them,