2017-04 Slovakia

Let’s talk money.

Do I use cash or credit card overseas? Do I pay foreign transaction fee? How is the currency exchange rate? What credit and debit cards do I use? How do I track my expenses?

I carry exactly one credit card and one debit card: A Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card for credit charges, and a Charles Schwab debit card for cash withdrawal. I do also have a backup credit / debit card in case the other one doesn’t work.

Why did I choose Chase Sapphire Preferred and Charles Schwab? No foreign transaction fee, competitive exchange rate, reward points, signup bonus, and a bunch of other perks. Notice that Chase Sapphire Preferred is different from Chase Sapphire Reserve: The latter got a lot of attention earlier this year because of its huge signup bonus and complimentary Priority Pass membership, which gives you (and your family and friends) free access to 1000+ airport lounges worldwide – Who doesn’t like free food and drinks while waiting for flights?

Before you think you can tag along with me to airport lounges, let’s be very clear that I am not a member either so sorry I can’t help you there J; but if you are a Priority Pass member, you have just become my instant best friend and next time you enter those lounges you might see me sneak behind you or hide inside your luggage.

As far as tracking expenses, I use the AndroMoney app on Android (or TripCoin on iOS). Although the two apps look quite different, they do essentially the same thing: After each transaction, you simply spend a few seconds to enter the amount paid, payment method, and a few words of what the expense was for. After a certain period of time, you export the data to a spreadsheet and email it to yourself – I have been doing this for years, so I always know exactly how much I spend. Nothing fancy, just basic personal finance.

#Slovenia #Austria #Slovakia