What is the best way for the kids to take spending money?

We recommend getting a credit card that can be used to get cash from an ATM, but with parents’ ability to monitor transactions (and cancel in the event of a lost card) from home. Amex, Visa and Mastercard are accepted pretty much everywhere. Discover is gaining acceptance in Europe, but not accepted everywhere.  Discover recommends having another type of card, just in case.

If you are interested  in a Prepaid card, a Visa Pre-Paid card is fine. Many banks offer a DEBIT card on your checking account that will work in the ATMs.

Credit cards generally offer fraud protection, while debit cards generally do not. Credit cards may incur transaction fees, while debit cards may not.  Check with the card issuer for details.

Debit cards pull money directly from a bank account.  You can ask for a specific credit limit on a credit card.

Important note: You MUST contact your bank and/or card company so they’ll know the dates & countries on the Tour. That way, they won’t deny the transaction which they might think is “suspicious” if transactions are seen in Germany then Austria only a few hours later.

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Posted in: Money on Tour