Expensive Travel. Currency Conversion Beware!

While making plans to go abroad next year to study in Costa Rica, I began to call around to notify my credit card companies and my bank. While doing so I found out how expensive traveling can be. With the Christmas season here, and lovely family members expecting gifts, I may want to redo my budget for this year. After calling, Chase, the people I bank with, I discovered that not only is there a $3 charge for withdrawing money, there is also a 3% charge added on to the cash withdrawn for currency conversion. So right when I began to get very excited about studying abroad, I got real sad. What a rip off! 3% can add up quick. If I want to take out $100, I will end up withdrawing $106.

My investigation does get a little while contacting Capital One, my credit card company. After a lovely talk with one of their agents, I found out that Capital One absorbs all of the currency conversion fees. So I can shop with ease using my Capital One credit card. I didn’t expect to use my credit card that much, but it may be the way to go in order to dodge some of those currency conversion fees that Chase is giving out.

Well, despite the hassle of credit and debit cards, I should be in good standings for the beginning of my trip in January. Costa Rica here I come, pura vida!

[tags] travel, currency conversion, capital one, chase, credit cards, debit cards, traveling, vacation, money, expedia.com[/tags]