Great tips for buying Forex while travelling

Before we share some tips for Buying Forex, here is a quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

“The day we stop exploring is the day we commit ourselves to live in a stagnant world, devoid of curiosity, empty of dreams.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

Travelling is what helps you break the everyday monotony and do something interesting that will soothe your soul. It helps you to explore new lands and find yourself among new cuisine, landscapes and people.

Such a life changing trip involves planning; reservation of hotels, booking the tickets, planning the itinerary and also keeping in hand some local currency. This blog is here to specifically help you make the best decisions when it comes to foreign currency or foreign exchange (forex).

Here are some great currency exchange tips for buying forex

The Right Channels:

There are many channels from which you can get forex such as travel agencies, money lenders, banks and even at airports. The first thing to keep in mind is to make sure is that the source is a RBI authorized dealer. Most travel agencies and money lenders take minimal fees per dollar and are the best places to exchange money from. Tip: Avoid getting foreign exchange from airports as they tend to charge a heavier fee.

Credit cards/Debit Cards/Prepaid Cards:

Most credit/debit cards tend to work across the globe; however, banks charge additional fees for each transaction – whether you withdraw money or swipe the card in a foreign country. Hence it is advised to apply for and take along a borderless prepaid card. These allow you to load up to 8 currencies and are also do not levy a hidden fee upon use.

Buy Forex in Advance:

The forex exchange rates keep changing over the course of the year. We advise you keep a track on the INR to US dollar rates and buy your forex in advance before heading off on your trip. Last moment transactions sometimes provide you with a comparatively higher rate, cutting off a lot from your travel budget.

30-70 Rule:

We advise you follow a simple rule of “30-70” while travelling abroad on your vacation. This rule suggests you divide your travel spending money into a ratio where 30% of it is kept on your person as cash and the rest of the 70% is kept with you as e-money on your card. This ensures you have enough money in hand for on-the-spot purchases or emergencies, and also prevents extreme loss of money in case of a theft or loss of your wallet.

Encash leftover Forex:

It is very likely that you still have a good amount of forex still with you even after you get back from your vacation. In such a case, we advise you to encash the money still present in your forex card/account. You could also keep it in your account and use it on your next vacation abroad, but if you haven’t planned one in the near future, that extra cash can sure come in use.

Read more on the things you should keep in mind while you buy foreign exchange. Keep these great tips for buying forex in mind the next time you’re planning a trip and are ready to head out on an amazing vacation that will change the way you live your life.