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[MSE Lawrence]

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "An overseas wallet... do you have one?" Blog.

Click reply to discuss below.

[celyn90]

Yep, both OH and I have one as we travel in Europe a lot. I only have one cash card though, so that migrates between wallets when we are away.

Normally contains:

Healthcard
Contact details for next of kin
Photocopy of passport
Euros (as we don't bother changing them)
16 aspirin (stuff like this is expensive in Germany compared to here and you need to find a pharmacist)
One of my two student cards - as many places will offer student rates even to those studying in other countries

Plus the obligatory wodge of screwed up receipts, bus tickets, old flight details and chocolate wrappers that is a feature of any wallet I own

[Edinburghlass]

Well in fact I do carry my Boots loyalty card so I can buy a meal deal once I'm through security at the airport

[torbrex]

I have just had to buy a new one for my most recent trip, I dug it out from the desk and realised that it might not go the distance.
I too carry my Nationwide card in this wallet as it is the only time that I use it and the $88 that I have left will do me for next year. I always add a second cc in case I see a bargain that might put me over my limit on my NW card.
I have a card printed with contact detais of next of kin and my passport number although I had to re-do it this year as my sister moved home.

[pinkfluffybabe]

I have one too:

Nationwide Visa Debit
Nationwide CC
EHIC
Euros
BAA Worldpoints card (for airport spending).

[beaker141]

I have similar, but with post office credit card in and thankfully about £400 worth of euros from last year that I got at 1.5 euros to the pound ! My own little hedging policy in action !

I also tend to keep my driving licence there, because I forgot to take it one year and had to wait several hours to get a copy faxed before they would let me take the hire car !!!

[MastG]

I have a money belt kept for the sole purpose of travelling (I back pack and find a money belt easier and safer)

It currently has 69 Dollars, 236 Euros, 5000 Yen, 80 Thai Baht and 30 Indian Rupees and 2 x $100 dollar travellers cheques.

My EHIC card is with my driving license, travel insurance, yellow fever cert. and passport.

[Idiophreak]

Yeah, I've got a travel wallet sat in my drawer loaded up with passport, e1-11(?), Nationwide card, pen, travel insurance docs, spare mastercard and a couple of old plane tickets in (I read somewhere once that if you looked like you fly a lot you're more likely to get upgraded...).

I've only used it twice or something, but it's there if I need it

[Jennifer_Jane]

I have two 'foreign' wallets - one for Europe with Euros, and one for South Africa with SA Rands, SA card for the autoteller, SA credit card, and my SA ID document and my pensioner card. Nothing else in them, but do use a moonbag for travelling and carry the three wallets plus passport, insurance and so on in that. In my cabin luggage will also be details of my South African bank/pensions/tax if I'm going there to see to 'business', etc, so carrying a folder as well.

[kittykitten]

And here I was thinking I was the only mad person (except my mum) who did this!

Content much the same as others have already posted - EHIC, contact NOK details, any random foreign phonecards etc that I've brought back from previous trips abroad, random foreign receipts, train tickets and boarding cards that I never get round to clearing out, a useful currency converter card (was useful anyway, probably not anywhere near accurate any more!), elastoplasts, my epilepsy tablets, about £15 for spending in the airport and foreign currency. I never exchange the currency I bring back, for 2 reasons: the first the same as Martin mentioned, and secondly it serves as my emergency money - I know it's there if ever I get to a point where I'm totally broke I'll convert it then. I hope I never need to, but it's a 'just in case' fund. $253 and 215 euros at the moment!

[jno]

I actually live in Austria but love Martin's forums and TV show. I often travel over the border to Hungary where they do not use forint.

My only tip for Brits is that when changing cash for cash, think about when you might be travelling again and if you see yourself going again, change a large amount of money in one go to avoid paying charges on multiple occasions.

Luckily I recently changed 5000 GBP into EUROs for my father when the rate was 1.46 - since then it has sunk to 1.28 - ok, it is impossible to know when markets are going up and down but based on recent events the exchange rate is sinking fast which backs up the the theory of changing large amounts and keeping them, either under the bed or in a euro account somewhere.

I would welcome and responses from expats on how Brits can save money abroad.

[cashpoortimerich]

I have a nice thin wallet with just my E111 card, Nationwide debit card, some Euro notes and some emergency numbers. I also have another travel wallet full of expired cards, loyalty cards etc and about 5 euros which I sometimes take as a decoy wallet if travelling in a bit of a dodgy place. It's worked for people I know in the past when inter-railing and someone has rifled their bag and made off with the first wallet they found.

[MothballsWallet]

I don't have a separate one, but I just take the carp out of my daily wallet and leave in:

• Nationwide Visa Classic
• Nationwide Visa Debit
• Now I'll add my bmi Amex (that's based on a Martin recommendation)

I don't have an Abbey Zero card, and it'll be a while before I apply for another credit card since I've had the bmi one since March

I tend to take an extra travel documents wallet I bought from our local TJ Hughes a few years ago for (I think) a fiver, and I put all my tickets, insurance and other papers in there.

[ringo_24601]

My overseas wallet is quite hefty - it's mostly used for when I travel for work and so it's got lots of space for expenses receipts. It's got my Amex cashback credit card, my Hilton Hhonors card and some euros in it. When I go on holiday, those get swapped for whatever currency i'll need. I might also chuck in my Natwest mastercard for backup (not everywhere takes amex)

I might chuck in a small photocopy of my passport and travel insurance for good measure soon.

[JammieDodger]

Yes i have one too, and like everyone else, keep all my USD in there from each trip as I go back at least twice a year.

I also have...
international SIM cards for my mobile phone - makes texting and phone calls much cheaper if I have to use my mobile abroad
Hilton Honors club card
Amex credit card
Amazon credit card (as I buy things on amazon.com in the US and have them delivered to the house much cheaper than here!)
Boots Advantage card for the airport
Neiman Marcus gift card. When the exchange rate was $2 to £1, I bought a $150 gift card at Neiman Marcus (As I always shop there) using my Nationwide credit card, and hey presto! Exchange rate is no problem for future trips!
I also keep small change for the tolls on the highways, and a small guide to what some products (perfume, make up) cost in the UK so that I can compare easily.
All my receipts on clothes I buy out there.
Oh yes, and a nail file. Very important.

JammieD

[soco1]

I too have a holiday/overseas wallet as I work in France most days (love that tunnel & Op Stack!) and also use it for holidays.

In have the Nationwide credit card and debit card so use the credit card for purchases and debit card for atm withdrawals when overseas.

Never understood why people contemplate atm withdrawals on credit card? - don't people know that the banks already make more than enough from us and thay charge interest from day of withdrawal, even the new Abbey Zero!
Before having the N/Wide debit card I took Sterling on holiday and changed as needed and for work I changed Sterling for Euros in bulk keeping the excess at home so only carried around €50 max for food for when I stayed over.

Nationwide cards are fab and give excellent exchange rates when converting currencies to sterling.

[D.A.]

The overseas security adviser for our organisation also recommends the tip about the decoy wallet - put something in it which is reasonably convincing but completely worthless. Then, if in an attempted mugging or whatever, throw it on the ground just out of reach of the mugger. While he's looking at it, run. :-)

I'd be interested to know though if anyone has told the Hungarians that they aren't using the forint any more... ;-)

[bawbeesaver]

I go to Italy several times a year and have a holiday wallet that contains,

Nationwide Credit Card
Italian Bank Account card
Italian fiscal code card
Old blood donor's card
EHIC card
PAM loyalty card - Local supermarket that has partners with shoe shops etc
Coop loyalty card -gives cash back at end of year
Euros
Copy of insurance
Railway timetable
Italian sim
Credit card sized calendar giving saint's names - useful for national and local holidays when sops and transport services may be affected
I also have a small zipped coin purse to keep coins separate

[wlcnetwork]

Excellent article, Martin, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned the FairFx Mastercard [Google "fairfx" without the ""] which is denominated in either US$ or Euro. It's a service run by FairFx plc, based in London, in association with Newcastle Building Society whereby you use any existing debit or credit card to top up, online, the US$ or Euro card with whatever you feel you'll need before, or during, your trip. The rate of exchange is better than anything I've ever come across.

[luxor4t]

We go to Egypt regularly and I always take a different wallet or purse (either an old one of a magazine freebie).
ATMs are dodgy, so no cards - we keep sterling or travellers cheques in the safe.
After 14 days of dirty (actually, filthy) money I throw the wallet away as it is a health hazard!