'An overseas wallet... do you have one?' blog discussion 28 May 2008 at 4:26PM in Martin's Blogs & Appearances & MoneySavingExpert in the News 80 replies 25.4K views

bootlercat

The website is:
aarp.org
Ed Thomas

wlcnetwork

I, too, go to Italy regularly and would benefit from a local bank account. How did you go about it and/or what is the account opening procedure?
Regards
Bill

bawbeesaver wrote: »

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

janiebquick

In addition to a wallet with euros and my Nationwide ccredit card, I also carry a Carrefour (French suoermarket) loyalty card and a token for using foreign supermarket trollies.

Wistful100

Like everyone else we have all the usual currency, holiday insurance details, tummy pills, insect repellants, etc all at the ready but we also always keep an updated list of important phone and reference numbers. If you have a written note of your passport and driving licence numbers and who to phone in case of loss or theft of credit cards, as well as ICE numbers (next of kin etc.) in case your mobile is lost or stolen or just won't work, then that helps get replacements sorted or Police reports done and doesn't add to the crisis when things go wrong! :mad:

We use Credit Card Sentinel who log credit card details, issue luggage and house key tags for an annual fee. It only takes one call to cancel one or all cards and the number on the tag will identify you to Sentinel and allow them to direct lost items back to you.:T

If you have a membership to the National Trust, RHS or similar it's worth taking your card on holiday if you are likely to visit any similar gardens or properties abroad as they sometimes run reciprocal agreements which means you get in for free, or at a reduced rate, as I found out in California once at Filoli Gardens when I didn't have my card with me!

blondevixen

Holiday wallets are the way forward.......

Keep all the small change in it so you don't lose it before your next trip.

Keep the suitcase keys and locks in it til you need them again, they are so small you always lose them!

I also keep one of those out of date loyalty cards for the hotels with the card electric systems. That way once the cleaner has been pop back and put in the loyalty card ( which is normally your room key ) and when you come back later your room is nice and cool!

Craig_THW

Most of my trips are following Scotland abroad for the footie.. Got myself a cheapy Scotland Wallet so use that as a Holiday wallet and as well as my E1 11 card (think dif name now?) and my Nationwide Debit Card i carry my Scotland Supporters Card..

However after reading what others carry think i'll make myself up with Important Numbers and the like....

mrsmcdade

I too have an overseas wallet, which I use to save my spending money (£50 a month, for about 6 months before I go) because I can't be trusted to leave it in my bank/savings account. I know its high risk having so much money laying around but it's the only way I can save spending money!

churchmouse_3

OH is dutch and so i have a Euro wallet with cash and EHIC card, as for the US again small amount of cash in another wallet, but you can get some discounts there with various club / profession cards if you don't ask you don't get......

gagamike

We go to the USA for our hols, I have a Visa rewards card with both Marriott and Holiday Inn which gets me about 3 free nights a year worth about £250 .The hotels are good quaulity so the £250 is for nothing really. If you get a Priority Visa card worth 10000 points (one free night), there is also a mega bonus on its use over the summer.You can also get 1 reward point for every £ in this country like other cards. Worth doing if you like Marriott or Holiday Inn hotels.

Mike Austin

perine

In my travel wallet I keep a Nationwide credit card (as recommended by Martin Lewis) and I use that to pay for whatever where a credit card is needed. I always keep dollars from one trip to the next, as most airports use dollars, and I add an amount of sterling hopefully enough to change and cover other spends on the trip. Most of my travel is outside the EEC, so I rarely put in Euros, though I keep any I have left to use on my next trip within the EEC. I add Captial One credit card and my bank debit card to use as back up for each trip. One thing I have found, is that you can often get a better rate of exchange to the local currency of the country you are visiting, by changing sterling at the bank in the airport on arrival. I also keep my SIM4 travel mobile sim card to use overseas.

See I do listen very carefully to Martin's advice and I say a big THANK YOU.
This site has saved or made us a good amount. I am a dedicated follower of Martin.