Trips

Prepaid card or cash: how to carry cash on an international trip?

The biggest question for travelers going abroad is how to carry money to international destinations. In this sense, there are several options, each with its advantages. Check out the most used ones here and see which one is the best choice!

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See how is the best way to carry money on an international trip?

Dinheiro estrangeiro sobre caderno e caneta
So, carry cash or a prepaid card? Source: Pixabay.

Although we do our best to have everything planned and booked when we are organizing a trip, we also need to bring an amount of money with us for possible expenses. After all, we need to have a separate budget for food, shopping, outings and even emergencies, right? Because then the question arises, how to take money on an international trip? Is there a limit?

Well, we've brought you special content with options that may be ideal if you're about to travel abroad. So, read on and find out how the prepaid international card works or if you prefer to carry cash for your trip. Check out more below.

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International travel: how to take your money abroad?

Passaporte e carteira com dólares e cartões
After all, how to take the money? Source: Pixabay.

First of all, planning an international trip is not easy. In this sense, there are many details that we need to take into account to avoid headaches while we are away from home. Thus, the main doubt that plagues the traveler about to embark is how to carry money on an international trip.

After all, is it better to carry cash? Credit card? Or prepaid card? So, check out some options that are considered more advantageous when taking money abroad. That way you can understand the pros and cons and decide which one will suit you best.

Prepaid card

So, if you're wondering how to carry cash on an international trip, a prepaid card might be the perfect solution. That's because it's safer and easier to resolve in case of loss and theft. In addition, it is rechargeable and works like a prepaid cell phone, which means that you can only use it if you have a balance.

By the way, prepaid cards do not allow purchases in installments. That is, you need to use it as cash credit in establishments. Furthermore, this is an excellent option for those who want to control the cats, as you can only use the amount you have loaded onto your card.

To acquire a prepaid card to use on your trip, you can look for a bank of your choice, an exchange broker or even do the procedure through a fintech. Then, make the request, pay the issuance fee if any, and wait until the card arrives at your address.

Then just recharge with the desired value to be able to use it. In this sense, the cards accept a multitude of foreign currencies such as euros, pounds, US, Australian and Canadian dollars, among other options. So, choose the one that best suits you on your trip and top up.

However, even though it is a cheap option compared to other types of credit cards, the prepaid card charges an iOF fee of 6,38% on the purchase amount. Also, if you need to make cash withdrawals abroad, be aware that there is a fee charged for each withdrawal made.

Therefore, it is important to carefully analyze all the options for how to carry money when traveling internationally. So, check out one more option below and understand how it works before making your choice.

Cash

First, cash is usually the most used alternative when it comes to international travel. Although it is very useful and important to carry some cash with you, it is good to understand how this option works before buying foreign currency at exchange offices.

Although you avoid the iOF rate of 6.38% when opting for cash, you need to be very careful when choosing the foreign currency to buy at exchange offices. This is because, if you need to exchange currency at your destination, you may end up paying too many fees and the operation is no longer worthwhile.

For example, if you buy the dollar here in Brazil, but you are going to travel to Europe and exchange the dollar for the euro there, you will definitely lose out. Even though the dollar is cheaper here than the euro, in the European Union you will see the same difference against the dollar.

That is, it is undervalued there too. In addition, you will have to pay more fees to make the switch, losing between 3% to 5% of the value. Therefore, it is important that you purchase the main currencies such as the dollar, euro and pound here in Brazil, before boarding.

However, if you need to buy other currencies like the Japanese yen, the Swiss franc or the Canadian and Australian dollars, for example, it is important to keep an eye on the exchange rates. That's because these coins often sell for more than they're worth. And on those occasions it might be more interesting to take an international credit card or prepaid card.

What is the maximum cash amount for international travel?

Moeda estrangeira
So what's the limit value? Source: Pixabay.

Although it is more advantageous to carry cash when talking about iOF fees, it is important to keep an eye on the maximum amount you can take with you when traveling internationally. That's because you can only leave the country with a maximum of R$10 thousand reais in foreign currency with you.

However, with the devaluation of the real, depending on the length of your trip, you may need to carry more than that in your wallet. In these cases, you can choose to take a declaration from the Federal Revenue for amounts beyond R$10 thousand or a prepaid card with a higher amount deposited.

After all, how to take your money: prepaid card or cash?

Now that you've followed our content on how to take money on an international trip, you can understand the advantages and disadvantages of each choice. In fact, the ideal, according to experts, is to take a mix of the two options in addition, of course, to the credit card. Even if you don't intend to use it, it can be essential in an emergency.

Also, avoid doing the currency exchange all at once. The important thing is that you replenish the prepaid card or buy paper money in stages. This way you guarantee a good average exchange rate, since there is no way to guarantee the minimum rate.

Furthermore, if you are also looking for a credit card option to take with you on your international trip, check out our list of 15 ideal travel options below. Thus, you can find which one best suits your financial profile. See more below!

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About the author  /  Samantha Scorbaioli

Passionate about living new experiences, cultures and always in search of knowledge and new challenges. He has experience in Hospitality and Tourism and has been working in the content production area for some years.

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