Some of the best tips we share at The Points Guy involve easy ways to save money — whether that’s with your credit cards, travel costs or both.
Recently, Uber sent an email letting customers know it would start charging an extra 1.5% in fees on any transactions in foreign countries. This can really add up, especially if you aren’t using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees (more on that in a second).
There are other times when you might encounter extra credit card fees. I’ve listed a few below with ways to avoid them and save money.
No. 1: Turn off Preferred Currency Pricing in Uber
Uber says this new fee is to cover dynamic currency conversion, which is when a merchant converts your charge from a foreign currency into U.S. dollars. Whether you are booking a ride or ordering Uber Eats while traveling, you don’t want to overpay. I have an easy way for you to avoid those extra charges with a few clicks in your Uber account. Let your credit card issuer do the conversion for you, not Uber.
To opt out, simply open your Uber app and click “Account.” From there, go to your “Wallet” and click on “Preferred currency.” It should default to your home currency — but you can change the setting to “No preferred currency,” which will allow you to pay in the local currency when you travel. By making “No preferred currency” your default, you can avoid the 1.5% surcharge.
No. 2: Travel with a no-foreign-transaction-fees card
Foreign transaction fees can vary by card issuer but generally range from 1%-3% of your transaction total. I can’t stress this one enough — you don’t want to pay up to 3% of your transaction total every time you swipe your card on vacation. It will really add up! Always make sure you travel with a credit card that not only earns the most for the categories you’ll be using — hotels, restaurants, travel, etc. — but also doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees.
No. 3: Always choose to pay in the local currency
For every transaction you make in a foreign country, you’ll be prompted on the credit card terminal to pay in U.S. dollars or the local currency (euros, for example). Always choose the local currency; your credit card issuer will do the currency conversion for you at the most favorable exchange rate. If you choose U.S. dollars, you are letting that merchant do the conversion for you, and there really isn’t any way to know what that fee would be.
Using these three tips, you can save quite a bit of money when you travel. Check out these guides for more information:
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