Hotels Dirco

If you are paying for things while on vacation, there are three forms of payment you can normally use. Credit cards, cash, or traveler's checks.

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for your vacation. True, credit cards are often stolen, but you are protected with limited liability and new cards can be quickly released. The ability to dispute the charges with the credit card company give you protection against poor merchandise or service.

Certain transactions, such as reserving your hotel room or renting a car, cannot be done without a credit card. When traveling overseas you can usually get the best exchange rates using your plastic but beware. The credit card companies have been charging high fees for the privilege and usually don't tell you ahead of time.

Unfortunately for credit card owners, they can tend to be erratic when used overseas. Nobody wants their credit card to get refused, but it does happen, and abroad, it could happen if the merchant declines the transaction for whatever reason. Especially when traveling to second and third world countries, what already is a good chance of this occurrence becomes even "better", even if there's nothing good about such an ordeal.

Make sure your credit card is right at your reach when using it - it doesn't matter if you have to tail your waiter all the way to the register on the other side of the restaurant. Before you put the card back in your wallet make sure that it belongs to you.

Cash is considered very reliable, a classic form of payment, but it is certainly dangerous to carry around. American cash is accepted everywhere and you can often haggle for better prices with cash.

But there are many dangers when carrying cash. Quite obviously, it puts you in full view of potential street thieves. Don't flaunt your cash.

Hide your cash on your person but not in a waist money belt. Find or make a pocket on the inside of your clothing where it is difficult to get at. And since you will need cash for everyday expenses, keep a small amount inside a second wallet. One neat trick you can employ is to make such a wallet look like it's "the bee's knees" for would-be thieves by loading it up with attractive, yet useless potpourri, like an expired or canceled credit card you forgot to cut up all those years ago. If the bad guys ask for it, give it without hesitation.

It's not a good idea to keep all your cash on your person. Hide some in your personal belongings. Use your imagination when trying to hide your cash. A good share of your cash can be tucked away inside the hotel safe. Spread it around like butter and you won't be creamed in one single attempt.

Traveler's checks, as the name implies, are meant for travel purposes, and probably the best for your vacation. They work in a similar way as cash, and you can quickly replace them if needed.

The best way to handle your vacation money is with a combination of all three methods.