If you’re in the middle of planning a trip to Colombia, you certainly have a lot on your mind. If it’s a business trip, you’re probably figuring out what needs to be accomplished and whether or not you should use your business credit card to make purchases. If it’s a vacation, you’re most likely comparing and contrasting restaurants, entertainment, and what methods of payment you want to rely upon during your stay. Either way, there are some things you should keep in mind if you plan on using your American credit card for purchases in Colombia:
1. Find out if your credit card charges foreign currency exchange fees
The majority of credit card companies charge foreign currency exchange fees for every purchase made in a foreign country. Some cards don’t charge a thing, and others charge anywhere from one to three percent. Find out what your credit card charges, if anything. If there is a foreign currency exchange fee involved with your current card, consider applying for a card that doesn’t involve any such fee before your trip to Colombia.
2. Keep every single receipt, whether it’s a business or personal trip
If you use your credit card for the majority of purchases in Colombia, it’ll be virtually impossible for you to know exactly what purchases you made and the amounts for each purchase. For this reason, save every receipt from purchases made during your trip. When you get your credit card statement, compare the charges on your statement with your receipts in order to ensure that there aren’t any unusual charges that need to be disputed.
3. Look into your credit card’s travel rewards
Many credit cards offer a number of travel benefits such as discounts on everything ranging from hotels to entertainment, rental car insurance, or air travel insurance. Before you climb on board the plane to Colombia and make all of your purchases, double-check and see what kind of deals you can get because of your card’s travel benefits.
There you have just three tips to help you while using your American credit card in Colombia. What other pieces of advice do you know of that you’d like to share?
