Traveling abroad

[phylodog]

While I wouldn't do it for a life saving procedure, my wife is going to England to teach in a month and we're trying to figure out spending money while she's there. I wanted to just add her to my credit card and get her a card with her name on it but apparently Jesus could return tomorrow with that same request and it just couldn't possibly be done. I don't want her carrying cash and she doesn't have a credit card or likely the credit history necessary to qualify for enough credit to make it worth the effort.

Wondering if any of our more worldy members might suggest?

 

[Andyccw]

You could check out a “secured” credit card with your local bank or credit union.
Basically, you put the cash in the bank and that becomes your “credit limit”; they hold it for a set period of time and give it back to you as long as you pay yourself back.

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[WebSnyper]

While I wouldn't do it for a life saving procedure, my wife is going to England to teach in a month and we're trying to figure out spending money while she's there. I wanted to just add her to my credit card and get her a card with her name on it but apparently Jesus could return tomorrow with that same request and it just couldn't possibly be done. I don't want her carrying cash and she doesn't have a credit card or likely the credit history necessary to qualify for enough credit to make it worth the effort.

Wondering if any of our more worldy members might suggest?

Your card won't let her be added as an authorized user? I do that on almost every account I have. Typically can just go online and add an authorized user.

 

[BugI02]

While I wouldn't do it for a life saving procedure, my wife is going to England to teach in a month and we're trying to figure out spending money while she's there. I wanted to just add her to my credit card and get her a card with her name on it but apparently Jesus could return tomorrow with that same request and it just couldn't possibly be done. I don't want her carrying cash and she doesn't have a credit card or likely the credit history necessary to qualify for enough credit to make it worth the effort.

Wondering if any of our more worldy members might suggest?

Do you have American Express? If so what I highlighted above should be simple and only take about a week to 10 days to get the card in your hands. Be sure to make it clear to them that the card will be used internationally

 

[chipbennett]

While I wouldn't do it for a life saving procedure, my wife is going to England to teach in a month and we're trying to figure out spending money while she's there. I wanted to just add her to my credit card and get her a card with her name on it but apparently Jesus could return tomorrow with that same request and it just couldn't possibly be done. I don't want her carrying cash and she doesn't have a credit card or likely the credit history necessary to qualify for enough credit to make it worth the effort.

Wondering if any of our more worldy members might suggest?

I'm more than a little bit surprised that you can't add her as an Authorized User to your credit card. Do you have a typical travel card, such as an AmEx Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or similar?

(You'd want a card designed for international travel, to avoid currency exchange fees.)

Alternately, in Europe, most transactions can be conducted using mobile pay. Can you just add your credit card to her mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Wallet, etc.)?

 

[phylodog]

I'm more than a little bit surprised that you can't add her as an Authorized User to your credit card. Do you have a typical travel card, such as an AmEx Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or similar?

(You'd want a card designed for international travel, to avoid currency exchange fees.)

Alternately, in Europe, most transactions can be conducted using mobile pay. Can you just add your credit card to her mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Wallet, etc.)?

Good questions which I'm unable to answer.

I'm a simpleton when it comes to finances. I've just got a MC through my bank (5/3). I called yesterday morning and spoke with the bank and they looked into it and called me back and it's some super duper special MC or something because magically I cannot do what the vast majority of other cards can do.

I can't remember the last time I used it personally, I allow my wife to use it a couple times a year to buy supplies for big projects but we pay it off within a month each time. I've never looked into the specifics because it isn't something I ever intended for any other purpose. I despise credit card debt and learned that lesson a few decades ago. I'll borrow for a vehicle, home or major improvement to the house but that's it. I guess I need to shop around for a better card.

 

[phylodog]

Your card won't let her be added as an authorized user? I do that on almost every account I have. Typically can just go online and add an authorized user.

Right? Most people would have been surprised to find out but since I'm me, I wasn't.

As an example of why I take that position.... I got a text Sunday morning around 10am informing me that my checking account balance was -$6500.00. Got online and the bank decided to set up an auto pay which paid off the balance on the CC I allow my wife to use each month, little over $9k. I saw it and deleted it and it was still there. Deleted it again before contacting CS. CS notified me a few minutes later that they could see the auto pay which was set up on the account. I explained to them that I had not set it up to begin with and had deleted it twice minutes earlier. No explanation but the damage was undone quickly.

This is my life. I stay home 6.975 day out of the week and keep to myself and these are the things that hunt me down and attempt to destroy my sanity.

 

[MohawkSlim]

"Look. A clock. We don't have that in America."

If you have a month that's plenty of time to get pretty much any card out there. As others have said, the travel cards are the way to go - especially if they waive or cover international transaction fees.

Typically, your bank's MC isn't going to cover anything and will charge a couple percentage points on all foreign transactions. MC will charge too. It's not crazy high but 5% or so negates any of the benefits of using a CC in the first place. (Other than walking around without loads of cash.)

If you get a travel card, it's quite possible using it for this trip will earn you enough rewards to take another trip too.

 

[JCSR]

I think the bigger question here is who is going to watch you while she's gone?

 

[chipbennett]

Good questions which I'm unable to answer.

I'm a simpleton when it comes to finances. I've just got a MC through my bank (5/3). I called yesterday morning and spoke with the bank and they looked into it and called me back and it's some super duper special MC or something because magically I cannot do what the vast majority of other cards can do.

I can't remember the last time I used it personally, I allow my wife to use it a couple times a year to buy supplies for big projects but we pay it off within a month each time. I've never looked into the specifics because it isn't something I ever intended for any other purpose. I despise credit card debt and learned that lesson a few decades ago. I'll borrow for a vehicle, home or major improvement to the house but that's it. I guess I need to shop around for a better card.

If you can swing it, get a (high AF) Platinum AmEx or a Chase Sapphire Reserve or a (low AF) Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture. All should let you add your wife as an Authorized User (for a separate, usually lower, annual fee). All should provide travel insurance, cover foreign exchange fees, reimburse for TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry, and provide other benefits. The AmEx Plat and CSR will get you airport lounge access and other, specific travel perks/rebates. Note that Visa and MasterCard are more universally accepted internationally than AmEx. Of all of these, I'd probably recommend the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

 

[phylodog]

If you can swing it, get a (high AF) Platinum AmEx or a Chase Sapphire Reserve or a (low AF) Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture. All should let you add your wife as an Authorized User (for a separate, usually lower, annual fee). All should provide travel insurance, cover foreign exchange fees, reimburse for TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry, and provide other benefits. The AmEx Plat and CSR will get you airport lounge access and other, specific travel perks/rebates. Note that Visa and MasterCard are more universally accepted internationally than AmEx. Of all of these, I'd probably recommend the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Thank you for the leads

 

[Cameramonkey]

Amex and Capitol One both issue cards in both your names. And Capitol One doesnt charge a fee for overseas transactions. Thats what I use in Canada.

I'd go C1 as there are some vendors who wont deal with the extra Amex fees.


Secured cards may not work overseas.

 

[chipbennett]

Amex and Capitol One both issue cards in both your names. And Capitol One doesnt charge a fee for overseas transactions. Thats what I use in Canada.

I'd go C1 as there are some vendors who wont deal with the extra Amex fees.


Secured cards may not work overseas.

I'm sure Capital One Venture is fine. I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred - not the Reserve, because I already have other high-AF cards and don't need another, redundant one. (Note that all the ones I listed do not charge foreign transaction fees.)

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Amex and Capitol One both issue cards in both your names. And Capitol One doesnt charge a fee for overseas transactions. Thats what I use in Canada.

I'd go C1 as there are some vendors who wont deal with the extra Amex fees.


Secured cards may not work overseas.

I've never understood the appeal of Amex simply because it's accepted in far fewer places than Visa or MC. I mean, they seem to have great bennies, but if you can't use the card?

 

[Cameramonkey]

I've never understood the appeal of Amex simply because it's accepted in far fewer places than Visa or MC. I mean, they seem to have great bennies, but if you can't use the card?

I use a Hilton Honors Amex for my work expenses, and I can use it almost everywhere. But overseas in a strange land I wouldnt want to take the chance. Especially if I had no other way to pay.

And I just looked. I have the C1 Platinum.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

If she doesn't have the credit history to swing it by herself, what about you co-signing?

Since you're married you're most likely on the hook for it if she doesn't pay it anyway, and it will help her credit if it's paid off in a timely fashion.

 

[Hkindiana]

from my experience, American Express is more widely accepted in Europe and England than it is here in the USA

 

[Creedmoor]

My two have been traveling this rock for the last 6-7 years now. They both carry two cards, a NFCU debit and a NFCU Visa CC.
I carry a NFCU Debit and a Am-Ex Gold CC. None of us have had any issues with being out of the USA.

 

[chipbennett]

I've never understood the appeal of Amex simply because it's accepted in far fewer places than Visa or MC. I mean, they seem to have great bennies, but if you can't use the card?

It works about 100% of the time for me in the US, and IMX, out of about 30 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia, a good 80-90% of the time internationally. But it definitely isn't 100% internationally.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

It works about 100% of the time for me in the US, and IMX, out of about 30 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia, a good 80-90% of the time internationally. But it definitely isn't 100% internationally.

I'm just thinking about most retailers (brick and mortar and online) that I encounter. They almost exclusively accept Visa and MC.