Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Omniwar t1_j2aloxo wrote

I would recommend using a 0% FTF credit card if you can. The extra layer of protection offered by the credit card is very helpful when you're in a foreign country and have a higher likelihood of getting scammed or having the card be lost/stolen. Assuming you'll be traveling during the downtime between classes, the insurance on rental cars, plane/train tickets, lost luggage, etc. may come in handy too.

There's tons of 0% FTF cards with no annual fee but Capital One and the Amazon Prime card come to mind if you don't have an extensive credit history yet.

1

Badgers247 t1_j2am5x3 wrote

I currently have the Wells Fargo autograph credit card which is ok and doesn't have any foreign transaction fees, but my checking accounts through wells fargo all have a 3% FTF and I've kinda been wanting to switch away from WF anyways.

1

Omniwar t1_j2anb7r wrote

What do you envision paying with your checking account? It's one thing if your study abroad is in a developing/cash-based economy, but if for example it's somewhere in Europe or most of Asia you can use a credit card for 99% of transactions. It's of course nice to have a small amount of cash on hand, but in amounts that a 3% transaction fee isn't worth the hassle of setting up a new account.

1