Sharing the Tips
WISE CARD
Over 50 Currencies on one card! So easy!
Carrying a little local currency cash can be a good idea in some places. You may use it at markets, street stalls, as tip for good service, but on the most part using a card is much easier, and safer.
I have always taken my own Visa cards and not really given much thought to the exchange rates and fees, but as this trip was covering different currencies I researched options of different types of travel cards, really looking to see if there was a better option than my own visa.
I settled on Wise Card and it is great!
I used it for all sorts of payments in most of the places on my travels. This has now become my preferred method of payment for travel! It can even be used locally, at home.
Use this link to check it out and get fee free transfers up to NZ$900
https://wise.com/invite/i/paular1593
Why Wise Card?
~ Wise card gives you access to over 50 currencies covering 175 countries! All on one card, at the same time!
~ Its exchange rates can be (often are) much better than your your banks rates, fees are lower too.
~ There's also the option to buy currency anytime, which means you can take advantage of a good exchange rate and it sits safely in your Wise account until you need it.
~ If, let's say, you only have USD$20 left on your card and you're at the airport waiting to return home but you want something to eat and it's going to cost you more than USD$20. No problem! Provinding you have some money in your account, no matter what currency it may be, Wise will simply deduct the remaining balance from the other currency.
~ It's very simple to top up, transfer, pay and access.
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Because not every currency is available ideally check before you need it.
The one place I visited where I couldn’t load the currency on Wise card was in French Polynesia – but even getting cash from currency exchange places for there isn’t easy either!
However, I could still use my Wise card there, I just made sure I had enough funds, and the payment was taken from the currency I did have available on my card, such as USD or NZD.
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Tip: Always have spare bank card to hand, I never rely solely on just one.
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Transferring Funds
When you transfer money to your Wise Card (from your own bank account) it normally only takes around an hour or two to be showing on your card, ready to spend.
But there was one time when I was in the US and I transferred money on a Thursday afternoon (US time) from my New Zealand bank account to top up my Wise card for the weekend ahead. Once done the notification said the money will be received in 4 days…..... What?! 4 days! Why??!
Then I realised… it was Easter weekend and in NZ it was already Good Friday, banks were closed and the bank I use in NZ doesn’t do transfers over weekends, or public holidays. Bugger.
This was not a Wise Card issue, this was my own bank creating the delay with how they work.
Fortunately, I had my own Visa card I could use, phew.
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Tip ~ Please check what timeframes your bank may have around when transfers and payments are done. Although some banks are catching on now and offering these services 7 days per week no matter what day it is.
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I did come across a couple of places where my Wise card wasn’t accepted which is normal, but these were small businesses (café etc) so having another method of payment soon solved that problem too.
Use this link to check it out and get fee free transfers up to NZ$900