Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: Journalists Steves Rick

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Packing Smart and Traveling Light

By Rick Steves Retrieved Jan. 20, 2018

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light/packing-smart

The importance of packing light cannot be overemphasized, but, for your own good, I’ll try. You’ll never meet a traveler who, after five trips, brags: “Every year I pack heavier.” The measure of a good traveler is how light he or she travels. You can’t travel heavy, happy, and cheap. Pick two.

One Bag, That’s It

My self-imposed limit is 20 pounds in a 9" × 21" × 14" carry-on-size bag (it’ll fit in your airplane’s overhead bin, at least on your transatlantic flight — though many European airlines restrict hand luggage to even smaller weights and dimensions). At my company, we’ve taken tens of thousands of people of all ages and styles on tours through Europe. We allow only one carry-on bag. For many, this is a radical concept: 9" × 21" × 14"? That’s my cosmetics kit! But they manage, and they’re glad they did. After you enjoy that sweet mobility and freedom, you’ll never go any other way.

Read much more here: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light/packing-smart

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Beware of currency conversion fees By Claes Bell, CFA • Bankrate.com

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/beware-of-currency-conversion-fees.aspx

[…]

Rick Steves’ Europe: Card Fees (and How to Avoid Them) http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2015/02/rick-steves-europe-card-fees-and-how-to.html

By Rick Steves https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/card-fees Retrieved February 6, 2015 https://www.ricksteves.com/ … Capital One has a particularly good reputation for no-fee international transactions on both its credit cards and its debit cards linked to a checking account. Most credit unions have low-to-no international transaction fees. Bankrate has a good comparison chart of major credit cards and their currency-conversion fees….

Labels: Dayhoff Travel, Journalists Steves Rick, Travel, World Asia-Pacific China, World China, World Europe

Beware of currency conversion fees By Claes Bell, CFA • Bankrate.com

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/beware-of-currency-conversion-fees.aspx

Credit Cards » Beware Of Currency Conversion Fees

If you do a lot of international traveling, you've probably been stung by an unpleasant surprise lurking at the bottom of your bank statement or credit card bill: a currency conversion fee. While the CARD Act has done plenty to reduce sometimes exorbitant credit card fees, it left currency conversion fees untouched, ensuring travelers will have at least one unpleasant vacation memory.

[…]http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/beware-of-currency-conversion-fees.aspx

Consult this chart to see the fees charged by the largest U.S. credit card issuers. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/beware-of-currency-conversion-fees.aspx

Capital One

ATM withdrawal: None for online accounts, $1.50 for some accounts opened in bank branches

Credit card purchase: None

Debit card purchase: None

Credit card cash advance: None

Fees charged even if transaction is in U.S. dollars?: No

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Rick Steves’ Europe: Card Fees (and How to Avoid Them)

By Rick Steves https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/card-fees Retrieved February 6, 2015 https://www.ricksteves.com/

Labels: Dayhoff Travel, Journalists Steves Rick, Travel, World Asia-Pacific China, World China, World Europe

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2015/02/rick-steves-europe-card-fees-and-how-to.html

Travelers returning from Europe often open their mail to discover they paid more for their trip than they thought they had. Over the last decade, banks have dramatically increased their fees for overseas transactions. While these fees are legal, they’re basically a slimy way for credit-card companies to wring a few more dollars out of their customers.

[…]

So, how can a smart traveler avoid — or at least reduce — these fees? Here are a few suggestions.

[…]

If you’re getting a bad deal, get a new card. Some companies offer lower international fees than others — and some don’t charge any at all. If you’re going on a long trip, do some research and consider taking out a card just for international purchases. Capital One has a particularly good reputation for no-fee international transactions on both its credit cards and its debit cards linked to a checking account. Most credit unions have low-to-no international transaction fees. Bankrate has a good comparison chart of major credit cards and their currency-conversion fees.

[…]

Avoid dynamic currency conversion (DCC). Some European merchants — capitalizing on the fact that many Americans are intimidated by unusual currencies — cheerfully charge you for converting their prices to dollars before running your credit card. Read more: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/card-fees

Tips on Using ATMs in Europe

Pay with Plastic or Cash?

Pre-Trip Questions to Ask Your Bank

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Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Rick Steves: Greece in Economic Crisis and Your Travel Dreams

Rick Steves checking out the impact of the economic crisis in Greece

June 11, 2012 http://blog.ricksteves.com/?p=7675 Retrieved December 2, 2012

With all the news about Greece’s economic problems, people are wondering whether it’s a good time to go there or not. I’ve surveyed my Tour Department and our Greek guides who live and work in Greece, and here’s my report…

[…] http://blog.ricksteves.com/?p=7675

My guides report that our Greece tours so far this spring have been as smooth and fun as ever — virtually unaffected by the local political and economic events

[…]http://blog.ricksteves.com/?p=7675

The big concern among the hotels and restaurants we use in Greece is whether they’ll be able to survive the downturn in tourism as many postpone their travels there, fearing “instability.” And many sights are running on their shorter winter schedules for lack of money to staff the longer summer hours.

[…]http://blog.ricksteves.com/?p=7675

… First and foremost, Greece is a safe place to visit. In fact, it’s a good time to visit because you will be made especially welcome. Tourism is Greece’s heavy industry and its leading employer.

It seems to me that US media coverage of Greece has been nothing less than hysterical — just plain silly at times, and woefully lacking in analysis. Greeks are emotional people, and they are given to outbursts of anger — as well as outbursts of joy. Their bad governments in recent times have given them plenty of reasons to be angry. The scenes in Syntagma, the big square immediately in front of the Greek parliament building, are a symptom of this — and act as a release valve. These scenes occur only when the parliament is voting on the hated austerity measures. When you see riots on TV, they are generally the work of a group of anarchists who are limited to Syntagma and know how to get on the news.

The big debate politically is austerity (from the right) versus no austerity (from the left). Until this all sorts itself out, I would recommend that travelers do not wear “Angela Merkel” masks. Regardless of how the debate turns out, and who emerges as the new government, Greeks of all political stripes will take care of tourism, so vital to its struggling economy. The Greeks, a welcoming people at any time, will be doubly appreciative of any visitors in these difficult circumstances.

The main impact on travelers as Greece struggles through this period will be: shorter hours of sights; intermittent strikes; and friends and loved ones back home wondering if Americans traveling in Greece are okay… http://blog.ricksteves.com/?p=7675

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