Best way to manage money while abroad?

[Irn-Bru]

Will be off to Lebanon over Christmas, but wondering how to manage money. No way am I carrying loads of cash with me, I am very much a card person even in England. Was thinking of using the CC but there's a 2.99% charge per transaction and I'll be using it to pay for the hotel so it adds up. Are pre-paid cards any good? Suspect they'll have charges too... It seems to be an odd place for currency too, they use Liras but American Dollars are also accepted and can even be used together. Sounds mega confusing to me The GF says just to get $.

Getting VAT back is another thing I have no experience with. They have 10% VAT over there, so I'm guessing I just save up my receipts and then what?

Cheers
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[U_W v2.0]

call around different prepay card suppliers and ask them about transaction fee's abroad.

take a credit card with you and some spare cash but keep these in your room in a safe place, top up one prepay card with enough to cover your hotel costs and related essential costs and a second one with say $500 for spending money which you can take out with you.

again, leave your loose cash, credit card and the prepay for paying your hotel bill ect IN YOUR ROOM or if they have one, in the hotel safe.

this will ensure you cannot loose it, ensures you can pay your bills, ensures you have spare cash and credit card just in case.

my nan started doing this after she was mugged.


also do you have travel insurance?

yes?

check it! my nans insurance she had to claim each individual item in her handbag and each time was a £50 excess. so then you have to rack up LOADS of claims for things instead of 1 claim for all the items that was stolen.

HTH

also, enjoy your holiday
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[carvell]

Use cash machines.

Everything you need to know is here:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

Claiming tax back:
https://www.lebanon-hotels.com/site/lebanon-tax/
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Yamaha TDM 850

[U_W v2.0]

also, where are you putting your bike over christmas? will it be secure?
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[Irn-Bru]

[willis1337]

I don't think you can get money back off the FX card if you load it up and don't spend it. You could always use it to buy stuff off the internet in $.

See this thread for further info:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=256302
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[Wave2k]

Ive always used cash machines and gotten the best deal.
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[oldpink]

pre pay international card
costs £10 but you only pay the standard withdrawal fee and don't suffer from exchange rate costs
or for using your card abroad, also you can pay by card rather than paying cash
and therefore have a statement to back up any tax claim
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Theory & hazard 24-may 2016, CBT 8th June 2016, MOD 1 2nd Aug 2016 Mod 2 2nd-Nov 2016 - Current bike CBR 600 RR

[Hetzer]

A money-belt.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[Walloper]

Take US$ (If accepted) Bigger notes are easier to change sometimes and some countries give a better rate for bigger notes.
Use a Credit Card.
Martins money tip pages can help with that as most cards can be tailored for the fit of the individual wots good for me and my circumstance maybe is no good for you.

If changing cash, record the serial numbers of the notes before you go. Some of those places who change cash can dupe you by saying the notes (or note) you gave them is fake. They palm a fake note into the note you handed over behind the counter after you hand them the note.
Difficult to prove anything if you don't have any evidence. Serial numbers fuck them up.

Money belts.
Use hotel safes.

Don't take a wad of tenners out to pay for stuff. You may be rich beyond belief in foreign places and temptation can be a great incentive.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[tatters]

[daemonoid]

I've never found anything that beats my standard bank card - other than a local bank account... Did it for a year whilst in India, withdrawn in large chunks (Rs6,000 a time).

Basically, same as has been said above including the money saving expert link.
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[Irn-Bru]

I will most likely just get the GF to pay for stuff, the currency is too confusing and I do not speak a word of Arabic

I'm thinking of just getting a pre-paid $ card to pay for the hotel solely. It's free if you put over a certain amount. I'll just have cash for everything else, probably won't buy much but I could just top up the $ card from over there in case?

[carvell]

[Irn-Bru]

Got knocked back for an Asda CC not long ago, got no chance of getting one of them unfortunately.

edit: just checked and Barclays do have international ATM partners but whether or not they have any in Lebanon is a mystery so I'd get the 3% & whatever the ATM owner charges - otherwise no fee for a Barclays partner.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[Pie-Roe]

My GF is always back and forward from Bahrain, her family use hsbc and don't seem to get charged much or anything for transactions.

I really wouldn't worry about letting your girlfriend do all the talking, older generation scholars are always complaining that they are losing Arabic in Lebanon to English. In fact, most of the younger generation I've met from Saudi/Bahrain/Dubai etc speak good American-English. Can't imagine Lebanese people to be much different.


Presumably you don't need to worry too much about muggings etc as you won't be going anywhere without her. Last two times I've been M.E I've used USD. Used Saudi riyals and AED the first time, didn't bother afterwards.
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[Irn-Bru]

Aye she says most speak English, but the older generations, her grandparents for example do not speak any English and probably have no intention of it either, but can't blame them. The Lebanese have an interesting way of speaking, my GF combines a few languages when talking to her family, English, Spanish, French & of course Arabic. Also, they might understand English over there but what about geordie English?
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[Pete.]

I don't know about Lebanon but when I went to Egypt I found that taking UKP over and exchanging them in the hotel gave me a MUCH better exchange rate, if you want to carry a bit of cash about.

If you do end-up using a UK credit card, call them up before you go and tell them the dates you are coming and going including flight times. I did this with my MBNA card so that they could stop any iffy transactions if my card got skimmed etc
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Irn-Bru]

I tried to rely on cash but ended up a bit short, withdrew on my debit card over there and got charged $10 for withdrawing $100. 3% of that is the currency exchange fee, dunno about the rest but it's not too bad. Not sure if it would be any different withdrawing in Lebanese Pounds but I was told to stick to $.

Gave up on claiming VAT back, hotel's aren't eligible and the only stuff I spent money on was food and taxi's.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[tatters]

[Ariel Badger]

My experience of the Middle East (including The Lebanon) is to use cash (US $), keep some in a money belt but the rest in your boot, Carry a knife and be prepared to use it.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Irn-Bru]

I never felt unsafe enough to warrant a knife, plus I imagine if the military found it they wouldn't be happy. I got ID'd a few times at check points but it's all normal, they're just trying to keep Lebanon safe and Syrians away from sensitive areas. I bet it's an entirely different place since you went, they build like ants. The primarily Muslim areas weren't so safe but we stayed away from them.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM