You might not believe your ears, but we have recently been telling clients to buy less money! Sweden has been leading the Scandinavian countries in moving towards a cashless society. Although no official policy has been issued by any of the countries to limit cash use, travellers have come back to Currency Converters reporting increased resistance to using cash in shops, restaurants and businesses. These countries favour debit and credit cards.
When our clients request cash for these countries, we often tell them to decrease the amount of spending cash that they were planning to take. It’s important to take other steps to plan for a visit to a cashless country.
What To Do Before You Travel To Scandinavian Countries
Be sure to take more than one card with you and choose a variety of debit cards and credit cards, all with a four-digit PIN. When choosing which cards to bring, refer to the back of the card to understand which payment network the card uses. You will see references to networks including Cirrus, Maestro, Plus and others. If you carry cards using a variety of networks, you will lessen the chances that you will be unable to process payments internationally.
Also, be sure to understand the verification process that your card uses to approve unusual activity. If you haven’t notified your financial institution that you’ll be travelling internationally, then out-of-country transactional activity could raise a red flag. Your bank might contact you to approve transactions. Clients have been contacted by text, email, or through their banking app. Ensure that you can accept these forms of communication while abroad and that you can respond in real time so that your card isn’t blocked.
If All Your Plans Do Not Work Out
If you find yourself abroad, without cash, and with no access to your cards, please reach out to Currency Converters. We have ways to help when all your plans fall apart.
