Making even the most common travel credit card mistakes can prove to be very costly for us. There are many benefits of travel credit cards. Among other things, they get us into swanky hotels, earn us points with airlines, and allow access to some of the poshest airport lounges ever. No wonder so many travelers scout for the best travel credit cards available! However, we carry so many of them that it can be a bit difficult to keep track of all of them. This is one of the top reasons we end up making some of the biggest travel credit card mistakes.
To help you maximize the benefits of your travel credit cards, we’ve come up with a list of travel credit card mistakes to avoid. Check what these mistakes are and avoid doing them the next time you travel.
Worst Credit Card Mistakes to Avoid:
We make certain travel credit card mistakes even when traveling somewhere on last minute flights. You will find several credit card blogs online that list the most commonly made travel credit card mistakes. Why is this important? Well because one of the things you should know about credit card debt is that it can be very difficult to come out of it. Check out our list of these mistakes you should avoid at all costs.
- Foregoing the welcome bonus
One of the major reasons we invest in travel credit cards is that we are enticed by the amount of welcome bonus they offer. But we rarely earn these. Many of these cards require you to spend a certain amount of money to earn points. However, we either forget this or neglect to give it due importance. Mind you, these can have deadlines and if you spend the money after the deadline, you won’t earn the points anyway. So make sure you can invest that much before getting the card. If not, then don’t get the card. Getting needlessly into debt is one of the ten worst credit card mistakes ever.
- Paying foreign transaction fees
One of the worst ever travel credit card mistakes is to get a card that charges foreign transaction fees. There are certain travel credit cards that will charge you transaction fees when you purchase something abroad. This defeats the entire purpose of traveling with a card. Your trip will end up costing you more instead of helping you save. So when you skim through credit card finders, look for a card that will help you avoid foreign transaction fees.
- Not informing your credit card company prior to traveling
This one is so sly it doesn’t even feel like one of the travel credit card mistakes you’re making. When you don’t inform your credit card company that you’re about to travel, you run the risk of your transactions being labeled as fraudulent and, thereby, canceled or blocked. But if you do inform them, they will know that it was you when a charge on the card is evident. For instance, if you book business class flights, your company will not assume the card is stolen since they’ve already been informed of your travel plans.
- Not keeping track of charges and missing a payment
Among the most common of all travel credit card mistakes is neglecting to keep tabs on your spending. This will, in turn, make you skip a payment. Missing a credit card payment may lead to your card being blocked along with debts increasing over time. Always keep receipts of your transaction to help you keep an eye on your spending. Once you return from a trip, compare your credit card statement with the receipts. If you see any fraudulent transactions, flag it off immediately.
- Not carrying customer service numbers
This can be among the colossal travel credit card mistakes to make. It’s incredibly important to store your credit card issuer number on your smartphone. In the event of credit card theft, you will need to contact the issuer ASAP so that they can block the card. If you don’t have the number, you cannot call. So always carry emergency contact information of your credit card provider.
- Vacationing on the card without a plan to pay it all off
So you know how to book cheap flights and you make the most of it. But one of the biggest travel credit card mistakes is to vacation entirely on the card without a proper plan to pay if all off later. There are certain travel credit cards that offer you rewards for travel purchases. While it is good to use these, you must keep in mind that you have to pay these off in due time. Failing this, you could go badly into debt. It isn’t cool to charge everything on your card without adequate funds to back it up.
- Not carrying cash or other cards
Also one of the most common travel credit card mistakes is not carrying enough cash. You cannot depend solely on your travel credit card. There will invariably be places around the world that will not accept that particular card. If you don’t want to be left stranded, carry enough cash or other cards. These will also come in handy in the unfortunate event that your credit card is stolen.
Keep the above-mentioned travel credit card mistakes in mind the next time you plan a trip. Whether you’re using the card to book cheap international flight tickets or making another purchase, make sure you avoid these common mistakes. Travel and live debt free!
