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Wise Travel Card V Debit Card 

Written by R. A. Stewart

I own a Wise Travel card and a debit card. They are both convenient to have when I am travelling abroad but serve different purposes. There are some basic security rules one must follow when using these cards. Here they are:

  1. Don’t sign up with these cards with an email address which you use for cryptocurrency, dating sites, and whatever and when you are given the option of signing in to AI with a Google account don’t use an email address that you use to sign in to Wise or your debit card.
  2. Don’t click on any link you receive in your email; it could be a scammer for all you know trying to hack into your account.
  3. Don’t use an easily identifiable password such as your pet’s name. Someone could get this info about you by looking at your social media stuff.
  4. Don’t use either of these cards for saving for an overseas trip, a car, or whatever it is you are saving for. There are better options for saving money such as an ordinary bank account or in shares.
  5. Have other options for money if you should lose one card so that you won’t be caught out on holiday. Familiarise yourself with the process for dealing with a lost or stolen card.

A Wise travel card and debit card are convenient ways to pay but in different ways. Here are the differences:

Travel: Wise Travel Card 

Using a Wise travel card when you are overseas will save you a lot of money in bank fees. If you are using your bank’s debit card for your day to day spending while you are overseas then you will be shocked by the amount of money that has been spent on bank fees.

Accommodation expenses: Debit card

A debit card is handy for paying for your accommodation online which is what I do but if you are paying at the counter then both a wise card and a debit card will do the job. Bank fees on your debit card will be higher though. Be aware that some accommodation providers require you to give your debit card details to them as security.

Grocery Shopping: Wise card

A wise card is better for grocery shopping when you are overseas, if you used your bank’s debit card to pay for your day to day expenses then the bank fees will quickly add up.

Saving money: Neither a wise travel card  or an ordinary debit card are suitable for saving money due to security issues, but there is an exception to this rule and that is if you were putting money aside for your holiday spending money. I just top up my wise card months prior to travel and while I am on my travels.

Internet shopping: Debit card

I use a debit card for my internet shopping such as with ebay, trademe, and the like, but you still need to be careful with which sites you give your bank details to.

Bus/train transport: Wise card

I use a wise card for domestic travel whether it be the local buses in the cities like Edinburgh, Stirling, and Aberdeen or paying for train travel. Using a debit card for overseas travel is more expensive. 

About this article

This article is of the writer’s opinion and does not represent financial advice and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances  therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

 

JOIN WISE HERE

Tired of seeing your bank charge you $5-10 every time you withdraw cash abroad PLUS that hidden foreign transaction fee? 🤯 That’s money that should be buying you a gelato, a beer, or a souvenir. Wise gets you the real mid-market exchange rate with only tiny, transparent conversion fees from 0.42%. Stop funding your bank’s next vacation. Fund yours. 👉 Link in bio to get your Wise card! 

JOIN WISE HERE

#TravelHacks #WiseCard #NoHiddenFees

 

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If you don’t have the money…

If you don’t have the money…

you don’t buy it!

Written by R. A. Stewart

Borrowing money to buy things is spending money you have not earned yet and there is a price to pay for that and it is called interest.

The worst type of borrowing is consumer debt. This is stuff you have bought with borrowed money. Consumer debt is purchasing things such as household appliances, motor vehicle, and the likes. Going on holiday with borrowed money is consumer debt. It is also irresponsible.  

As adults we must discipline ourselves to put off purchasing items which are pleasing to the eye but will leave us in debt if we break the budget in order to acquire whatever that may be. 

I can say that I have never owned a credit card in my life. Who needs one?

If someone cannot make ends meet on their income without a credit card then they need to take a stocktake because the interest payable on credit will compound over a period of time. All that interest which has to be paid on top of the borrowed money is money which could have been put to better use.

What seems to be at the heart of a lot of people’s financial problems is their lifestyle. I mean if you are going to get involved in a relationship then you had better make sure your income level is sufficient enough to pay for it all and the same applies to having kids and it is no good blaming politicians for this child poverty stuff if your own choices got you in a financial mess.

So you are in a spot of bother, now what?

There are three options.

1 Increase your income; easier said than done if you have other commitments but no one knows your personal circumstances better than you so there may be a way to work around this.

2 Decrease your spending; it is time to find ways to cutback by reducing your wants and minimising the amount you spend on your needs. 

3 Sell stuff that you no longer need. There are auction sites where you can sell your stuff. Make use of these.

There are some golden rules to follow when deciding whether to borrow for things like appliances and other items which may be consumer debt but are something which you need or will make your life considerably easier.

Ask yourself these questions:

1 Can you borrow the item? 

This all depends on how often you are going to use it. If you need a mountain bike to get to work  every day then you need to actually own one rather than borrow it but if it is a concrete mixer to do a one off job then borrowing is the way to go.

2 Can I purchase the item second hand?

You may not have the money to purchase something brand new but still can afford to buy it at a second hand store. This is a good option and you are still covered by the consumers guarantee act (In New Zealand)

3 Can I wait until I have saved the money for the item?

This option will definitely help you become a better money manager and also help develop the skill of prioritizing your spending.

4 Do I really need the item?

This all depends on your personal circumstances, tastes and preferences. It all boils down to whether you are prepared to sacrifice something now in order to save money.

Always keep in mind that saving something from your pay every week and keeping it in a rainy day account is a good habit to get into because it will enable you to pay cash for things which need fixing. It is also a good habit to invest some of your money for the long term such as in mutual funds. This is in addition to your government’s retirement scheme (Kiwisaver in New Zealand).

It is a bad habit to just spend everything in your pay packet every week so that by next week’s pay day you are broke.

www.robertastewart.com

Start investing on a shoestring

Sharesies makes it possible for anyone to get into buying and selling shares. It is an online share market platform where you have the option of purchasing shares in individual companies or in various funds (managed/mutual funds). You can even start with $5. This is a no brainer because it gives investors young and not so young the chance to improve their financial literacy. There is certainly no substitute for experience when it comes to learning and this is applicable to everything else, not just investing.

Join sharesies here: https://sharesies.nz/r/377DFM

Tired of seeing your bank charge you $5-10 every time you withdraw cash abroad PLUS that hidden foreign transaction fee? 🤯 That’s money that should be buying you a gelato, a beer, or a souvenir. Wise gets you the real mid-market exchange rate with only tiny, transparent conversion fees from 0.42%. Stop funding your bank’s next vacation. Fund yours. 👉 Link in bio to get your Wise card! #TravelHacks #WiseCard #NoHiddenFees

https://wise.com/invite/dic/roberts10486

 

Note: This article is of the opinion of the writer and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances. I may receive a small commission if you sign up for sharesies.

#share market #borrowing money #needsandwants #savemoney #howtosavemoney #deadmoney

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Don’t let a cashless payment be an inconvenience

Written by R. A. Stewart

It’s a sign of the times when more and more businesses do not accept cash. This means that if you are on holiday it is important to be able to pay for things with a card and that does not mean signing up with a credit card. In fact I am going credit card spending because not only do you have a debt to pay but you have interest to pay on top of that.

Most bank ATM cards will work in other countries but each withdrawal will be costly and if you are using this form of payment for small purchases at the checkout in another country, your bank fees will quickly add up as you will discover once you return home on your overseas trip.

Using a debit card is a handy option. These work in much the same way as a credit card but with one difference; you are using your own money. Once your balance is used up, that’s it, you cannot spend any more than what you have in that account. It is just a matter of topping it up. 

The Wise debit card is one which I have recently joined. This is a travel card which can be a useful addition to your payment options where cash is not accepted.

When you sign up you require an ID such as a passport or driver’s license. You also need to verify your address. This is done using a utility or a rates bill.

Ordering your card is simple. Just log into your wise account and order it from there. It costs $14.50 ($NZ). You will receive your card within two weeks. 

While the  wise debit card offers numerous benefits, it’s not without its limitations. Availability may be restricted in some regions, limiting its accessibility to a global audience. Additionally, ATM withdrawal limits and fees may vary depending on the user’s location and the currency being withdrawn. However, these limitations are relatively minor compared to the overall value proposition offered by the Wise Debit Card.

Note Wise was previously called Transferwise.

Join Wise Here

Wise may not be for everyone due to different personal circumstances, therefore discretion is advised. I may receive a small commission if you sign up for wise.

Www.robertastewart.com