If you are lucky enough to travel overseas you know there is a lot to do and plan before you can relax at your destination. We understand how important it is that you know which boxes to tick to ensure you are ready for your journey.

So, you have booked your flight tickets, accommodation is sorted and all your travel documentation such as your passport, visas, inoculations, unabridged certificates for the kids are in order.

But, did you notify your bank that you are travelling overseas?

Anthony Grant, CEO of FNB Foreign Exchange says “When planning a trip overseas, make sure that your bank is aware of your travel plans so they can advise you on the best foreign exchange solutions. They can also advise you on convenient ways to access funds in your accounts while traveling abroad and how to ensure that your cards are open for transacting in the country you will be visiting.”

“You should always keep your options open and ensure that you have more than one payment option available.  Ensure you have some foreign cash in your pocket for a coffee at the airport and small things like tips, taxis and train fares,” he says.

Grant recommends the following tips for a smooth overseas trip:

Consider a multi-currency solution

Apply for a Multi-currency Cash Passport^TM online to use when purchasing goods and to make cash withdrawals while travelling overseas.

A Multi-currency Cash™ Passport can be loaded with four major currencies: US Dollar, British Pound, Australian Dollar and Euro, all in one card. The card can be reloaded online with Forex before or while travelling. And the great thing is you spend what you loaded on the card and you stay within your budget,” adds Grant

Travel Insurance

Ensure that you are covered for unfortunate eventualities such as lost luggage, media emergencies, and loss of valuables and when the trip is cancelled and there are trip cancellation costs to be covered. Travelling insurance cushions against incurring costs in a foreign country in the event of an emergency.

Emergency numbers

Keep all key emergency numbers stored in a safe place. Emergency contacts could include family and friends, your bank’s contact numbers should you need to make contact with them urgently or an embassy in case you lose your passport.

Bank Cards

Inform the bank where you will be travelling to and provide dates as well, in this way the bank will not suspect the fraud when they receive alerts that the cards is being used in a foreign country.

Travel documents

Keep all you travel documents in a secure place, if you lose your passport while traveling in a foreign country it may prove difficult to prove your country of origin. Keep copies of your documents separate from the originals.

“There are quite a few steps to consider when planning an overseas trip, to ensure that you have everything covered it’s always better to starting the planning well in advance,” adds Grant