Get your foreign currency before you get on board

The world has gotten a lot smaller since I wrote this piece for the Globe back in 2004, but the main point still rings true: If you're traveling overseas, you can't always rely on ATMs or foreign banks to be there when you need them. Here are a few tips for making sure you have what foreign currency you need before you travel.

November 21, 2004
Get their currency (euros, rupees, pounds . . .) here first

By Lylah M. Alphonse, Globe Staff

One of the best ways to get foreign currency when you're abroad is from an ATM. The transaction is instantaneous, the exchange rate is competitive, you have a record of all of your transactions, and the fees, though sometimes substantial, are deducted automatically from your account.

But what if the automatic teller machine is out of order? Or the tiny, picturesque seaside village has a couple of local banks but no ATMs? Or you forget your personal identification number or -- worst of all -- lose your card?

That's when it pays to have a little foreign currency tucked away, just in case.

Not all places accept US dollars, and you can't always purchase with plastic. A cab driver in Amsterdam may be happy to take your $20 traveler's check, but the rickshaw walla in Ahmedabad, India, could be reluctant. ... [More]

Read the rest at Boston.com.