Traveling Abroad? Don't Get Stuck With Currency Fees

Traveling abroad for work or pleasure can be a lot of fun.  Depending on where you go, it can be quite a bit cheaper than an average day in the U.S.  But, what you might not have thought about if you don't plan on converting to local currency is what your credit or debit card might charge you extra for using it abroad.  These are called foreign transaction fees.

Foreign transaction fees are what banks will charge a customer, around 2-5%, for converting into the local currency.  Ouch.  Suddenly, that hotel room is not quite a bargain.  

But, you can fight back.  Many credit cards waive foreign transaction fees, but you have to look closely.  For example, my United MileagePlus Explorer Card charges these fees, while my Chase Hyatt Card does not.  For a list of cards that do not charge fees, check out this site.

--The Edge

Lessons Learned From Buying A Car Part 1

These past few weeks, Mr. and Mrs. Edge have been car shopping.  This is a first as a married couple, so we are learning both a little more about each other as well as about the car buying experience itself.  While we have not settled yet on a car, I wanted to discuss my experiences thus far to help you prepare for your car shopping experience.

First, try to figure our what type of car (the trim, even) before you go shopping.  Nothing is worse than showing up at a lot and saying "We want to buy a car!"  "What kind of car?, asks the dealer."  "Oh, we haven't thought about that."  We were pretty set on a crossover-SUV type model.  Something more than a car, but not quite a monster truck, either.  

Second, if you can, try to settle on the make before hand.  This helps with your research of best prices.  AAA's car buying program, Edmunds, Cars.com, or Kelley Blue Book are great places to start.  

Third, visit several dealers (if you have settled on the style, brand, etc.)  They do vary and even though you may be buying the same Volkswagen, dealers are not exactly nice to one another about their tactics.  For example, we got a quote on a trade-in that was about $2500 difference between dealers.  We asked why.  One dealer says, "Well, did they put it in writing?"  We hadn't gotten that in writing.  "Well, here's what they do, and I am not saying that they are underhanded, but they will high ball the trade-in, but then high-ball the price of the new car."  Ug.  Do we even bother with asking about a trade-in before haggling prices?

Fourth, look for certified used cars, if you are shopping for a used car.  Several advantages include extended warranties, service options, 150 pt inspections, and peace of mind.  You will pay for this, though.  

Fifth, prepare to be there a while...a long while.  It seems like each dealer we went to was an hour, hour and a half.  Eat before hand.  Nothing is worse than trying to haggle on an empty stomach.  But, it might yield surprising results if you sound impatient.

Sixth, prepare to hear about their kids, or some other anecdote to pull at your heartstrings.  "Look, the dog is eating my kid's ice cream again!  How cute is that?"  That was one experience.  The other, "[A higher being] has compelled me not to take advantage of you."  That was a good one, I must admit.

Stay tuned for how we end up resolving our car buying.  It looks like prices have only dropped since we started shopping, so I am not in a hurry, and neither should you be.

--The Edge

Just A Few Clicks, But Much More Savings

Shopping on-line is becoming an increasingly fun game to play for me, but without knowing what is going on behind the scenes, one may not be getting the best deal.  Here's why. From my post yesterday, I discussed a few options one still has for saving money on flowers.  Deals abound: bonus frequent flyer miles, cash back, free shipping, etc.  How about waived service charges for flower delivery?

FTD.com

Here's an example of the difference between shopping at just FTD.com vs. linking to it via the 2 day free shipping site, Shoprunner, first.

FTD.com via Shoprunner

Notice the differences in offers?  If one were to simply shop at FTD and not use a shopping portal such as Shoprunner, one would miss out on free shipping, and possibly waived service charges, than if one had not.  (In future posts, I will explain more about how shopping portals can help boost your savings and earn you valuable points, cash, or frequent flyer miles.)

The other difference you will notice between these two examples is the URL (web address.)  Notice how much longer the address is with the link from Shoprunner?  That's because it is planting cookies and other messages back to FTD.com telling it to offer a user a better deal than simply visiting the shopping site instead.  As an exercise, try visiting shopping sites after you have cleared your "cookies" and browsing history.  You may be surprised at the differences in offers.

--The Edge

Saving On Mother's Day Flowers

Mother's Day, May 12, is just around the corner.  If you are late out of the gate with buying flowers, there are still a few things you can do:

1. Check the daily deal sites.  I just got an offer from Bloomspot for $25 for $50 of flowers at Teleflora. 

2. Check out Visa discounts.  They have listed several flower delivery companies offering 20-25% off.  Not as good as Bloomspot offer, but another option.  If you don't have a Visa, click the logo to find a good card for you.

3. To avoid some of the steep prices associated with flower delivery, consider sending them a day or so earlier.  That will definitely save a few bucks.

4. If you're lucky enough to have your mother near-by, go to a flower shop and hand deliver them.

--The Edge

Loyalty Program Learning Opportunities

In addition to saving money, I love taking advantage of loyalty programs to help boost my shopping experience. Cash back, frequent flyer miles, points, etc., I will take it all. This past weekend, I attended a new favorite event of mine, Frequent Traveler University, in DC, to learn additional tricks of the trade.  First, a little background.

My daily reading routine includes browsing several travel-related blogs found on BoardingArea. The bloggers explain the ins and outs of frequent flyer, hotel, and other loyalty programs pretty well.  Sometimes, they are a little in the weeds, but one can pick up the lingo eventually with some research.  Another great site, which is a compilation of user forums, blogs, and other resources is Milepoint.  What's different about the two sites is that BoardingArea aggregates blogs while Milepoint aggregates specific program info, tips, tricks, user experiences, and advice, all easily searchable.  Best of all, both sites are free.

Frequent Traveler University, currently, only a few times a year, gathers the best of travel loyalty program bloggers for a two-day event covering a variety of topics.  Speakers discuss such strategies as picking the best travel credit cards, using frequent flyer miles to their maxiumum, saving money on airfare, and other common items of interest to miles and points junkies (myself included).  The next event is in Tampa, FL, September 27-29, 2013, however, act quickly because it will likely sell out, as the one in DC did.

The cost to attend was $100, but for two days of solid learning, lunch, and interaction with like-minded people, totally worth it.  The tricks and tips I learned will more than pay for the ticket cost.

--The Edge