Digital Nomads

• Never use your debit card for everyday spending

• Keep most liquid cash in high-interest savings

• Have a minimum of 2 checking accounts with 2 debit cards from entirely separate banks

• Have a Wise account because bank transfers arrive in seconds and you can make foreign transfers to yourself or others quickly

• Keep <$2000 in your "cash withdrawals abroad" checking account, transfer more as needed

• Pay for everyday spend with credit cards, rack up points, request credit increases regularly

• Carry Mastercard and VISA. I have Amex too but it's not accepted in a lot of places. Some places accept Mastercard or VISA but not both. Best to have something of everything

• Pay off credit cards every few days

• Use a permanent VoIP phone number for 24/7 ability to contact your bank if you're compromised. Americans can use Google Voice. Highly recommend it.

• Keep €500 in cash tucked away somewhere for emergencies.

• If an ATM ever swallows your card and you have to retrieve it from a technician, consider your card already compromised. Motherfuckers lol.

• Use safer ATMs* - mine was only ever skimmed when I made a withdrawal in a shady neighborhood.

*Someone recommended locking your debit card before and after withdrawals but I don't necessarily recommend that - then you'll never know if and when your card was compromised. If possible, turn on SMS alerts to ping you every time your card is used anywhere for anything.

A few years back I withdrew some cash in Spain then left and arrived in South Africa to discover $1200 spent on my debit card in a Walmart in Utah lmao. My bank reversed the charges immediately and sent me a new card in 2 days - that shipment alone must have cost them $80. Pleasantly surprised.