Friday, November 13, 2015

More Travel Tips: Money

Lately, I've been hearing from friends that they've had their ATM or credit cards hacked while on the road. When I called into my bank to advise that I was travelling, the coordinator told me that she'd been getting a lot of "hot card" alerts, i.e. stolen or hacked cards.

The challenge of getting money on the road today is, unless you're carrying all the cash you need, you're dependent upon cards.  Travelers cheques aren't worth taking (imho) as it's harder to find places who will cash them.  If they do cash them, the fees can be up to 40% of the face value.  Plus, the exchange rate is often better with cards.  Certain credit cards & banks will waive the foreign transaction fee (Capital One, Chase Sapphire, etc.) so it literally can pay to use cards.

In general, your cards could be compromised anywhere (Hello, Target!). However, it's a bit easier to deal with the issue when you're home vs. travelling.  So, here are some tips to help lessen the chances of being inconvenienced by "hot cards" on the road:

1. Bring 2 credit cards from separate banks - If one card gets compromised, then, you will have the other one.  Some exceptional cards will express you a new card but you'll still need something while you're waiting.

2. Bring 2 ATM cards - Some banks offer fee free checking - or you may have multiple checking accounts with your bank.  Use one of them as your "travel" account. Deposit enough money in this account to cover your travel expenses. If something does happen to that card/account on the road, it's not your main checking account.

3. Use an old hotel key card to get into bank ATMs after hours - The bank coordinator told me that she thought some of the hacking occured from inserting the card in the door slot to access the ATM. That may or may not be the case, but, if you're concerned, use the old hotel key to gain access. I recommend carrying a card with a magnetic strip in your suitcase anyway.  Many eco hotels require the key card to be in a slot to turn on the lights in your room.  I, personally, have left the room and the key card in the slot as I've departed.  While it's not a super pain to get a new a key card, why waste the time?

4. Use AMEX or Visa Gift cards in lieu of cards or cash for shopping - In some ways, you could consider these the new travelers' cheques as they're widely accepted and independent of your accounts.

If you do get hacked or lose your cards, I recommend calling the banks ASAP to report your accounts being compromised & to discuss your options.  If you lose your ATM card, you may have the option for the bank to run your credit card through their terminal.  They may be able to give you cash at a lower interest rate than if you used your credit card as a straight ATM card in the machine.

I hope these tips help and I wish you safe travels.






Sunday, November 8, 2015

Deutschland 83

As I am emerging from a crazy period, my brain space is starting to clear.  Of course, I will attempt to blog more because I simply like blogging.  Sending that intention out to the universe...

One of the other things I enjoy doing is watching clever television which can be challenging to find. Over the summer, Phil was scrolling through the guide & came across a show that was "in German with English Subtitles".   Of course, we were totally intrigued & it ended up being the fourth episode of Deutschland 83.

Deutschland 83 was a joint project between Sundance & RTL, Germany's largest television network, and is the first German language show to be broadcast in the US. The premise is a young East German native, Martin, is recruited by the Stasi to spy on the West in 1983. Watching it was like falling into a black hole and landing square in 1983.  Everything from the sets to the music to the socio-political issues, they nailed it.  Creator Anna Winger said it wasn't that difficult to find backdrops for the scenes as much of what was East Berlin still looks like East Berlin.

As we jumped in halfway through the season, we had a hard time following along. So, we took the plunge & purchased the entire series from iTunes. It was a leap of faith but totally worth it.  I've started watching it again and I realize that I missed so many subtle details during the first run.  Oddly, I am forming a real attachment to the series - the kind of attachment that I only have with music. Aside from the intelligent writing, there were a handful things that struck me through the series:

1. The colors on the sets - When Martin wakes up in West Germany, everything is brightly colored.  It reminded me of the Radiohead video for "Fake Plastic Trees" - big, bold, & clean

2. Toblerone - Martin has a Toblerone for the first time and eats it like a Snickers. I rewound that scene multiple times because I could not get my mind around somebody eating a Toblerone like that.  You're supposed to break off each peak individually. Then, you slowly savor the smooth chocolate and lightly chew on the honey nougat to experience its full flavour.  It's a real sensual experience. I feel he was disrespectful to the Toblerone. Also, I feel weird that I have feelings about an imaginary person disrespecting a candy bar. Disclaimer: Toblerone is only chocolate bar I liked a child and it continues to be one of my favorite things to eat (MB + Toblerone = <3 forever).

3. Description of the American General's Taste In Women - At one point in the series, Martin tries to conjecture what sort of women the American General likes based on his taste in food. A long time ago, I read a study that showed food, sex, & music fired the same pleasure receptors in the brain.  As some of the US stuff can a bit on the conservative side, I appreciate a tv character publicly acknowledging this aspect of life.

4. Alexander Beyer - Excuse me, I am about to be rude...but he is the Salted Almond Toblerone of men.  He looks like Phil's cousin who is the second hottest man on earth.

Even if you don't have a thing for Toblerones, hot German men, or 80s music, I highly recommend Deutschland 83.