How should students handle money while abroad?
SAI suggests that students arrive in Italy with €200.00 or in London with 200 British Pounds (or the equivalent in traveler’s checks) to pay for taxis, trains, food and other immediate needs. After arrival, students should try to keep 150 euro/pounds in cash at all times in case of emergencies. There are three basic ways of obtaining money while abroad: traveler’s checks, ATMs and credit cards. Traveler’s checks in US dollars are widely accepted in Europe and often get a better exchange rate than plain cash. American Express traveler’s checks can be cashed anywhere. As for credit cards, Visa and MasterCard are universally accepted, while American Express, Diners Club, Discover are not. Credit/debit cards can be used at ATMs for cash advances with a valid PIN number or at any bank. In general, it is best for students to use an ATM card to withdraw money from their US account as needed. ATM cards are probably the easiest way to handle money and there are plenty of compatible ATMs in Euro
