My husband and I have just retired and have been watching you for months and months and can’t wait to go on our first trip to Portugal. Just love watching you guys.❤
Love your videos we lived in Spain for 10 years but always used our credit card but made sure it was paid in Euros and not English pounds because we got a better rate of exchange by our Nationwide credit card.❤️❤️
Excellent tips. We took a first trip to Portugal a few months ago. We did struggle with banking charges and appreciate this video for future reference. 💸
When we travel we only use the ATM at a bank that is OPEN. Once a traveling companion had her card “eaten” by the ATM machine at a bank that was closed for the night. Fortunately we were staying the next day in the same city so she could go to the bank the next morning to retrieve it.
I learnt my lesson about keeping my wallet in my back pocket, after it slipped out in a cinema, it had my rent money in, this was years ago. Ever since I have kept it in the front, but I see that there are really good anti theft bags, for valuable’s now.
All good information. I would stress that pickpockets are far, far! more common in Europe than in North America . Keep your cards and cash and passports in your moneybelt, even in "safe" areas, because yes, you do indeed look like a tourist (easy mark) even if you don't think you do. Nothing like reaching into your pocket to find another hand already there to learn that lesson. A couple of euro in your purse or wallet, no harm done if lifted, a much different story if it's your passport or credit card.
@@ThisIsOurRetirement Hi. I mean most restaurants and grocery stores take a credit card. You definitely should not use a credit card at an atm. I made so many mistakes my first trips to Europe. Many credit cards do not charge a foreign transaction fee now. But not all. Check before you go on your trip. Hopefully, I have learned from them. I was ripped off so very much for so many years when I started my vacations to Europe.
Thanks for the tips Tina/Norm, when we went to Portugal earlier this year, we used a combination of cash and credit card. We don’t use ATM anywhere except for quick cash at home. I have all my credit cards within my Apple digital wallet and love the convenience, also used it in Portugal as well.
Don't forget BOLT (another ride share) in Europe. We used them for getting around Lisbon in July. I think they are a bit cheaper than Uber. In the UK nothing is cheap but the train and bus.
Hi there, Tina and Norm. I was intrigued to hear that you travel carry on only. I am traveling to Portugal and Morocco in November and plan to go COO as well. Would you consider doing a video that outlines what you pack for a winter visit to Portugal? ❤ Love your channel, take care, A
Another great video Norm & Tina; we got burned on the currency conversion fees so learned that lesson the hard way. We also like to use credit cards for groceries, primarily for expense tracking purposes. It really helps to be able to add up the total trip expense for budgeting purposes. Can’t wait to get back to Portugal!
My husband was Portuguese, but he still got pick-pocketed. Very upsetting. This was many years ago after a football match in Lisbon. Should have known better. However, we each bought from the then Canadian company called Tilley, their pocket vest. They are all over the place nowadays. I called them fishermen's vests, but we even saw them in various markets. Forever after we wore them at the airport and travelling around Europe. They had plenty of pockets and thus freed up myself from ever carrying a handbag. Inside pockets were aplenty too. We could stroll around just carrying a local supermarket bag, and perhaps we looked like locals !!! Never ever got anything removed from us again.
Thanks for sharing your experiences on travels. Very interesting and genuine presentation. This will be our second winter break in Portugal and Azores and Algarve is our plans for 2024. So I will review your videos which you mentioned which no doubt will be helpful based on your more extensive travels to Portugal and the Algarve area. Your presentation on currency handling was great and we more or less use similar processes. We use our main Visa CDN credit card like both of you for air and accommodations and all other major expenditures that our Travel insurances on the credit card would provide coverage for. We also have a secondary Visa from a Canadian banking source for all groceries and other day to day expenses. This card does not have any additional bank fee for foreign currency. So the posted currency exhange on the day of transaction is what is charged (albeit any Credit Card has a small fractional fee added by Visa or Mastercard, etc.). And like both of you we also bring a small amount of cash. All seemed to work well this last winter in Maderia, Porto and Lisbon. Happy travels in 2024 Tina and Norm.
Hi! We enjoy your videos. We opened a Schwab checking account and use a Schwab Debit Visa card everywhere in Europe. The card can be used anywhere that accepts Visa. No foreign transaction fees. No ATM fees. The conversion rate is as good as it gets. The only downside is that it can’t be used to rent a car. We use another Visa Credit Card for that.
Hello Tina and Norm. It’s good to hear from you again… as always ❤ There’s just one thing I would like to clarify. When you said to always pick home country for exchange rate. Is this for all country or just in Portugal? We went to japan early this year. And when we exchange our currency in the ATM, we actually didn’t pick our home country for exchange rate cause the exchange rate in Japan is way better. I appreciate your input on this. I always learn a lot from you guys. Thank you.
We were just talking about Portugal 🇵🇹 it is always better to have our home bank do the exchange, sounds good though in Japan if it worked better the other way Cheers 🇵🇹🙂🇨🇦
Regarding exchange rate manipulation by banks: its worth investigating Wise for transferring money between countries. They are very upfront about their fees and charges.
Thank you for a very informative video. Husband and I were very bored last winter and you make going to Portugal in January or February very enticing. So very much to figure out, so it is time for me to re-watch your Portugal videos. Can you share the names of any websites that you use to find an apartment in a hotel?
Just use Expedia, Tripadvisor and Google as a start then look at hotels direct there are so many available Air Transat does a deal with flights and an appartment for 21 or 28 days as a package Carolanne good luck we love visiting Portugal 🇵🇹 Cheers 🇵🇹🙂🇨🇦
Albufeira is THE place in the Algarve to get scammed in many different ways....I would advise you not to take bills with you higher than 20 euros. I'm happy for you that you are finally able to travel to Portugal again. I'm curious how you'll experience it now.
My husband and I absolutely love watching you. We so enjoy your tips, advice, and commentary. If you ever come to eastern Ontario (and you must - sooo beautiful) ….we’d love to show you around our beautiful town of Brockville. Also in our area, Merrickville and Perth are stunning.
Thanks so much for watching our channel we appreciate your support and glad you enjoy it , we used to live in Ottawa and yes those places are lovely Cheers 🍷🙂🌺
When I went to Germany or Australia, I got cash from the largest, most reputable national banks. Example Commonwealth Bank ATM in Australia, or Commerzbank ATM in Germany. Auto exhange rate was decent from Commerzbank machine ( Euro vs Canadian ). These big banks would have done business with my big Canadian bank - existing relationships for sure!
Hi Norm and Tina! Cash is king and we take most with us. We also split our money, use money belts, safes and other safety techniques. We only use bank machines associated with Scotia Bank. Great shirt Norm. Pink Floyd 3X, Roger Waters 1X Australian and British PF shows. Again this fall at CITS Kitchener. We look forward to Portugal soon! Be safe. Cheers!
there are belts for your trouser with a hidden pocket with a zip where you can hide some money and a list of important phonenumbers (insurence, bank for blocking your card) I do not mean a money belt but an actual belt to hold your pants ;-) you have to roll the money and paper to very small but it saved me once i got my backpacp stolen with all cards and money.
Hello Norm & Tina from the US. I am a new subscriber. Love your shirts Norm- all my favorite classic bands! You are both too darn cute. I enjoy your videos and this one particularly resonated with me- Great advice on the ATM's and foreign exchange fee's. I am soon to be in the Algarve for several weeks and will follow your lead. My husband and I will be renting a car and I was told to be sure to take photos of the car and odometer to avoid scams where they try and secure more money once the car is returned. Question for you both, can you please elaborate more on the Mastercard that you use that contains travel insurance and car rental coverage- do you need to get supplemental travel insurance or does this card give you enough coverage? I have been looking at the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Trying to make the best decision and get the best perks. Thank you for all the wonderful videos.
Thanks so much for subscribing, we bought the optional travel medical insurance from MasterCard through our bank a long time ago. It gives everything apart from repatriation. Have fun in Portugal!
Very informative, thank you for your insight. I have been to Portugal at least 20 + times and enjoy in every time. Norm you mentioned that hotel safes are not very safe, would you care to elaborate? Thank you.
well people often buy meals while they prepare their presentations, they pay for gas, insurance, etc to drive to restaraunts to get their work done; these are normal expenditures to get preparation work done a portion of travel etc is therefore deductible; in the USA and Canada 50% of meals bought at a restaraunt can be deducted as long as prep work is done at the restaraunt
Again, thank you, great suggestions! Someone was telling me about the Home Trust Visa card that has 0% transaction charge on foreign exchange , no annual fee and 1% cash back. Do you know anything about This?
We have known about this card but not the details, also Rogers Cable have a bank with a MasterCard with no foreign transaction fees and also Wealth Simple has a no transaction MasterCard too. Good luck.
You said the safes are not very safe.....can you do an episode on that? Do you carry your passport with you at all times? Do you use a money belt? Do you think its not safe to leave valueables in the room safe? Thanks!
A lot of safes aren’t screwed down so therefore the safe can be taken complete with contents , we usually carry passports most of the time with us and take a photocopy of them too Cheers 🇵🇹🙂🇨🇦
Or ... just use a bank payment card (credit or Visa debit) and never visit an ATM. The last few times I've been to Europe, I never needed to use € cash anywhere. Ended up spending the cash I brought on the last day to pay off part of the accomodation expenses or part of a duty free purchase. Could've fully paid with a bank card in these cases too. Just didn't want to pay the F|X fee to convert cash back to $. Are bank card payments not ubiquitous in Portugal?
Perfect. Use cash in rural areas. Bank cards everywhere else. Visa and MasterCard debit cards work anywhere a Visa or MasterCard credit card is accepted (online or physical machines), but it removes $ directly from your bank account - hence debit, not credit card. Pretty much everyone's bank debit card in Canada should now have a Visa or MasterCard logo on it, indicating the capability to debit directly from your bank account online or internationally.
Hey guys. I really hope you see this. I just watched a report where two women bought travel insurance for their cruise for almost $700. The insurance company dragged their feet for months on paying their $9,000 medical bill. I was surprised when you said you rely on your credit card insurance. Please please look into the fine print. I don’t believe this insurance is adequate. My understanding is it’s only for airline cancellations, car rentals and luggage. It’s probably not going to cover you for the big things. If you are going overseas for months, you need to get some robust insurance. Not trying to be critical; just looking out for you guys.
If you want to slow em down even more, put the wallet into a zip lock bag, then put it into your fashionable yet utilitarian cargo pant pocket. They will not be expecting a ziplock baggie to gum up their artful dodger escapades as it snags on the fabric and you'll notice their actions with a quick "What's all this then?"
Why not do a piece on the correct set up on VPN’s. For instance when you go to Portugal. I find mine doesn’t work as it seems others do, no real advantage. I’m missing something.
In another note... Sometimes you talk about investments and things related to it. I know you cannot provide, by law, recommendations relative to stocks, etc. Is it possible, if you have the knowledge, to make a video about metals such as gold, silver, etc. I am looking into the possibility of buying Maple Leaf coins. Things around the globe are becoming very unstable. 🤔 Thanks.
Tina/Norm... it might be tempting to look into providing insight into gold and silver. However, I suggest that you remain at what you're already very good, providing first hand knowledge about your retirement and your travels. The precious metals forum is a whole new arena for you, and your general audience. At the most, you may refer your audience to look into some specialized sites (Kitco, GoldVault and others). Sincerely !!@@ThisIsOurRetirement
Just wondering why although you you both advocate frugality and you use that basis for travelling you always seem travel in countries where our Canadian Dollar is very inferior. For example Portugal (Euro) and the US. I would think as promoters of the lower middle class you would pick countries where our currency is much more in our favour, such as Asia, Mexico, South America. Just Asking
We really aren't promoting anything, just filming our travels, that said there is more to travel than exchange rates against the Canadian dollar. We pay more attention to safety when traveling and Portugal ranks as one of the safest countries in the world for crime. South American countries are some of the most dangerous. Our passive income stream is U.S. dollars so exchange rates don't bother us as much.
@@ThisIsOurRetirement My pleasure. My wife is keen on going to Portugal so your banking/scam info was very helpful. I haven’t set foot on a Portuguese beach in 45 years.
Hi Tina and Norm, thanks again for this video it is very good information. I have one question what about the restaurants ? when you pay the bill and the 'interact machin' is asking you if you want to pay in Euro or Cad ?
Having spent two years living in Portugal, my husband and I, your tips are great! I have an account with a credit union here in Toronto that is a no fee bank. I was asked however while in Portugal not to use my debit card for all those small coffee type purchases or a glass of wine at our favourite spot on the beach (in Areia Branca). So we did get into what the two of you do. Pull out money once a week or so, and use our credit card for grocery shopping at Lidl. Although we lived there for two years, we of course made sure to fly back regularly to keep our OHIP current. Thanks for all the great tips. Hubby now carries a cross over body bag (small one) to keep his wallet and cell phone safe and within easy reach. This small bag is also safe from any scanners. Thanks again for the great content.
It's always great to have the expenses in one place so to speak. Using the CC is handy to keep an eye on all expenses. A small amount of cash at the ready is handy for small stuff. Good advice. Have a great weekend. 👌🇳🇱🙋♀🇳🇿😎🍷
We spent 3 months in Algarve in 2022 and used debit 90% of the time and carried very little cash. For the most part we only used cash at markets or small stores, taxis. Make sure you have right change or small bills for taxi, we got caught on that one and cost us double as driver said they had no change. Hope you have a great time in Portugal this year.
Be careful with taxi drivers, there are dishonest people who even take longer journeys when they know the person is from another country in order to charge more. If you feel deceived, file a complaint with the police (GNR or PSP). Always ask for a receipt, it is mandatory for all sales, even if it is just 1 coffee. Some don't want to give receipts to avoid paying taxes and they do this a lot with tourists. You can use Uber in many places
When we were in Portugal we used very little cash. In fact when ever we travel outaide the country we charge wherever we can. You get the best exchange , and keeps things clean . We have also used Western Union . You get personal service and a competitive exchange. We avoid airport exchange. Truthfully, coming from the US, many places will take our dollars...
I don't know how regulated an Uber is compared to a taxi (and how screened the drivers are). As a solo traveler I think I'll stick to taxis even though more expensive.
We did mention we use credit cards and cash 💰, we were last in Portugal 🇵🇹 in 2020 and lots of places wouldn’t take a Canadian debit card . Unhappy using cards in Taxis Cheers 🇵🇹🙂🇨🇦🍷
