Sorting Your Money Before You Travel: A Checklist for Australians

Most Australians sort their travel money in the last few days before flying, or not at all — and then spend the entire trip paying for that. It''s one of the easiest parts of trip planning to get right, and one of the most commonly rushed. Here''s a practical checklist to work through before you leave.

1. Check What Your Current Card Actually Charges Overseas

Start here, because most people genuinely don''t know. Look up your card''s foreign transaction fee and overseas ATM withdrawal fee — both are usually listed in the product disclosure statement or your banking app. Many standard Australian bank cards charge a percentage on every overseas purchase plus a flat fee on every ATM withdrawal. Across a two-week trip with daily spending, that adds up in a way most people never notice until they''re home reading the statement.

2. Carry More Than One Card, Stored Separately

This is the single most practical piece of travel money advice. Cards get lost, cloned, blocked by fraud detection, or simply declined by an unfamiliar terminal. Carrying a second card from a different provider, stored somewhere separate from your wallet, turns a trip-ruining problem into a minor inconvenience. Never carry both in the same bag.

3. Tell Your Bank You''re Going

Fraud detection systems flag unexpected overseas transactions, and a blocked card on your first day abroad is a genuinely stressful way to start a trip. Most banking apps now let you register travel plans in a couple of taps. Do it for every card you''re taking, not just the main one.

4. Always Choose Local Currency at the Terminal

When a card terminal or overseas ATM asks whether you want to pay in Australian dollars or the local currency, always choose local currency. Paying in AUD hands the conversion to the merchant''s payment provider, who applies their own exchange rate with a markup built in. Choosing local currency lets your card network handle the conversion at a rate generally much closer to the real one. This single habit costs nothing and applies at every purchase, every ATM, and even online checkouts with overseas retailers.

5. Carry a Small Amount of Local Cash

Card acceptance is near-universal in most destinations now, but small vendors, rural areas, some taxis, and tipping still run on cash. A modest amount of local currency on arrival avoids being stuck at an airport ATM paying whatever rate is on offer because you have no alternative.

6. Set Up Your Phone for Tap-to-Pay

Add your card to Apple Pay or Google Pay before you leave and confirm it works. Paying by phone is generally more secure than a physical card overseas, since the wallet transmits a device-specific token rather than your actual card number — meaning a compromised terminal gets nothing useful. It also means your physical card stays in your bag rather than being handed to staff.

7. Know How You''d Get Money in an Emergency

Before you go, know how someone at home could send you money quickly if everything went wrong, and have your bank''s international contact number saved somewhere that isn''t only on your phone. It''s the step everyone skips and the one that matters most on the rare occasion it''s needed.

Built for How Australians Travel

Onyx Global is an Australian-owned digital banking and card platform built on infrastructure designed for international spending, with Apple Pay and Google Pay support and a full digital account including BSB, account number and PayID. Australian-owned and built locally, shaped around how Australians actually spend both at home and overseas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I pay in AUD or local currency overseas?

Always local currency. Paying in AUD lets the merchant''s provider set the exchange rate with a markup, rather than your card network converting at a rate closer to the real one.

How many cards should I travel with?

At least two, from different providers, stored separately. Cards get lost, blocked or declined, and a backup turns a serious problem into a minor one.

Is paying by phone safer than card overseas?

Generally yes. Digital wallets transmit a device-specific token rather than your real card number, so a compromised terminal gets nothing reusable.

Do I still need cash when travelling?

A small amount, yes. Small vendors, rural areas, some taxis and tipping still often require cash even where card acceptance is otherwise widespread.