Travel Money

People travel all around the world and when they land up in a foreign country they require that particular country’s currency in order to buy goods and services. Here foreign exchange comes into the picture, which helps you in exchanging the currency of one country into that of another. The largest and the most liquid financial market in the world is the foreign exchange. Here are some international currency exchange guidelines that are to be followed in India. When going on a leisure trip abroad, the maximum amount of foreign currency that can be taken is USD 25,00,00 per traveller in a single financial year. Out of that, only $3000 can be carried as cash. The remaining balance should be carried around as traveller’s cheques, forex cards and remittances. But when on a trip to Nepal or Bhutan for any purpose, no forex currency exchange will be available. When going on a leisure trip abroad, the maximum amount of foreign currency that can be taken is USD 25,00,00 per t...

Over the past few years, the value of Indian rupee has been plummeting fast against the US dollar. And the falling value of a rupee means less export/import power in the hands of people as well as the government. Which in turn makes the nation financially weaker, hampering the prospects of international trade and currency exchange rates. Here are a few factors that change the dynamics of the Indian economy. Crude oil: With the fast development and growth of the Indian economy, the demand for petrol and petroleum products has been consistently rising. India produces about 20% crude oil we require, and the rest is imported from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other Gulf countries. Reputed oil companies of India require millions of dollars every day in order to import crude oil and gas. Thus, the increase in the demand for the dollar leads to its appreciation and decrease in the value of the Indian rupees. Trade Tensions: The policies of the US President have had...

Increase in population has made international tourism in India a bright industry. However, Indian travelers have forgotten the crucial aspect of foreign exchange . Here are a few hacks one should consider to ensure  best value for their money, while traveling to other countries on business or leisure. Say no to the counters at airports: The foreign exchange counters at airports provide a premium of 10 to 13% over the usual exchange rates , and this will only reduce the amount of currency one has at their disposal during their trip. A foreign exchange counter at airports is simply waiting to exploit a desperate traveler. So be smart and buy foreign currency 3-7 days before the travel, and stay away from the foreign exchange counters at airports. Compare: Forex rates change on a dynamic scale and some agencies will hardly keep up with these variations. Not understanding the dynamics of forex can make one get a...

Planning to travel abroad anytime soon? Then, you would definitely need to brush up on forex currency exchange and currency exchange rates. You would need to know how to buy forex and also look up the best money exchange locations . Before that, it helps to understand what international money exchange is all about. Essentially, foreign exchange rate is the amount or value of one currency vis-a-vis the other. What is the worth of one unit of your currency in another country’s unit of currency? So, if your country’s currency is the rupee, and you are travelling to the US, for example, what is the worth of a rupee in relation to the US dollar, and how many rupees would you need to shell out to convert it into one US dollar? That is what you would need to understand when you head out to buy forex. Foreign exchange is also the world market where currencies trade. The US dollar is still considered the dominant currency across the world, and many a time, currency exchan...

So, you are heading on a foreign trip and wondering what your travel money options are. Should you get a forex card , an ICICI bank travel card or just get enough foreign cash via currency exchange ? Should you opt for debit/credit cards or travellers’ cheques? So many questions keep going round in your head, and the whole thing can be quite daunting right? Not really, if you do some homework. Ideally, you should keep some spare cash but also get one of the forex cards for the bigger expenses. How about a HDFC forex card or an Axis bank forex card? You could pick one of them. A combination of various options is a good way to carry your money. First, let’s look at forex cards. Foreign exchange cards You can use your card to buy stuff at a mall or a market, spend on tickets, pay for your food at restaurants or order food/buy online. You can get in touch with your bank in your home country and load currency on to the card; this could be any of th...