Keep all money with you or in a safe place. Never leave it in your luggage or room.

Do not carry all of your money in one place.

Keep traveler's check receipts separate from your traveler's checks.

Leave a copy of your traveler's check numbers back home with your parents.

Carrying your money in a loose purse or back pocket is NOT wise. A MONEY BELT, HIP POUCH (worn in front), or neck pouch is best.

When you go from one country to another, banks will exchange any paper money you still have, but they won't accept coins. You will want to spend all of your coins before leaving. Our delegation manager will have information on how and when to exchange money. Check the Explore Guide for more information.

CHECK OUT THE VISA BUXX LINK. Visa Buxx is a pre-paid card that functions just like a credit card and is accepted anywhere they accept Visa. Best of all, parents can add money to the card from home and even monitor purchases on the Internet. A combination of traveler's checks and Visa Buxx may be the way to go.

Credit cards should bear the student's name, not a parent's.

Carry a small amount of U.S. currency to use at domestic airports.

Make a list of your gift ideas and purchases you want too make to keep you on the right track.

Look for quality, so that you come home with souvenirs that will last.

Wiring money if an ambassador runs out is NOT an option. Wiring money is very difficult because we do not always have the freedom of time or transportation to pick up the money.

Buy all of your supplies prior to travel. These may be overpriced or not available where we are traveling.

To save time, and perhaps get a better deal, you can do a money exchange in the States prior to travel. If you have an idea of how much you need for each country, you can get traveler's checks in pounds or Irish punts or "euro." Do take some U.S. money and traveler's check too, though.

"Customs" is the official agency that inspects people, passports, and goods as people enter a country. Each country has different rules and regulations for entering. Even the United States has special rules for U.S. citizens who are traveling abroad.

When you return to the United States, you will be allowed to bring in up to $400 worth of purchases without having to pay any duty (taxes). Purchases exceeding $400 are taxed at 10% of their value. This means that if you bring back $500 worth of purchases, you'll be charged a $10 duty. ($500-$400=$100 X 10%=$10)