My Son was now safely and easily in Denmark. The carry-on luggage idea worked well as he didn’t need to fetch his bag and could just breeze through customs. He was all set to have a nice visit.
One of the things that adult travelers don’t have to think about with is whether to bring their credit or debt card. It’s generally agreed upon that you’ll get the latest exchange rate plus most credit and debit cards are accepted abroad.
But for our teen traveler this was more complex as he’s not allowed to have a debit account until he is 18. Gift cards like the refillable kind you can get here in the U.S. don’t work abroad, and sending him traveling alone with great gobs of cash wasn’t an option for obvious reasons.
The solution, after a bit of digging, was to get him a BillMyParents card. It’s a refillable card that works internationally. He could use it as a debit or credit card, and at any ATM. The fees are small and the service allows you and your teen to check spending online or receive text/emails alerts if the card balance gets under a certain amount.
He told me when he got back the card really saved his bacon when they ran out of cash while out and about in Copenhagen.
(Pat on the back for Mom)
We did send him with a bit of cash and he exchanged it at the airport when he got there. His girlfriend knew where the booth was and helped him with translations. Had she not been on hand to help we would have exchanged his Dollars for Krone here before he left.
It’s easy to do. Just ask at your bank or call the main branch and ask for the details. They might need a up to a week to get the foreign currency ordered, so don’t leave it until the last moment.
I think that covers it. My son had a great time in Denmark and made some great memories!
If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below.
Kathleen Rear 