The Price of Not Knowing
The machine said “no fee.” It cost us 23 dollars.
One withdrawal, in Croatia, and nothing on the receipt to show it. Some of the easiest ways to waste money while traveling don’t feel like mistakes at all. If you’ve ever had the nagging feeling that you’re not making the right choice with your money when you travel, then this is the book for you.
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The screen never called it a charge.
A few years ago Matt stopped at a cash machine in Split, Croatia at the end of a long afternoon. The machine asked him the question every foreign machine asks. Local currency for a small fee, or your own dollars with no fee at all.
He picked no fee. Of course he did. Anyone would. Nobody stands at a cash machine after a long day and thinks the free one is the trap.
We took out 2,000 kuna. That withdrawal cost us $340.15. Paying the little fee he was so pleased to avoid would have cost $317.42. Twenty-three dollars, on one trip to the cash machine, and nothing on the receipt to show it. I only found out days later, looking at our account.
That’s how travel money actually goes. Almost nobody loses it in one big obvious mistake. You lose it slowly, a few dollars at a time, at cash machines and card readers and exchange counters and booking sites, on charges built to look like the smart choice in the moment.
None of it is complicated once you know where to look. So I wrote all of it down.
Here’s what’s inside
The Price of Not Knowing walks through a trip in the order you actually take one. At every stop, what gets left out of the price, what it usually costs, and exactly what to do about it.
Why the cheapest fare on the screen is so often the priciest
What the room rate leaves out, and what it comes to over a week
The insurance box at checkout I never tick, and what I buy instead
Which cash machine to use, and how much to take out of it
The line on a restaurant bill that means you’ve already left the tip
The tax refund most travelers are owed and never claim
Plus two grab-and-go checklists
One for the evening before you go, one to keep on your phone while you’re there.
“This isn’t about pinching pennies. I just don’t want to pay for things that add nothing to the trip.”
Lisa Reidmiller · founder, Ready Jet Roam · nearly ten years of full-time travel, ~100 countries
What readers say about the advice
“I just like the way you’re not an influencer, you’re advising people on real situations in a practical way.”
Mary
“Thank you for your travel tips. I have used many of your suggestions and purchased some of your favorite products.”
Susan
“I do love your travel tips and I wish I was following you when my daughter and I went to Europe a couple of years ago.”
Deb, Queensland
Keep your money for the parts of the trip you’ll remember.
Compare the real prices. Look for the add-ons and the trade-offs. Choose the local currency. Check the screen before you tap. Then spend your money on the meal, the tour, the view, or the flight time that makes the trip better for you.
- Instant digital download - available globally
- Read it on your Kindle or as a PDF on any device
- Two grab-and-go checklists included
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