Whether due to theft or lack of foresight, if during your stay abroad for business or vacation purposes you find yourself in the terrible situation of running out of money, stay calm and don’t worry, we have multiple options to get some money and at least be able to eat something and travel to the airport to return to your country.
The best options available to us if we run out of money while traveling abroad are to receive funds on our travel card or receive money in the bank account linked to our bank card. This way, we will have money quickly and available instantly.
These solutions, and many more, are what we will develop below to help you get out of trouble:
1) Receive money on your travel card
Having travel cards is very important when traveling abroad, as they not only allow you to save a huge amount on currency exchange fees and cash withdrawals but also enable you to receive and send money instantly from anywhere in the world.
These prepaid or debit cards for travel are very useful as they allow you to carry only the amount of money you decide to reload according to your needs. In case of theft or fraudulent transactions, potential losses will be minimized, preventing all the funds in your bank account from being taken. Additionally, you will have full control of your card from your mobile phone, being able to block it instantly at any time.
Among all the travel cards on the market, after conducting a thorough analysis of their fees and functionalities, we have concluded that the best travel card for this year 2024 is Wise, as you can discover in this article.
2) Receive money through your bank card
This is one of the most affordable and quickest options. Simply contact a trusted family member or friend to deposit money into the bank account linked to your card. If your contact has an account at the same bank, they can make a transfer to your account through online banking, and you will receive the money instantly. If, on the other hand, your contact is from a different bank than yours, they will have to go to a branch of your bank to make a deposit into your account. If they were to make a transfer from another bank, the operation would take between one and two business days to reach your account, unless they use money transfer applications through which the money does arrive instantly or unless you make a special urgent transfer (it could have a cost).
If you are unable to make calls due to lack of money and your mobile phone is out of credit, use free Wi-Fi networks in public spaces. Similarly, if your phone runs out of battery, you can usually find free charging points in public buildings such as airports, libraries, universities, medical centers, public restrooms, etc.
Once you have received the money in your account, you can use your card to make payments, and if you need cash in foreign currency, you simply need to go to an ATM in the country and withdraw money. Keep in mind that the foreign ATM will charge you a fee, and if you don’t have a card without fees for international withdrawals, your bank will also charge you a fee. That’s why, as mentioned in the previous point, it is advisable to get a good travel card that doesn’t charge fees for withdrawing money from international ATMs.
3) Receive money on your mobile phone
If you don’t have a debit or credit card to receive money from your country, you can always opt to make payments through your mobile phone. To do this, first of all, your mobile phone must have NFC technology.
If your phone indeed has this new technology, secondly, you need to link your bank card through your bank’s application. If you don’t have your bank’s app, download it and check if your bank offers this option.
Once you have enabled the option to pay with your mobile phone, you can make payments with it, even if your physical card has been canceled due to theft. The mobile phone and your card are linked to the same contract but function as independent payment methods.
Naturally, for this option to be available to you, it is important to ensure that your phone battery is always charged. To do this, remember that plugs may be different in many countries. Therefore, it would be a good idea to purchase a universal plug adapter for traveling. In this link, we show you a perfect example of an ideal adapter for traveling, as well as other very useful products during a trip abroad.
4) Have someone pay for your services from your country
If you needed to buy an airplane, train, or boat ticket because you lost your previous one and you don’t have money to buy another ticket, remember that you don’t necessarily have to pay for it yourself. Get in touch with someone you trust in your country, and they can purchase the ticket you need for you over the Internet.
Keep in mind that if it is a low-cost company, they may require you to print your reservation. Therefore, pay attention to the conditions, and if necessary, you can always download the application of the specific company and have the ticket on your mobile phone.
5) Receive money from your country through money transfer agencies
If you cannot receive money on your mobile phone or bank card, you could receive money from a contact in your country through money transfer agencies. Ask at a tourist information center where to go to receive money, and they will give you several options without any problem.
Currently, the most widespread company worldwide that offers these services is Western Union, but you can find multiple agencies in each country. They all operate similarly: You simply go to a branch and request how to receive money from abroad. They will usually give you two options:
A) Your contact in your country can go to one of their physical establishments and make a deposit, which will be transferred, after paying a commission, to your location.
B) Your contact in your country can make an online payment through a code. After that, you will receive the amount of that payment after deducting a commission.
6) Exchange your money for local currency
If you have run out of cash in foreign currency and cannot pay with your card or mobile phone, but you have money from your country, you could exchange it at establishments or banks that offer currency exchange services. Preferably go to banks and avoid establishments located in tourist areas, as banks usually offer better exchange rates, while tourist establishments tend to have very high exchange rates and fees.
7) Sell your jewelry at a gold buying store
A quick and easy way to get money abroad is by selling any gold jewelry you may have with you. Usually, in all major cities, there are gold buying stores where they will easily buy any gold jewelry you have, such as rings, pendants, earrings, watches, etc.
Keep in mind that in addition to losing the sentimental value that the jewelry may have, these stores charge a margin, and obviously, you will receive less than its actual market value. Whenever possible, compare quotes from various establishments so that they don’t take advantage of your situation.
8) Sell your belongings at a pawn shop
If you don’t have gold jewelry, you could always sell some of your belongings at a pawn shop (also known as second-hand or buy-sell stores). The most valuable and easy-to-sell items would be technological products like your mobile phone or tablet, quality clothing, and watches.
9) Ask for money if you don’t need a large amount
In case you only need a small amount of money to buy your plane ticket, to eat, or to do anything essential, but you don’t have enough money, as a last resort, you can try asking for money. I know that asking for money is frowned upon in our country and in most countries around the world, but if you have no other option, swallow your pride and give it a try.
If you’re willing to do it, keep in mind two things: most people won’t give you anything, and the few people who do give you something will likely give you a few coins of little value. That’s why you should only consider this option if you have no other choice and if you need a very small amount of money.
To increase your chances of getting a small amount of money quickly, there are two important tricks when asking for money:
A) Stand next to a change machine: asking people who have just received change from a machine is incredibly easy, as many people automatically want to get rid of those useless coins or simply feel embarrassed to say they have nothing when it’s obvious that they just got change from the machine. A very good example is the payment machines in parking lots, where there’s always a queue.
B) Ask people from your own country: if you’re abroad, finding someone from your nationality automatically creates a sense of affinity, even if the person is a total stranger. Take advantage of this and, for example, if you need a small amount of money to buy a ticket back to your country because you lost yours, it’s much easier to explain your difficult situation to someone from your own country and have them understand and give you the money than to explain it to anyone else. Therefore, you could try to position yourself in lines for flights to your country to meet fellow citizens and ask them for what you need.
10) Go to the Embassy or Consulate of your nationality
If you couldn’t carry out any of the previous alternatives, you should go to an Embassy or Consulate of your nationality, where they may be able to provide you with extraordinary assistance.