Gadling

I'm sitting right now at the spanking new airport in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, having just finished a simple breakfast and a cup of coffee for which I paid with credit card.

Credit cards are growing more accepted in an increasing number of countries around the world (though, strangely, not in Germany, the world's third largest economy). More than ever before, you can reach for the plastic to cover pretty much all of your foreign purchases, not only in well-heeled tourist haunts like Rome and Paris, but in the darker corners of eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, to name a few. This is a nice option for those averse to carrying large amounts of foreign currency in their pockets while traveling.

Of course, CCs will hit you with a fee for every international purchase you make (some -- like Bank of America -- in the form of a specific line item on your monthly billing statement, others worked into the exchange rate you're given on the purchase itself).

Just how much varies with the card policy and the card's issuing bank. Typically it hovers around 3 percent, with the Visa, Mastercard et. al. taking maybe taking 1 percent of that and the issuing bank the rest.

It's a good idea to know what your card policy for international purchases before you head overseas, so you're not surprised when the monthly bill comes, and because, if you're a frequent traveler, you can shop around for a card offering a better fee structure.

Want to know how your card stacks up? This is a good comparison chart offered at Bankrate.com that was accurate through December 2007. You can also call your credit card company directly and get more updated rates.

Filed under: Savvy Traveler, Consumer Activism