Money

Money is an important factor of travel - especially international travel.  

Some advice I've collected:

VERY IMPORTANT: Call your bank and give them a heads up so they don’t block transactions with your card!

Apply for credit card that is meant for international travel and has a chip in it. (mastercard and visa are best) Europe (all of it!) doesn’t use credit cards that have a magnetic strip on the back anymore. You can still use an American credit/debit card, but in some places it can be a hassle, so it's a good idea to have a more Europe-friendly card.

Best way to get money - use an ATM with your debit card/international credit card and only take out as much cash as you will use that day. (This protects you from losing much money if you are mugged or pick-pocketed.)

1 pound ~ $1.50  Best rule of thumb is to add half of the total cost in pounds to get the cost in dollars. (Example: if something costs 6 pounds, add ½ of that [3 pounds] = 9 dollars)