Banking & Money-Saving Tools
How we keep our finances stress-free while abroad
Managing money abroad can be one of the most stressful parts of travel. We’ve dealt with it all, from cards blocked overseas to surprise fees, and even ATMs that swallowed our debit cards. Over time, we’ve found tools that make travel banking smooth, secure, and cost-effective. This page brings them together; the services we actually use to keep our finances in check while traveling full time.
How We Manage Travel Finances
Simple, secure, and built for life abroad
Banking abroad used to mean constant stress — cards blocked without warning, surprise fees at ATMs, and hours wasted on calls to banks back home.
Over the years, we’ve built a system that works: a mix of travel-friendly cards, travel nous, and digital security. Together, this means we can pay confidently, move money easily, and protect our accounts wherever we are.
💡 Good to know: Always carry a backup card in a separate place, just in case one gets lost or blocked.
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Tools We Use
Cards, apps, and protections that keep our money safe
These are the services we’ve tested and kept in our toolkit — tools that help us avoid fees, simplify payments, and stay secure while exploring the world.
KOHO
Prepaid card with smart budgeting tools and online features
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Works like a reloadable debit card
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Cashback on everyday purchases
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Simple app for tracking spending
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Great for budgeting while traveling
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Helpful Reads From Our Blog
Tips and stories from our own money mishaps
We’ve learned a lot about travel banking the hard way — but each mistake pushed us to find better tools.
These posts go deeper into how we save money and avoid stress.
Explore More Travel Resources
Four categories, all built from tools we trust
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Our fortnightly newsletter shares fresh blogs, travel hacks, and money-saving tools. Plus a peek at our life on the road. No spam, just real insights and offers we trust.
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.
We only recommend resources we’ve personally used or genuinely believe will add value to your travels. These partnerships help us keep Closer Lives running, so thank you for supporting our journey.
Jenn & Leon at Closer Lives
Closer Lives was created to bring people, places, and stories closer together. Through travel, culture, history, poetry, and personal experience, we share the moments that shape how we see the world, and ourselves.
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