Anyone who knows me well is aware that I strategically use, and open, travel credit cards to earn miles and points towards travel. Some people call this “travel hacking”, but I hate the negative connotations of that term.
Typically, I have my go-to cards. And as quarterly benefits change, I revise which card I use for various purchasing categories. It’s all about optimization.
One thing I’ve always practiced is carrying more than one credit card not only on a daily basis, but more importantly, when I travel. What if something happened to one of my cards? I still want to be able to buy things.
Indeed, this exact thing happened on our recent trip to Turkiye…
Just over a week into the three-week trip, my rubber-banded pile of cards (including credit cards, ID, etc) fell onto the floor as I was getting dressed. I didn’t initially notice, and I ended up stepping on this pile. Unfortunately, my main card had shifted so that its edge was sticking out, and there was a CRUNCH.
Oh no! I broke my main credit card. Cracked right through the strip. And, chip tap wasn’t working anywhere, either.
Good thing that this was not a tragedy in the end. I simply ordered a replacement card from the bank to meet me when I got home, and I used my secondary card. (You know, we all complain about how some of the newer cards are heavier and metal-reinforced. Maybe it worked in my favor, since my VentureX card is much less likely to break than my traditional card!)
Luckily, I was able to immediately move on with life. But a reminder to us all: make sure you carry multiple cards!