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May Dedicatoria - Philstar.com
December 17, 2025 | 1:18pm
MANILA, Philippines — Holiday travel should feel exciting! It’s when you’re supposed to relax and enjoy cooler weather abroad and those much-awaited getaways with your loved ones.
But for many of us, the money part adds stress—long money-changer lines, unpredictable rates and wallets stuffed with bills can take the magic out of a trip fast.
This is why more travelers are switching to digital-first, cash-light spending. With a multi-currency account like Wise, you can load the currencies you need ahead of time and spend confidently abroad.
Say goodbye to scrambling for bills or mentally converting every purchase to pesos. Here are six simple ways to make your next international trip smoother, safer and way more stress-free.
1. Lock in your foreign currency before you fly
Travel gets chaotic fast, so set up your spending before you head to the airport. With the Wise Account, you can hold 40+ currencies like USD, EUR, SGD and JPY, and convert them at the mid-market rate—the same one you see on Google.
This means no detours to airport currency counters and no worrying about peak-season markups.
Philstar.com writer and Wise user, Jap Tobias, shares how seamless it felt: “The rates felt better than exchanging cash at the best money changer—plus it removes the hassle of managing cash.”
Once you land, you simply spend from the right currency balance automatically—no hidden fees.
2. Go cash-light by paying with your Wise card abroad
More destinations are tap-first: subway turnstiles, park kiosks, convenience stores, even theme park food carts. A simple tap gets you through.
The Wise card lets you spend in 160+ countries, pulling from your matching currency balance—or smartly converting at a fair rate when needed.
Tobias puts it this way: “Traveling with Wise was effortless. The card worked everywhere I went—malls, restaurants, convenience stores, even souvenir shops.”
And if you prefer fully contactless travel, you can also add your Wise card to Google Pay for tap-to-pay convenience while exploring.
3. Always choose to pay in the local currency (skip the PHP option)
When you’re abroad, you’re often asked: “Do you want to pay in pesos?” It sounds convenient but usually comes with extra conversion fees.
Choosing the local currency keeps your costs lower—especially when using Wise, since you’ll get its mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.
4. Keep a small emergency cash stash—emphasis on small
There will always be those cash-only moments: a street food stall, a rural jeepney-style shuttle, a small souvenir tent near a viewpoint.
Bring a little cash, but let your Wise card or app handle the bulk of your spending.
According to Tobias, this is where Wise’s multi-currency capability shines most.
“When you’re hopping between countries and need to buy something during a layover in a completely different currency, it saves you from using your credit card or finding a money changer just for a small amount,” he explains.
The Wise card also takes the worry out of using ATMs abroad. Take advantage of the two free withdrawals on the first P12,000 each month. After which, a super low fee will be charged.
5. Track your spending in real time
Travel expenses add up quickly—airport water, museum passes, irresistible desserts at a night market. Blink twice and you’ve overspent.
With Wise, you get real-time notifications for every transaction.
Tobias shares how this helped him stay on track: “The app shows the exact amount of my purchases in foreign currency, the peso deduction and the exchange rate in real time. It really helps me track everything.”
6. Turn on safety features before heading out
Holiday trips mean crowds: plazas, theme parks, markets and packed train stations. It’s easy to misplace cards or get distracted.
Before leaving the hotel, turn on Wise’s built-in security features: biometric login, instant alerts and the ability to freeze/unfreeze your physical or digital card in seconds.
“Whatever money I have left stays fully usable—whether I withdraw it or just leave it in the card. Unlike cash, where leftover foreign bills and coins usually can’t be converted back to pesos once you’re home,” says Tobias, explaining how flexible the card is after the trip.
With the Wise Account, you can hold multiple currencies, spend seamlessly while enjoying low, transparent fees. And when you want extra convenience, you can link your Wise card to Google Pay for seamless, tap-to-pay travel.
Going cash-light doesn’t take away from the experience—it enhances it. Less time counting bills means more time wandering Instagrammable alleys, trying new food and soaking in those holiday lights.
Safe travels, and spend smarter!
Editor's Note: This #Brandspace story is created with Wise. It is produced by the Advertising Content Team that is independent of our Editorial newsroom.
