Going overseas? Follow these credit card tips

We've warned you in the past about the frustrations that can come of using a debit card for traveling expenses: A vendor such as a hotel or rental car company can put a hold on a potentially large amount of money, effectively freezing it until as long as a few days after you've checked out or returned the vehicle. There are a couple of important things to keep in mind when you're using a credit card for your travels, too, if those travels take you beyond U.S. borders.

Odysseas Papadimitriou, founder and CEO of the site CardHub.com, says it's important to make sure you have - or get - a card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. Many cards, maybe even the ones you use every day, will tack on up to 3% of the purchase price if the transaction is processed in local currency. While this might not sound like a huge amount, if you're taking a long trip, that means every swipe for a meal, a train ticket or a hotel stay will end up costing you more than it should.