Ways to travel smart with credit cards

Ways to travel smart with credit cards

AsiaOne | Wed, Sep 14 2011

Find out how best to manage your credit cards when travelling to maximise its benefits and safeguard against misfortune.

 

Many of us carry multiple credit or debit cards when travelling. But don't be mistaken, it may not necessarily be a bad idea.

Well, truth is, you'll probably don't want to be stuck in a foreign land without one in the event of of theft or a credit limit is exceeded.

Here's a list of tips, recommended by Mastercard, on how best to manage the use of your credit cards when travelling to maximise its benefits and safeguard against misfortune.

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BEFORE TRAVELLING

1. Check for insurance coverage

Check with your payment card issuer about cardholder travel benefits. Some cards offer personal travel accident insurance to ensure that you are covered when travelling.

2. Bring more than one card

 

It is also a good idea to bring more than one card and to always let your card issuer know before you go abroad, especially when visiting less developed countries.

Due to the increased security measures, payment cards can sometimes be blocked for transactions when used in places termed as "dubious".

Some banks also cut off payment cards that are used more than a certain number of times a day to try and stop thieves from using stolen cards.

3. Research before your trip

Research before your trip and find out the privileges that your credit cards offer. For example, MasterCard cardholders can avail of many privileges when travelling overseas. These include deals on accommodation, dining and shopping.




4. Make copies of travel documents

This sounds basic but it is a good practice to have - make several copies of your passport, credit cards, itinerary, airline tickets, and other travel documents.

Leave one copy with a relative or friend back home and carry one copy with you.

5. Avoid cash payment

Whenever possible, pay with a credit or debit card so that you can cancel payment or get reimbursed if there's a problem, provided you can show documentation.

 

6. Stay organised

It's easy to stay organised when you pay with a credit card in any country where you can't read the language.

Immediately write the amount of the transaction, items, date, and place of purchase on your receipt so that you can read it when the statement comes at the end of the month.

This makes after-trip book-keeping much simpler.

7. When you are out of cash...

ATMs are a good way to receive money when you are far from home.

ATMs that work with the MasterCard/Maestro/Cirrus network can be used with a debit card (check card) in most countries to withdraw money. Your debit card has to have a logo corresponding to one of those networks to be used in this way.

So, if your funds are running low, all someone back home has to do is deposit or transfer some money into your bank account, and then you can withdraw the funds.

There are usually no additional fees to pay other than the ATM withdrawal fees.

8. In case of emergency...

If your card is lost or stolen, or if you have a question about your travel benefits, call the credit card provider's hotline. More information on the respective numbers to call when visiting any country can be found on respective websites.

Source: MasterCard; Photos: BT, ST, TNP, Zaobao, AFP, Bloomberg

Indonesia ranks fourth Internet user in Asia

 

The Jakarta Post/ANN
Wednesday, Sep 14, 2011

 

Indonesia ranks fourth in Asia in user numbers after the region's Internet heavyweights China, India and Japan, Internet data giant Google says.

Henky Prihatna, Google's Indonesia country consultant, on Tuesday told Antara news agency that Google planned to launch its maiden campaign in Indonesia, themed "Jadikan Internet seluas kreasimu" (Explore the Internet beyond your creativity), to prompt the people to further explore the powers of the Internet.

The campaign will highlight the potential benefits of using the Internet, not only to browse, but to collaborate, inspire others and undertake beneficial action, he said.

Henky said that currently Google was looking for ordinary Indonesian people as examples of how people can engage in inspiring action using the world wide web.

TRENDS: Stock-free business

New Straits Times (Malaysia)
4 September 2011

TRENDS: Stock-free business

Want to start a business on the Net but low on resources? ROZANA SANI looks at a viable drop-shipping option

AT the rate the cost of living is rising these days, many people are looking at ways to supplement their income. Doing business on the Net is one option. However, lack of technical know-how, time and capital are usually major hurdles to overcome.
Perhaps, those faced with these challenges could look into the concept of drop-shipping.
Drop-shipping is a supply chain management technique in which the Netpreneur (also known as the retailer) does not keep goods in stock but instead, transfers customer orders and shipment details to either a manufacturer or a wholesaler who then ships the goods directly to the customer.

Sounds simple but the problems of this method are twofold: The time and complexity of locating and identifying reliable wholesalers and quality products, and the issue of setting up a website for sales transactions has still to be tackled.
Local outfit Edy Marketing (edymart.com) believes it has the solution for such individuals. Founder and manager Shamsurizam Norsham says the company provides an end-to-end online shop system called EdyMart that helps create a storefront for Netpreneurs. This connects them directly to a selection of suppliers who have been screened by the management who offer a multitude of products from clothing and dry food to bicycles, even gold bars.

“With the EdyMart system, they can start business without forking out money to buy products, keep stock or bother with delivery — it’s all taken care of.

“Budding Netpreneurs can come on EdyMart as agents and set up an online shop in just five minutes. All they have to do is fill up a secure form with information like their address, email and bank details. They can also choose which product categories they want to market as well as the front page graphics and logo of their online shop,” says Shamsurizam who holds a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from UK’s Loughborough University.
Shamsurizam, 31, whose nickname is Edy, is no stranger to retail. As a child, he often helped out at his grandfather’s pasar malam stall in Rawang. This early knowledge is further boosted with skills he garnered in the UK, including PHP programming, Java script, API applications, MySGL, Internet marketing and DHTML (Dynamic HTML describes the art of making dynamic and interactive web pages. DHTML combines HTML, JavaScript, the HTML DOM, and CSS).

Among his work in the UK was designing an online shipping service for Malaysians to ship stuff back to UK and an SMS-based messaging system at his campus.

“The individual online Edymart stores are equipped with a shopping cart for easy orders and stock tracking. There is a catalogue function where the Netpreneur can choose to display from the EdyMart inventory which spans up to 300 types and is added on to from time to time. It’s up to the Netpreneur to market his or her store — they can use Facebook or any other method to drive traffic to the store. But once they have the order, informed us at Edy Marketing and banked in the money to us, they can be assured the customer is being served and will have the product within the next three days,” he says.

Already in its second year, EdyMart has a 4,000-odd online community with around 1,003 distributors.

“My mission is to help develop entrepreneurs — both offline (suppliers) and online — to service customers all around the world. With the right infrastructure and training, I think this is achievable,” says Shamsurizam confidently.

He adds that he intends to tighten the system to further ease the process of buying and selling and include phone, email and SMS features as well as add on more economically priced products.

“I’m looking at housewives, the unemployed, small and medium industries to take up the opportunities at EdyMart.”

To open an EdyMart store, interested parties need only fork out RM100 as a one-off cost and the store is theirs for the next 30 days. After that, there is a charge of RM1 per day for administrative and management services.

At present, there’s a 14-day free trial offer.

Online business a boon for young mothers

Report from Business Times (Malaysia) dated 2 September 2011 :-

Online business a boon for young mothers

Online business besides generating attractive income is proving to be popular with women who do not have the time or opportunity for conventional businesses.

In fact, among those involved are highly qualified women who choose this
line of business as it gives them more time with their young and growing
children.

A survey by Bernama found many types of businesess could be carried out via
the Internet ranging from beauty products such as contact lens and cosmetics, to food, health products and apparels.

Many of them use blogs or social networking sites to promote and take orders
from customers.

Hadhatina Abdul Halim, 30, a housewife with an Information Technology
Diploma from Universiti Kuala Lumpur, said her gross monthly income from health product sales via her blog could reach five figures.

Hadhatina, who has two children, the elder aged 16 months and the younger
just four months, got into the business when she stumbled upon a health producton the Internet and became a customer first before deciding to be a distributor.

As an active blogger, she found it convenient to conduct her business on the
Internet. Hadhatina, who was originally from Perak but now resides in Shah Alam, said her big challenge was to gain credibility as a blogger and a source of quality health products.

Another Internet entrepreneur is Siti Aisyah Agus, 26, a housewife with a
Diploma in Management Technology (Accounting) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia who retails contact lens from South Korea.

"Online business gives me the flexibility to manage my time as a mother and
housewife and saves me the cost of operating from a shop," said Siti, who is
expecting her first child in November.

President of the Association of Bumiputera Women Entrepreneurs, Faridah
Jabbar sees the involvement of young mothers in online businesses as a positive first step toward entrepreneurship.

"However the desire for business must be sincere and not for merely to
profiteer or get caught up in an Internet business fad," she said when contacted by Bernama.

She told online business entrepreneurs to be serious and not to jeopardise
the interest of the genuine operators with poor customer service and inferior
products.

"Young women entrepreneurs should not be afraid of competition and should
be creative in ensuring the business is successful and sustainable," she said. 

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