Ideally, we’d express our love to our significant other every day of the year, but the pressure to demonstrate our love is particularly intense whenever Valentine’s Day approaches.

Retailers certainly got the memo, if aisles full of chocolates, flowers and teddy-bear-shaped trinkets are any indication. But showing love isn’t — or shouldn’t be — contingent on spending huge wads of cash on prix fixe menus or sparkly jewelry.

Romantic gestures are romantic because they’re surprising, thoughtful or show a keen understanding of the person we love. We’re not saying you should refuse to spend any money on your significant other, but money shouldn’t be the primary point. As inspiration, we asked real people for some of the best relationship moments they’ve experienced that barely cost a thing.

1. Getting down and dirty

“This romantic story is from my first Valentine’s Day with my current boyfriend, two years ago. Since it was our first Valentine’s Day together, I really didn’t know what to expect from him. In addition, I actually had to work on Valentine’s Day — a client had an event that night.

“I had parked my car at his house for the week. In the middle of the week, we were out at dinner and he said to me, ‘I know Valentine’s Day is coming up on Saturday. I want you to know that I don’t do the generic flowers, candy and dinner thing, but you will always feel that I care and that you are loved.’

So I thought, “OK, this is his way of telling me that he’s not doing anything for Valentine’s Day.”

“Fast forward to that weekend. I got to his house and noticed my entire car had been cleaned inside out. My 14-year-old car that has probably not seen any kind of cleaning in at least a decade was suddenly squeaky clean. He said it was filthy and that the mats alone were run through the washer twice. I just think of him outside in the cold for hours cleaning my car — and at that point, it was only our third month of dating!

“2017 will be our third Valentine’s Day together, and he was right: I do always feel cared for and loved by him — and not just on Valentine’s Day.”

— Jenny C., NY

2. A regular date in an unusual setting

“I once took a woman on a date climbing trees. When we were up in the low branches of one particular tree, a pizza I had ordered beforehand got delivered to the tree and we ate above the ground.

“I actually had to visit the pizza shop, pay in full and give explicit directions. After all, trees don’t have an address. I selected a tree whose branches spread out over a running path (so that people would see us). She loved it. We ended up dating for about two years.”

— Steve S., MA

3. Surprising your partner

“Before my husband and I were married, he was a graduate student with little money. One time, he baked cookies and mailed them to my job. He made chocolate chip cookies, sealed them and then sent them Priority Mail. I was teaching at a high school at the time and was in the teachers’ lounge when I opened the package. My friends were over-the-top impressed and said he’d be the one I’d marry — and if I didn’t marry him, they would!

“He also kept a journal of our dates and outings and glued artifacts to the journal — like pictures, ticket stubs, love notes, poems or quotes he found, clippings from magazines, and so on. It was all very sweet and extremely memorable. I thought it was great and romantic. It took him a lot of time when it would have been easier for him to just buy something. It also showed me he was really paying attention to me.”

— Kanesha B., CA

4. Lots of little gestures

“My husband wrote things that he loved about me on Post-it notes and put them on our bathroom mirror in the shape of a heart. Another time, he made our initials on the floor of our closet with Hershey’s Kisses. He purchased a few roses, removed the petals and spelled out ‘I love you’ on our bed.

“Another time, he got my co-worker to convince me to go out to lunch with her, and once we arrived at the deli he was there waiting for me and she left. He also sent an invitation via Eventbrite for a massage performed by him.”

— Nikita M., D.C.

5. Saying it in a song

“My husband is a singer/songwriter, and he just wrote a song for me. It was so beautiful and made us both cry — when he was writing it and when he played it for the first time for me. My husband is a hobbyist, but he’s played guitar for 45 years. He is very, very good at it.

“Of course, many people don’t have the talent to write an original song, but every couple has a favorite love song, and most people can at least sing a tune. What a wonderful romantic gesture if a lover took the time to learn a song to sing it to his or her lover, with accompaniment if one can play. Believe me, a few missed notes won’t make a difference in the rendition. It really is the thought that counts.”

— Pam D., PA

It’s kind of ironic that a season of decadence is often followed by one of self-discipline and resolution — from glittery holiday parties and overspending to budgets, diets and New Year’s resolutions. The holiday hangover in January is often more painful than we like to admit.

Taking care of just a few key financial tasks each month can help you get out of the feast-and-famine cycle — and ensure you’re just as financially confident in July and December as you are right after you’ve set your new year’s intentions.

We spoke to Cary Carbonaro, author of “The Money Queen’s Guide” and managing director at United Capital; Alex Pape, principal and portfolio manager of Huckleberry Capital Management; and Marguerita Cheng, Certified Financial Planner™ and CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth, for their insights on the financial to-dos you can tackle throughout the year for maximum money success.

Here’s our month-by-month guide.

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

January

1. Write down your New Year’s resolutions and post them somewhere you’ll see them regularly, such as your fridge. Consider turning your most important resolution into an “oath” to codify the commitment to yourself. For example, “I promise to bring lunch to work three days a week.” Another great way to stick to your resolution? “Share it on social media to hold yourself accountable,” Carbonaro says.

2. Calculate your net worth in January so you can start the year with a fresh budget, Carbonaro suggests.

3. Consider opening a Christmas club-type savings account at the beginning of the year so you don’t get a debt hangover after the holidays, Carbonaro suggests. Originally pioneered during the Great Depression, Christmas clubs were financial accounts in which people added cash throughout the entire year. They then used that money for holiday gifts down the road.

While these accounts are less popular today, you can DIY a Christmas club by automating savings each month, ideally in an interest-bearing account. If you save $75 a month, you’ll have $900 at the end of the year (or even more, if you manage to earn some interest).

February

1. Start gathering tax documents, Carbonaro suggests, such as W-2 and 1099 forms, and receipts for your charitable contributions, so you’re prepared when it’s time to start doing your taxes.

2. Check your credit report. With Credit Karma, you can check your credit reports from TransUnion and Equifax each week for free. Additionally, you can check your report from each of the three main credit bureaus once a year for free with AnnualCreditReport.com.

3. Aim to have your credit cards paid off in full by the end of the month, Carbonaro says. Whether you’re still dealing with a holiday debt hangover or simply have other debts in your life, try giving yourself a deadline to work toward.

March

1. Get your taxes done early. If you use an accountant, give them a call ASAP, since this is busy season and you’ll want to make sure they can fit you in. And if you’re doing your taxes on your own, remember that waiting until April to start crunching numbers and tallying deductions can be incredibly stressful.

2. Start thinking about the gifts you’ll want to give throughout the year for weddings, birthdays and even the distant winter holidays. Now study up on the best times of year to buy different kinds of items so you can stock up whenever they go on deep discount, even if that means buying a stroller in May for a baby shower you anticipate for the fall.

3. Search your financial statements for any recurring charges that you can ditch. Maybe you have a subscription for a magazine you hardly read, a premium LinkedIn or Spotify account that you don’t use enough to justify the cost, or a delivery service that you don’t actually finish each month.

April

1. “Should you receive a sizable tax refund,” Cheng says, “consider adjusting your tax withholding to have more cash flow throughout the year.” Remember, while it feels great to receive a refund, the government is, in fact, refunding you because you overpaid throughout the year.

2. Plan summer travel before prices go up. Check out money-saving resources such as Airfarewatchdog or Kayak to land inexpensive airfare, so you can start planning your travel budget early.

May

1. Reassess your monthly budget, especially as the weather heats up and summer spending temptations are on the horizon. Look over your spending since the beginning of the year to see whether you’ve been staying within budget and if you’re hitting your savings goals. If not, figure out what needs to change.

2. If your company offers 401(k) matching and you’re not already taking advantage of it, Pape says, “it’s time to rekindle that possibility.” If you’re not making a contribution to your 401(k), that’s money you may be leaving on the table.

3. Think about drafting a living will and appointing a health care proxy. These documents let you state your wishes for your own medical care, and who has authority to make medical decisions for you, should you become incapacitated. You’ll want to talk to your loved ones and an attorney about your options and consider them carefully.

June

1. Sit down for a midyear check-in. Are you on track with your New Year’s resolutions? If not, what can you do to change that? This transcends simple budgeting: If your resolution was to pay down your debt, are you making progress? If you resolved to give more to charity, have you done so?

2. Use the summer lull to figure out how you can grow your human capital: “When we’re early in our careers, our human capital — our future earnings — is much larger than our financial capital,” Pape says. “Investment in human capital at this stage, such as earning a second degree or working late to secure a promotion, can make a major difference over the rest of our life.”

3. Track down your old 401(k)s. “Today, [as we] change jobs more frequently, we often create a messy hodgepodge of retirement accounts,” Pape says. One thing to consider doing is rolling 401(k) accounts from previous employers into an IRA to reduce the number of accounts to track and potentially reduce costs.

July

1. Check out your employee benefits. While co-workers are away on vacation, use the quiet time to question HR about all the benefits at your disposal. Do you have access to a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA)? What about child care benefits or gym subsidies?

2. If you only requested one credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com in February, take this opportunity to request your report from a different bureau, and make sure your credit history doesn’t show any fraud or accounts you don’t recognize. If you spot an error, you can dispute it.

3. Take a look at your savings account balances, and calculate whether you’re on track to retire. Though retirement may feel like a long way off, it’s a huge expense. And the earlier you start saving, the more time your money has to grow.

August

1. Name beneficiaries on all of your financial accounts. This ensures that, if something happens to you, the people you love may inherit your accounts smoothly and without issue. Many financial accounts let you name beneficiaries (sometimes called transfer-on-death or TOD) online.

A little morbid, sure — but it’s important and easy to do between all that sunbathing and sitting poolside.

2. Saving money and being responsible are great, but it’s also important to enjoy life once in a while. After all, if you never let yourself enjoy your money, you may end up binging and spending more than you intended. So, plan a sensible splurge as the summer winds down — maybe going to a nice dinner, having cocktails with your friends or buying a reasonably priced tech gadget you’ve been eyeing — so you can enjoy life without totally blowing your budget.

3. The end of summer can be a good time for end-of-season travel. If you didn’t plan your summer travel in advance back in April or if you’re looking for autumn getaways, this is a good opportunity to find great prices. “Check out last-minute travel deals,” Carbonaro says, “and don’t forget Groupon and LivingSocial deals.”

September

1. Make a list of your most important work goals, both short- and long-term, so you can refocus on your career now that vacation season is ending. “It’s time to get back to work!” Carbonaro says.

2. Decide if you should work with a financial adviser. If you struggle with the emotional side of managing finances or simply prefer to spend your leisure time on other pursuits, consider outsourcing some or all of your investment management.

If the idea of a human adviser seems cumbersome — or, perhaps, old-fashioned — consider set-and-forget investment software, such as that offered by Wealthfront, Betterment, FutureAdvisor or various others. Be aware that many of these services charge fees.

3. Write down all the fees you’ve paid so far this year, including ATM fees, interest charges and late fees. Make a plan to avoid each one in the future. Maybe that means switching to a bank that doesn’t charge ATM fees, seriously cutting back on spending until you can pay off all your outstanding debts or creating monthly calendar alerts so you never miss a bill payment again.

October

1. Plan your holiday budget early so spending doesn’t sneak up on you. Start shopping for gifts now so you can catch the tail end of back-to-school season in addition to the usual holiday deals.

2. Check whether you’ve got the insurance coverage you need. Do you need to update your life insurance policy? Do you need to change the coverage amount on your homeowners or renters insurance? Should you think about long-term care insurance for any of your loved ones?

November

1. Be on the lookout for gotchas while you shop. “Consider carefully before opening any cards in order to receive discounts,” Cheng recommends. A small discount today could hurt your credit score if you open too many credit cards at once, or if you’re tempted to overspend with your new plastic.

2. Check your credit report again, this time from the last of the three credit bureaus. Check for any signs of fraud or financial activity you don’t recognize, and dispute any errors that could be affecting your credit.

3. In preparation for the holidays, Carbonaro suggests doing a Secret Santa with your family to cut down on gift buying. This way you only have to buy for one person in the family. Or if you have the time and inclination, consider making homemade personalized gifts.

December

1. Finalize your charitable contributions for the year. As long as you donate before Dec. 31, your contributions will count toward the current tax year, which means you can deduct the contributions accordingly, as allowed by the law.

2. “This is a good time to rebalance your portfolio, which should be done once a year,” Carbonaro says. This entails buying and selling investments to make sure you maintain your target asset allocation (the mix of stocks, bonds and other investments that you hold).

3. Though the IRA contribution deadline is in April, other kinds of retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s, have an end-of-year deadline, Carbonaro says. “Make sure you make your final contributions before the year end.”

From world-expanding classes to parties you swear to never talk about again, college is a time of growth and self discovery.

Graduating from meal plans and dorm life can be scary, but it’s also a time to spread your adult wings and show your family (and yourself) what you’re capable of.

Starting out on your own can be stressful when it comes to money, but there are a number of things you can do before graduation to make sure you’re prepared.

Think you’re ready for the real world? Check out these seven financial milestones you could consider hitting before graduation.

Milestone No. 1: Open your own bank accounts

Even if your parents financially supported you throughout college — and they plan to support you after graduation — aim to open checking and savings accounts in your own name by the time you graduate.

Getting a checking account may be useful for receiving future paychecks and sending rent checks to your landlord. Meanwhile, a savings account can offer a higher interest rate, so you can start building a nest egg for the future. Look for accounts that offer low or no minimum balances, no monthly fees, and convenient online banking apps.

Reviewing your account statements regularly can give you a sense of ownership and responsibility, and you’ll establish habits that you’ll rely on for years to come, like staying on top of your spending.

Milestone No. 2: Make, and stick to, a budget

The principles of budgeting are the same whether you’re living off an allowance or a paycheck from an employer — your total income minus your expenses should be greater than zero.

If it’s less than zero, you’re spending more than you can afford.

When thinking about how much money you have to spend, “be sure to use income after taxes and deductions, not your gross income,” says Syble Solomon, financial behaviorist and creator of Money Habitudes.

She recommends making a list of your bills in the order they’re due, as paying all your bills once a month might lead to you missing a payment if everything has a different due date.

After graduation, you’ll likely have to start repaying your student loans. Factor your student loan payment plan into your budget to make sure you don’t fall behind on your payments, and always know how much you have left over to spend on other things.

Milestone No. 3: Apply for a credit card

Credit can be scary, especially if you’ve heard horror stories about people going broke because of irresponsible spending sprees.

But a credit card can also be a powerful tool for building your credit history, which can impact your ability to do everything from getting a mortgage to buying a car.

How long you’ve had credit accounts can be an important component of how the credit bureaus calculate your score. So consider getting a credit card in your name by the time you graduate college to begin building your credit history.

Opening a card in your name — perhaps with your parents as cosigners — and using it responsibly can build your credit history over time.

If you can’t get a traditional credit card on your own, a secured credit card (this is a card where you put down a deposit in the amount of your credit limit as collateral and then use the card like a traditional credit card) could be a great option for establishing a credit history.

An alternative is to become an authorized user on your parents’ credit card. If the primary account holder has good credit, becoming an authorized user can add positive credit history to your report. However, if he’s irresponsible with his credit, it can affect your credit history as well.

If you get a card, Solomon says, “Pay your bills on time and plan to pay them in full unless there’s an emergency.”

Milestone No. 4: Create an emergency fund

Being an independent adult means being able to handle things when they don’t go exactly as planned. One way to do this is to save up a rainy-day fund for emergencies such as job loss, health expenses or car repairs.

Ideally, you’d save up enough to cover six months’ living expenses, but you can start small.

Solomon recommends setting up automatic transfers of 5 to 10 percent of your income straight from your paycheck into your savings account.

“Once you’ve saved up an emergency fund, continue to save that percentage and put it toward future goals like investing, buying a car, saving for a home, continuing your education, travel and so on,” she says.

Milestone No. 5: Start thinking about retirement

Retirement can feel ages away when you’ve barely even graduated college, but you’re not too young to open your first retirement account.

In fact, time is the most important factor you have going for you right now, and in 10 years you’ll be really grateful you started when you did.

If you get a job that offers a 401(k), consider pouncing on that opportunity, especially if your employer will match your retirement contributions.

A match might be considered part of your overall compensation package. With a match, if you contribute X percent to your account, your employer will contribute Y percent. Failing to take advantage means leaving benefits on the table.

Milestone No. 6: Protect your stuff

What would happen if a robber broke into your apartment and stole all your stuff? Or if there were a fire and everything you owned got ruined?

Either of those situations could be costly, especially if you’re a young person without savings to fall back on. Luckily, renters insurance could cover these scenarios and more, usually for about $190 a year.

If you already have a renter’s insurance policy that covers your items as a college student, you’ll probably need to get a new quote for your first apartment, since premium prices vary based on a number of factors, including geography.

And if not, graduation and adulthood is the perfect time to learn how to buy your first insurance policy.

Milestone No. 7: Have a money talk with your family

Before getting your own apartment and beginning a self-sufficient adult life, have a frank discussion about your, and your family’s, expectations. Here are some topics to discuss to make sure everyone’s on the same page.

• If you don’t have a job immediately after graduation, how will you pay for living expenses? Is moving back home a possibility?
• Will anyone help you with your student loan repayments, or will you be solely responsible?
• If your family previously gave you an allowance during your college years, will that stop once you graduate?
• If you don’t have a robust emergency fund yet, what would happen if you were hit with a financial emergency? Would your family be able to help, or would you be on your own?
• Who will pay for your health, auto and renters insurance?

Bottom line

Graduating college and entering the real world is a landmark accomplishment, full of intimidating new responsibilities and a lot of exciting possibilities. Making sure you’re fully prepared for this new stage of your life can help you face your future head-on.

Is $2,000 a lot to spend for a weeklong vacation in Europe? What about $7,000 for a six-month backpacking trip? Or the same amount for a luxury holiday in Hawaii?

In my experience, there’s no “good” or “bad” price for a vacation because every person, budget and exciting trip is different.

I recently traveled to Ethiopia and Kenya for just under a month, visiting ancient churches, experiencing a foreign culture, sweltering in one of the hottest places on earth and going on safari.

How much is reasonable to spend on a once-in-a-lifetime trip like that? It’s hard to determine simply by thinking about how much it’s worth to you.

When I start determining how much I’m prepared to spend on an upcoming vacation, I begin with two key variables: the minimum it’d cost to do this trip the right way and how much I have at my disposal right now.

How to budget for a dream vacation

1. How I estimated my travel budget
2. Comparing the estimates to my bank account
3. Keeping track of it all

How I estimated my travel budget

The first step, for me, is to do a back-of-the-envelope calculation of roughly how much the trip I’m envisioning will cost.

Airfare

I planned to cash in frequent flier miles for my flight from the U.S. to Ethiopia, meaning I’d only have to shell out around $100 in fees and taxes for that leg of the trip. Rather than braving public buses in Ethiopia, I decided to take four domestic flights, which could have cost around $550, according to some research I did.

However, Ethiopian Airlines discounts domestic flights by as much as 50 percent if you also book an international flight with them — which I did from Ethiopia to Kenya, a flight that cost $200 — so I only ended up paying $275 for my flights around Ethiopia.

Total estimated cost: $575

Accommodations

I figured hotels in Ethiopia and Kenya would be cheaper than in more developed countries, but there isn’t the same kind of backpacking scene that you’d get in Europe, where it’s possible to stay in budget accommodations or even share a hostel dorm room. In Africa, I’d need to stay in hotels, except for the three days when I’d crash at my friend’s apartment in Nairobi. My trip was a total of 24 days, so I’d need to pay for accommodations for 21 nights at an estimated cost of about $40 per night.

Total estimated cost: $840

Food

This is hard to estimate when you’ve never been somewhere and don’t know how much things cost, but it felt safe to say I could figure out breakfast for under $5, lunch for under $7 and dinner for under $10 (so about $22 per day for 24 days).

Total estimated cost: $525

Tours

Some of the places on my itinerary could only be accessed through a guided group; my trip to the Danakil Depression required a four-wheel drive vehicle, drivers, cooks, sleeping accommodations, a guide and even armed guards, making it impossible to do it myself. It also didn’t seem worth bringing all the gear I’d need for a hiking/camping excursion in the Simien Mountains. Then there was the three-day, two-night safari, which also isn’t exactly a show-up-on-foot-and-try-to-see-lions situation. So, at the outset, I knew I’d do at least three organized trips.

Before departing, my friend and I emailed some tour guides. We were quoted $600 a person for four days in the Danakil Depression, $150 for the Simien Mountains and $320 for my safari, not counting $160 in national park fees simply to get into the Masaai Mara preserve.

Total estimated cost: $1,230

Gear

I decided to budget for a new backpack for this trip. Before I bought it, I estimated the cost around $150. Plus, I’d need decent trail shoes for hiking up a volcano and around the Simien Mountains. Let’s call that another $100. Additionally, I decided to splurge on a $100 water sterilizer so I’d be able to drink tap water whenever I wanted.

Total estimated cost: $350

Souvenirs

I’m not a huge souvenir-buyer, but I had about eight people to buy gifts for, and I planned to spend roughly $20 per person.

Total estimated cost: $160

Miscellaneous

What about entrance fees to attractions? Taxis? Random other expenditures? Unforeseen costs? And what if I underestimated some other category? I decided to buffer my estimations by an additional $10 a day.

Total estimated cost: $240

Comparing the estimates to my bank account

If all those estimations were accurate, I’d need $3,920 for this vacation. Better to overestimate than underestimate, so let’s call that $4,000. Once that number is squared away, the next question has to be: Can I actually afford this trip?

Years ago, when I got my first raise at my old job, I vowed not to change my lifestyle in a meaningful way — instead, I’d save the difference between my old salary and my new one. Because of this, I was able to afford this trip without any danger to my emergency fund or other long-term savings.

If the answer was no, I’d have two options: I could put the vacation on hold and save for a while longer in order to hit my target. Or, if I really wanted to travel sooner than that, I could come up with a number I could comfortably afford and then find some other vacation to fit that amount.

Keeping track of it all

While on my trip, it was important to keep an eye on how I was trending so I’d know if I was spending way more than my target.

I traveled with a friend for most of the trip, so we kept track of our shared costs through an app called Splitwise. When it came to money I spent alone, I wrote it down on paper.

Importantly, I did not stress myself out by worrying too hard about how much I spent in which category. I prefer to calculate running daily averages for my spending, which provide a top-level view of how I’m trending for my overall vacation.

Bottom line

Did I succeed?

Thanks to the power of overestimation, I actually came in under budget — I spent between $3,300 and $3,400. Turns out, I way overestimated the cost of food in Ethiopia. Breakfast was usually included at my hotel, and lunch was often only a couple of dollars.

Hotels were also cheaper than expected. I spent more for a single on the nights I traveled alone, but I generally spent less than $30 a night when I was splitting a double with my friend. Additionally, we were able to negotiate down the price of our excursion to the Danakil Depression by an extra $100 per person.

On the other end of the spectrum, I vastly underestimated the cost of taxis. I spent almost $200 on getting around by taxi within cities. I also underestimated how necessary it’d be to hire guides.

For me, budget overestimation is the key. After all, if I underestimate how much I’ll need, there’s the risk of being stranded and forced to dip into emergency savings. Yet, what’s the harm in saving up $4,000 and only spending $3,400? $600 in my pocket to save for next time.

Ever since my friend moved to Kenya, we’ve been talking about traveling together.

I once had a college professor who said that Ethiopia was the most beautiful country she’d ever seen, so when my friend suggested going there, I jumped at the opportunity. Dramatic, craggy mountains? Ancient churches? Crazy volcanoes, lava lakes and salt formations? Not to mention one of my favorite cuisines? Count me in.

It’ll be the trip of a lifetime: 16 days in Ethiopia, followed by nine days in Kenya. To prepare, I bought a decent backpack, loaded up on travel vaccines and checked with my health insurance about coverage abroad.

But one pre-travel task involved answering a nagging question — what is the best way to pay for things abroad?

To finally set this question to rest, I researched the various options for on-the-ground payments in a foreign country.

Here’s what I found.

Avoid most foreign exchange bureaus and banks.

You’ll likely face unfavorable exchange rates if you try to trade money at your local bank before you leave, plus there might be fees associated with doing so. Similarly, using an exchange bureau at the airport is usually a bad choice — these bureaus typically make money by charging a “spread” between the wholesale exchange rate and what they’re charging you, plus there’s often a commission that’s tacked on. “No fee” exchange bureaus usually aren’t any better, as these tend to build their fee into the unfavorable exchange rate.

Don’t waste your time with travelers’ checks.

The first time I left the country without my parents, I was 17 years old. My mom loaded me up with travelers’ checks, but I was hard-pressed to find anyone to accept them! And that was almost 12 years ago — nowadays, even fewer businesses accept them. You’ll generally need to exchange traveler’s checks at a bank, which is a pain, and then they’ll often charge you high fees simply for doing so… in addition to giving you unfavorable exchange rates. No good.

The ATM will probably be the best option for cash.

It can be nerve-racking to show up in a new country without any local currency, but there are almost always ATMs at the airport, so you won’t be cash-less for long. You may be hit with a number of fees for using an ATM in a foreign country, but at least they tend to offer the wholesale exchange rate, which is usually far better than at any bank or currency exchange kiosk.

I bank with Ally, which charges up to 1 percent for withdrawals in foreign countries and doesn’t charge an additional ATM fee in its own right (though the ATM owner may charge a fee). In comparison, Chase charges 3 percent as an “exchange rate adjustment” if you withdraw foreign currency, plus a flat fee of $5 in addition to whatever fees the machine owner charges. Each time I withdraw from an ATM, I’ll probably have to pay a fee to the company that provides the machine, but this isn’t usually more than a few dollars. My strategy is usually to take out a bunch of cash in as few transactions as possible to minimize the number of times I pay a surcharge.

One caveat: As the whole ATM-is-the-best-option has become common wisdom, travel companies have wised up. Some airports, especially in Europe, have replaced their regular ATMs with special ATMs that offer worse rates, targeted at tourists who don’t know any better. If you see an ATM by a money-exchange company like Travelex or ITT MoneyCorp, be wary. By some accounts, these machines can charge as much as 11 percent more than big-bank ATMs, and that’s often accompanied by an unfavorable exchange rate. Try to look for an ATM owned by a brand-name bank you recognize, or use an app from your financial institution to locate an ATM in your network.

Use a credit card as much as possible… if it doesn’t charge a fee.

There are a number of reasons why credit cards are often the best way to pay for things abroad:

• You can generally dispute charges if anyone steals your card or makes a fraudulent transaction.
• You don’t have to stress out about walking around with a wallet full of cash.
• You won’t be saddled with lots of unspent currency at the end of your trip.
• You can often earn rewards from your credit card even when you use it outside the country.
• Credit cards often offer some of the best exchange rates — you’ll typically receive the wholesale exchange rate, or the “real” rate of exchange without additional markup. If you’re not getting the 100 percent exact wholesale rate, you’ll generally receive something awfully close. To keep up with the most recent exchange rates, I use the free xCurrency app. You can update the numbers anytime you have Wi-Fi and then pull up the app for reference even without an internet connection.

Now for the drawback: Many cards charge foreign transaction fees — often around 2 or 3 percent. Carefully check the terms and conditions of your card for foreign transaction fees.

Paying an extra 3 percent is obviously worse than paying 1 percent to take out cash from an ATM. In the past, I usually veered toward the lesser of the evils — ATM withdrawals — and lived on cash in foreign countries. But this time around, I decided to open a new credit card that didn’t charge any foreign transaction fees at all.

I chose my new card based on factors like rewards, the ease of redeeming those rewards, annual fees, my credit score, whether or not I plan to have a revolving balance and, of course, whether the card had a foreign transaction fee.

Safeguard everything before you go.

I plan to write down my credit and debit card numbers, along with the phone numbers for my card companies, and give that information to select family members. Generally, I try to minimize potential theft by splitting my cash and valuables into different wallets and compartments of my luggage.

I’ve also notified my card companies that I’ll be traveling. My card could be denied if a transaction suddenly appeared somewhere far away — it’s not unrealistic to think it could be fraud if I go from paying for a taxi in New York to buying a sandwich in Nairobi. To prevent that, it’s helpful to give the card issuer a heads up. In the past, you had to call and wait on hold, but now some companies let you notify them through an online form. My credit card lets me do this very easily.

Options fully researched and new credit card in hand, I’m just about ready to embark. The only thing left to do? Actually pack.