 TITLE: How to Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees CONTENT: Watch Out for Conversion and Transaction Fees\n---------------------------------------------\nFees for foreign transactions can come in several forms, and they can depend on what currency you're paying in and where you're making a purchase.\nFirst, there are currency conversion fees that payment networks, banks, ATM operators and merchants may charge. These are markups on the conversion rate, and are generally unavoidable. There are, however, ways to minimize them.\nSome debit and credit cards also charge foreign transaction fees. The fee can apply whenever you make a purchase in foreign currencies or if a foreign bank processes your transaction.\nAs a result, if you're traveling abroad, you could be charged a foreign transaction fee even if you're paying a merchant in U.S. dollars. You could also be charged the fee if you're in the U.S. and make a purchase online that's in a foreign currency.\nHowever, the foreign transaction fees are easy to avoid if you use a card that doesn't have the fee. END