Yep, I know what you’re thinking. Credit cards are scary and get you in sorts of financial trouble. And yes they do. However, when used carefully and correctly, credit cards are an incredibly useful tool when it comes to budget surf travel. 

Many credit cards come with sign-up bonuses in the form of air miles, airport lounge access, and more! They can also be used to build up air miles every time you spend on your card and are actually a requirement for most hire car companies. The credit cards available will depend on where you live… 

Some of the best credit cards include: 

UK

• American Express Gold Card 
• American Express British Airways Credit Card 

USA 

• Capital One Venture Card 

I used the Amex Gold last year and got two free Priority Pass lounge access which I used on long-haul flights in Fiji and California.

Some of these cards offer free membership for the first year, so you can just use them and then cancel them before you need to pay. 

However, you’ll need to be careful and make sure you pay your card off in full every month to avoid interest. The best way to do this is to spend what you were going to spend anyway, but paying on your credit card, then immediately transfer the money over from your checking account.

This way the negative balance doesn’t build up and get out of hand. It’s also important to make sure everything you spend still feels like it’s coming out of your bank account, as it’s easy to get complacent. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it sucks! 

Additionally, paying a credit card off every month can help build your credit score, which in the long run can help you secure a home loan! But don’t worry about that yet, let’s focus back on the waves. 

Summary: 

• Sign up for the credit cards available in your country. 

*Please note, I’m not a financial advisor and you should know the risks involved with credit card use, so please do your own due diligence. These are just things I do, that I think can help you get more waves 🙂