Hints from heloise

Hello, Heloise: We just returned from a wonderful vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — although the first day was marred by a credit card not being returned from an ATM after making the transaction! Luckily, I had the same card, so the phone numbers were on the back to call to cancel the card.

What we found out was that it’s a good idea to make a copy of your credit cards — both sides — before going on a vacation, or any other time, actually. When on vacation, put the copy with your passports in the room safe or another safe location. At home, keep the copy in a safe place, one that is readily accessible by family members in case you need to call to cancel the card. We had another credit card, so the trip was OK, but it could’ve been a real financial disaster — A Fan, via e-mail