For Italy and similar destinations, bring a debit card for cash withdrawals, a credit card for purchases, and a little cash in reserve. You generally don’t need to exchange your whole trip budget before leaving.

Bring enough local cash to cover your arrival and a day or two of essentials. Buying a small amount before departure can be worth the convenience.

Once there, withdraw cash as needed from bank ATMs with your debit card. Before you leave, check your bank’s foreign transaction and withdrawal fees, along with your daily withdrawal limit. The ATM operator may charge its own fee. With a suitable card, overseas ATM withdrawals can be cost-effective. [Visa’s travel guidance](https://www.visa.co.uk/cross-border.html)

For purchases, use a credit card with low or no foreign transaction fees wherever it’s accepted. Avoid using it to withdraw cash, which is generally treated as a cash advance and comes with fees and interest. [Bank of Italy’s payment guidance](https://www.bancaditalia.it/compiti/sispaga-mercati/strumenti-pagamento/index.html?com.dotmarketing.htmlpage.language=1)

If a terminal or ATM asks which currency to use, choose the local currency. In Italy, that means euros. Decline the machine’s currency conversion, since conversion into your home currency typically includes an extra markup. Declining that conversion doesn’t mean you’ve declined any ATM withdrawal fee; those are separate charges. [Visa’s explanation](https://www.visa.com/en-gb/personal/travel/dynamic-currency-conversion)

You and your wife should keep backup cards and some emergency cash separately. Ideally, bring cards from different banks so you still have access to money if one card is blocked or a bank has an outage. Know your PINs, check whether your banks require travel notifications, and keep their contact details handy.

I’d avoid traveler’s checks as your main source of money. Their replacement protection is useful only if you can readily spend or redeem them. American Express no longer issues new traveler’s checks, though existing ones remain valid and redeemable. [American Express](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/travel/travelers-cheques/)

How much cash to carry depends on where you’ll need it. There’s no single best percentage: bring enough for places that require cash and replenish it along the way. If you’re visiting somewhere with limited ATMs or unreliable acceptance of foreign cards, research those restrictions before deciding how to divide your money.