Before heading overseas, travelers plan what to see and do, but they often forget about the financial planning involved with a trip until it's too late.

Besides basic preparations, like making copies of your bank account and credit card information, there are a number of financial measures that can potentially save you from myriad problems while abroad.

If you don't want to pay for your mistakes financially, or with precious time when you'd rather be sightseeing, make sure to go through this financial travel checklist before boarding the plane.

1. Notify your financial institutions.

The money in your bank account has no significance if your account is frozen. Even the slightest deviation from your normal spending pattern can raise a red flag for a fraud department, which may result in your account becoming frozen or your credit card denied.

Prevent this from happening by informing your bank and credit card companies about the location of your travels and the duration of your stay in the foreign country.

2. Set up online accounts.

An online bank account will give you added convenience and security over your funds while traveling overseas. With an online account, you can easily check your balances, transfer and deposit funds, and stay on top of recent transactions.

Setting up automatic payments can also help you pay bills on time and meet your financial duties while thousands of miles from home.

3. Have multiple forms of payment.

Although the ideal form of payment depends on your travel destination and spending habits, it's a good idea to carry a variety of payment methods such as cash, debit cards and credit cards.

It's also wise to have multiple bank accounts and credit cards - especially ones that are accepted internationally, such as Visa and MasterCard for credit cards, and Chase and HSBC for banks.

Even if you're set on using one spending method for the majority of the trip, you should still carry the extra card with you. Also, it is crucial that you have the card you used to book the trip with you at all times, even if you don't intend on using it for foreign transactions.

4. Check the exchange rates.

When traveling abroad, you should familiarize yourself with foreign currency and exchange rates to understand the value of a dollar. You can use an app, like Currency, to find out the latest exchange rates. Note that in addition to exchange rate conversion fees, you may encounter foreign exchange fees when converting money abroad.

5. Sign up for a travel rewards credit card with no foreign transaction fees.

To find the right travel rewards card for you, first analyze your spending habits and travel pattern. Signing up for the right travel rewards credit card will get you a wide range of benefits and perks while traveling - including no foreign transaction fees, which can be beneficial for travelers who use credit cards as their main form of payment overseas. You can also rack up rewards points and miles for travel rewards or cash back.

6. Get an ATM card from an online bank.

Signing up for a no-fee ATM card will give you the freedom to withdraw money without having to worry about racking up fees. Keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to change banks to avoid ATM fees overseas, as many banks will waive them for certain checking account holders.

7. Cash is king.

For Americans, U.S. dollars can be the most cost-effective form of payment, as you automatically save on any fees you would have to pay at a financial institution. Most vendors will also give you a fair exchange rate on the conversion from dollars to their local currency.

Exchanging money at the airport may be convenient, but you'll pay for it with fees and expensive exchange rates. A better idea would be to withdraw the foreign currency through your bank or at an ATM machine upon arrival.

And remember: No one turns down cash. Traveling with a couple hundred dollars worth of emergency cash is a smart decision in the event you can't access money. Just make sure to carry cash in small denominations, as it can be dangerous to flash large amounts of money in public.

You choose a hotel because it advertises free Wi-Fi. But when you log on, you find the connection is agonizingly slow.

"Aha," says the hotel. "You want high-speed, we'll give you high-speed-for just $15 a day more."

That's the newest hotel-fee scam. I've heard more and more reports of hotels offering free, yet painfully slow Wi-Fi, then charging guests to upgrade to a more practical Wi-Fi speed. So far, I haven't seen any published statistics on the number of hotels that are doing it, which hotels do it, and how much they charge.

For now, all we can recommend is that you ask a hotel, in advance, if the "free" Wi-Fi is high-speed or if you have to pay a premium for a high-bandwidth connection. Slow, complimentary Wi-Fi may be fast enough for email and other low-bandwidth applications, but it's likely to be a total bust for video streaming and gaming. When you encounter two-tier Wi-Fi, be sure you note that fact when you submit a review to TripAdvisor (our parent company) or your booking engine.

Here's another approach that might help: Check out Hotel WiFi Test. The site analyzes and displays Wi-Fi speeds at hotels in destinations around the world. This week, Hotel WiFi Test announced that its speed-test results for individual hotels will be displayed directly on major booking sites; this sounds like a good idea, but, as of today, I couldn't find those speed scores on any booking sites. Either I'm losing my online touch or the postings haven't started yet.

When you're a tourist, unfamiliar with your surroundings and vulnerable to needing help or information, you tend to be more trusting of locals and less likely to question what you're being told.

When you cannot speak the language you're even more at risk.

Most scammers are smart and can spot a tourist a mile away - knowing you are more than likely carrying large amounts of cash and credit on you.

This list of common tourist scams put together by justtheflight.co.uk will help you avoid common scam situations, and help you become more alert and aware before you fall victim.

You'll notice some scams are more obvious and you'll instinctively know you have been targeted. But other are a little more devious, leaving you to believe you're at fault for either losing or miscalculating.

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Tips From the Travel Pros: Best Apps for Your Instagram Photos

I had framed it as a "rookie wanting to pitch with the All-Stars" when I first explored professional travel bloggers.

You mean people actually make a career out of traveling? Wait, what? How?

I was serious about learning more. I interviewed 10 very popular and respected travel bloggers for "How to Blog Like An Expert" Part 1 and Part 2.

I made the decision to leap into travel blogging full-time in June, and launched a new blog in July. I bought a Canon 70D...

I have to learn photography. I am shamelessly and overtly obsessed with travel photography. This is not a secret.

I'll be meeting with print journalist Flash Parker for a lesson this week. Wish me luck!

However, capturing people and places -- capturing an entire story within a still moment -- is an art and a skill. Let's be honest, guys: A blog takes up a whole lotta work and time. With so many demands on the blogger agenda, I won't become a photographer overnight.

Insert "crying" emoji.

Fortunately, there's this medium called Instagram, which allows us to post photos at a portion of the size. *Cheeky cheeky,* there's no reason for me not to improve my photos when they're thumb-sized. Especially when there are numerous apps that can easily boost an Instagram photo's quality.

So I did what I think anyone should do when committed to self-improvement: I reached out to some of the pros.

Originally, I thought that if I reached out to 10 people for their suggestions, I would get feedback on 10 new apps to try. I shouldn't have been surprised that most professional Instagrammers use the same apps.

Here it is, fellow travelers -- the Instagram apps used by the experts

These days you can bring your small dog or cat with you in the passenger area of the plane when you fly. The TSA has special security procedures. They are offering the following tips for making travel with your pet easier.

Before you go:

* Acclimate your pet to the experience of traveling by familiarizing him with the travel carrier before your trip.
* Know the temperament of your pet and be sure you can maintain control of her in the busy airport.
* Prior to going through security, visit the pet potty area at the north and south ends of the airport. There is an area near the Concourse "B" exit across from Hudson News.

At the airport

* Avoid bringing your pet to an area of an airport where a working K9 is operating with his handler.
* Bring your pet to the security checkpoint in a hand-held carrier. Remove him from the carrier just prior to the beginning of the screening process.
* Don't put your pet into the x-ray tunnel, which is used to screen your personal property and carry-on luggage. Place the empty travel carrier on the belt.
* Your pet should be carried during the screening process, or he can walk on a leash.
* A TSA officer will give your hands an explosive trace detection swab to be sure there is no explosive residue on your hands.
* Once the screening process is complete, put your pet back in the carrier, away from the security checkpoint area.

What if you found yourself next to CNN's rockstar travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain at a party? Obviously, you ask him where you should go on vacation this summer and shake him down for travel advice. We took a sip of vodka, summoned the courage, and did just that.

If you had time for one trip this summer, where would you go?
It's always life-changing to go to Japan for the first time. It's like life before acid and life after acid. Summer might not be the ideal time to visit there though; it's hot and Tokyo is a city full of people. I would also recommend South Vietnam, Nha Trang. A beach in Vietnam would be nice. Chances are it's very different from the everyday experiences that you are used to. Personally I just fell in love with that part of the world.

How do you get around in South Vietnam?
First and foremost, rent a scooter. That's the way to see Vietnam, no question. There is just this flow of thousands of people navigating the provinces on scooters and that's a magical thing to see and to be a part of. You want to be as close to the action as possible. You don't want to see Vietnam from a bus or inside an air conditioned car.

Where was your last visit to?
I just came from Shanghai and it was amazing. You can see the future and it doesn't include us. Just modern building and high-speed rail everywhere. We were up the Congo River where there were no toilets, but everywhere you go there is full signal on your iPhone.

You won a Peabody Award for your Parts Unknown episode visiting Israel and the Gaza. What did that trip mean to you?
I knew it was going to be a difficult show. I didn't want to mess it up. I wanted to be honest about what I saw and what I felt. I worked very, very hard, along with the production crew, to get it right. I'm proud with the result.

What did your family feel about the accomplishment?
Nobody's really impressed by what I do in my family. My wife was in the restaurant business as well and she knows what I was going through about 30 years ago, and chances are whatever I'm doing with the show is a hell of a lot easier than standing on my feet 12 hours a day in a kitchen being a line chef.

You're traveling for the show so often, what do you find yourself doing during your hiatus?
I have to say though that my wife and daughter, who is 7, are my favorite people to travel with. I probably take a month off every year and it's all about what the 7-year-old wants. I let her decide. My brain turns off. Beach? Fine. Hotdogs? Sure. If she doesn't want to get out of her pajamas I'm okay with that too.

What cartoons do you enjoy most?
I'm amazingly up-to-date on Adventure Time, Regular Show, Sanjay and Craig. I'm a big fan of Sam and Cat, especially the illegal toddler climbing episode.

Your imprint is going to publish a biography from Shep Gordon. He's got so many great tales as a manager, are there any that you're making him put in the book?
I just want to let Shep be Shep. When you're talking about a guy like that there is no shortage of amazing stories.

The featured article above was written by Charles Thorp.

Traveling to a new country is always tricky, but there are lots of logistics to figure out if you’re bringing small children along. Contributing writer and family travel expert Margot Black shares her experience of traveling through Japan with her son, and gives five tips on how to travel to Japan with a small child.

There’s no denying it: Japan is an exotic destination for any traveler, let alone a wide-eyed six-year-old. Yet my husband and I thought that our son would benefit from a long-haul vacation that promised to be a giddy blend of culture, adventure, and education.

The trick with taking a small child to a country so totally different from ours is to create an itinerary that takes into account their tiny people needs. It’s not as difficult as it sounds, but it does require some forward thinking.

Our once-in-a-lifetime vacation to the “Land of the Rising Sun” was split among three days in Tokyo, four days with Walk Japan along the Kiso Road, three days in Kyoto, a delightful day trip to Nara, and finally back to Tokyo, which included a pre-airport visit to Disney Tokyo.

On paper, it looked like a risky parenting maneuver, but it’s all about checks and balances, packing lots of snacks, his old stroller (that I retrieved from storage but which came in very handy), and the promise of a good time with Mickey Mouse at the end of it.

You will also need a huge sense of humor. This is a country where the heated toilets do everything short of singing the national anthem every time you flush!

We really didn’t expect our bathroom activities to be so exciting. If you told me every pee would set off giggles galore I would never have believed you. We experienced so many types of toilets that the three of us held a judging competition every time we used the restroom. I particularly loved the toilet in a Subway in Kyoto, that played bird songs to hide embarrassing lady noises. Even the McDonald’s in Tokyo offered a nice warm seat, and we loved the slippers that, as custom, you are required to wear while using many bathrooms. Our first hotel offered our son dolphin slippers which was a cute cultural kickoff.

My husband became so enamored of their toilet technology that he bought one for the house. I kid you not. “Does my cold American tushie not merit more?” he said, when he told me about his heated sit-on-and-spray purchase. We all still squeal with delight when we use it.

We flew into Tokyo airport and happily for our son, the plane showed his favorite Disney movies. He was in heaven and now thinks that air travel is the best thing on Earth. As soon as we got to Tokyo though, jet-lag kicked in and he conked out. That’s when I knew that, despite my husband’s initial objections, the stroller was going to come in very handy. He also conked out two afternoons in Kyoto, but having the stroller meant he could nap while we enjoyed the city.

Tokyo is modern and bustling, like a super-charged New York City but with a beautiful and unusual juxtaposition of old and new. There are more than 12 million people living there but we never felt hemmed in. Maybe that’s because we’re used to city life or because we were so distracted by the fact that everything was so different.

We stayed in a business hotel, which was more than fine and a good bet for tourists. At every hotel you book, make sure it has breakfast included. We explored and walked all day and night, and there was no way we had the strength to forage for breakfast. It’s Japan, not Chicago, so it takes a while to get your bearings, and the breakfast buffets were brilliant for our kid. Our favorite was at our last hotel in Nagoya, where they served ‘Rabbi-blessed’ bagels, cut into quarters and flown in from New York. Hilarious! But everywhere the buffets were big, offering both American and Japanese selections, which was great. After a week of fish and tofu, even I was happy to dive into a bowl of chocolate cocoa puffs.

We spent our first three days in Tokyo but for two of those days we were accompanied by a Walk Japan guide steering us around the city. We were so grateful. Although it’s fun to be intrepid, we were able to relax knowing that we wouldn’t get lost.

There are so many cultural highpoints but one that stands out was the Hagoitaichi Sensoji market, which was an explosion of color and people. There’s also a temple, but the arcade was packed and it was super fun seeing all the different products on sale, many of which were created for religious festivals. We also toured a Karate school (my kid is crazy about karate), which we wouldn’t have done without a guide.

We also briefly visited the Hanayashiki Amusement Park, billed as the oldest amusement park in Japan (“Open since 1853”), but it was super expensive, so we went on just a couple of rides and left quickly. After a few days, we realized that the parks were as much fun. In fact, we spent extra time in Nara instead of hustling onto Osaka because we fell in love with the deer in the park. We planned to have a picnic but the deer made it impossible with their heads in my backpack, so we wound up eating in the parking lot of a convenience store.

We spent a lot of time in the beautiful parks. They are kid-proof, after all. We’d packed an inflatable ball and had a fabulous time kicking it around. After that we’d feed the fish in the ponds (huge koi, biggest I’ve ever seen!)– all these things you can do at home but it makes for memorable family bonding time and is easy (something that’s a must when you’re travelling through a foreign land with a small child).

We also visited the Tokyo National Museum, which was stunning and a fantastic way to learn more about the country’s history. But the best thing in the world was the Tsukiji fish market. The place was crammed with vendors, buyers, and every fish imaginable. It was brilliant. We had to get up early to get there for trading, but it was well worth it.

We were visiting during cherry blossom season and it was unbelievably beautiful, but technology often won out over nature. Japanese vending machines are on steroids and our son loved them. Thanks to jet lag were were up at 4.30 am the first few days and at that time there’s not much to do except wait for breakfast, so we’d explore the vending machines. They sell everything from underpants to hot tea to fish-flavored noodles. We’d have “weird tasting parties” and buy strange looking jelly-beans, unable to tell exactly what we were buying. We allowed our son one vending machine treat each day and he was always excited (and it was a good bargaining tool).

The four days we booked to tour the Kiso Valley with Walk Japan were a supreme and joyous cultural highlight. We became immersed in a magical world which would have not been possible without an organized trip.

The Kiso Road is one of the most beautiful sections of the Nakasendo Way. The backdrop to some of our walks was the incredible Mount Ontake, one of Japan’s largest volcanoes. We stayed in family-run inns and enjoyed hot spring baths (very useful after a day walking) and fabulous authentic meals. At the first inn, we slept on traditional floor mats, which was phenomenal.

They also provided us with traditional Japanese gowns at dinner, which was pure joy for our son who loves dressing up, and a nice change from sweats.

We’d been reading Harry Potter books to our son, so he was naturally smitten with the Japanese brooms, which look Quidditch-ready. We took lots of photos of him ‘flying’ on his broomstick and, while we were surrounded by this verdant country that is rich with tradition and history, those happy photos will be cherished forever.

The walking was spectacular. We saw waterfalls that took our breath away, but it should be said that the Japanese idea of an easy walk is pretty damn intense. It was a real test of fitness–thank heavens I’d walked uphill every day for two years during our son’s school drop off–and when he got tired, we put him in the stroller. Definitely pack one of those if you’re with a child under eight. Nap time aside, he soaked up the culture. He can now say hello in Japanese and references the trip all the time.

We also enjoyed Kyoto, which we visited by train, using our pre-booked, pre-paid, and pre-issued (in America) Rail Japan passes. Kyoto is known as the “City of Ten Thousand Shrines” and we acclimated into this former imperial capital immediately, enjoying endless examples of Japan’s elegant spiritual and architectural past.

We visited Buddhist gardens, temples, museums, and kept our fingers crossed hoping to catch a glimpse of the occasional Geisha. We loved dining in the traffic-free Pontocho district just across from Gion, because we could allow our son to run freely through the narrow street without fear of cars.

Back in Tokyo, we surprised our son with a visit to Tokyo Disneyland. We live less than an hour from Anaheim, CA, so this wasn’t a unique experience, but I’d scoped a cheap hotel ten minutes from the park and, after our cultural immersion, it was the perfect ending to our stay.

We also visited DisneySea, which was okay but more suited to older kids. Neither parks held any surprises for our little Cali-based family unit, but after all that local food (we drowned in yummy noodles, wok-fried vegetables, and rice) we really enjoyed our burgers and fries slathered in ketchup.

It was an amazing trip to a faraway land that far exceeded our expectations. We weren’t prepared for the delight of all that toilet exploration but that, my friends, is the beauty of travel.

Five Tips for Traveling to Japan With a Small Child

1. Bring your own Wi-Fi. Since we’re Americans who both have jobs and need to be connected, my husband rented a Pocket Wi-Fi from pupuru.com. The price came just under $100 for the two weeks. My husband had it sent directly to our hotel, and it was great to have it waiting for us.  It was an amazing help, especially during the remote walking parts. We always had a good connection, used Skype to stay in touch with family and work back home, and saved a bundle on roaming fees.

2. Buy a Japan Rail Pass in advance. In order to get the discount they must be purchased in America before you travel. The tickets are paper issued, so you need to leave enough time for them to arrive in the mail. We spent a week taking trains around Japan, so it was worthwhile. The downside is that you need to be very good at reading train schedules. Our tickets didn’t cover all the fast bullet trains and we couldn’t always work this out or understand why. We would just get on a train and hope for the best! Fortunately, our Walk Japan guide got us situated at the train station and explained the basics and over the course of a week, the passes saved us a bunch of money. The initial activation once in Japan required a little bit of time at the station and a lot of patience.

3. Japan is a country that requires you to be culture smart before you arrive, so do a little study before you go. Learn three words in Japanese–hello, thank you, and bathroom. We bought a tiny pocket guide called The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture in Japan by Paul Norbury, and my husband read it to my son before we traveled, which was very helpful. We understood why there were slippers for us in the bathroom. Take note, pack a lot of socks; they will be on display as you take off your shoes a lot and you’ll go through a lot of them. I went to Payless and bought tie dye socks which I entertained myself with, and my son loved his Spiderman and soccer designs. Pack raincoats too—we needed ours a couple of times.

4. Although I’m an intrepid traveler and can do a lot of things for myself, I was truly grateful that we booked our organized tours with guides. On one of the tours we were booked into adorable B&Bs that we would never have found on our own, and they became a highlight. We hired a guide from Walk Japan in Tokyo to tour a karate school, which again was something that wouldn’t have happened if we’d been left to our own devices.

5. My kid is too old for a stroller, but I bought one anyway because with jet lag and a lot of touring, by the time we got to Kyoto he was conked. I did it for me as much as for him. Were able to keep walking while he napped, which freed us from our hotel room. He hasn’t napped for two years, but it was necessary.

I learned more than ever on this trip to allow kids the time to be kids. You may be surrounded by ancient culture and traditions, but let them play with the dog you stumble upon, eat ice cream, pizza, and burgers, and play ball in the park. A happy kid means happy parents and happy travels!