A 'smart' note to travelling friends who shop in foreign currency using credit card

For those who travel often and shop in foreign currency using credit card, this is an important information.
If you purchase an item and decided to return it later for whatever reason, do note that you need to inform the merchant to cancel your credit card transaction instead of performing refund into your credit card account.
Last month, I purchased a pair of heels from Macy's and upon returning to the hotel, discovered that there were defects on it. I returned the item on the next day. Today I received my credit card bill and noticed that that the purchase and refund currency conversion actually has a 3.5% difference. In layman words, I am paying 3.5% for nothing with the hassle of buying and returning a defective item. How sad!

* Of course the currency can be the other way round and I could be on the receiving end of the gain. But the fact is that I am now 3.5% poorer :)

Vine Vera

I was window shopping at suntec city the other day when I was approach by this promoter giving out free sample. She tried their nail file on my left thumb, assuring me that the shine can last up to 30 days. I was and still am quite impressed with the results. It has been like 10 days and my nail is still shining looking very healthy compared to my others poor dull looking fingers. Now I am so tempted to go buy the manicure set!

thumb up to DNC

Excellent after the implementation of DNC
this trip compared to 8 months ago, i received so many less smses
and saved some money.
Actually the smses i received were mainly from the bank.
One particular bank actually sent me multiple time of the same message to verify a particular credit card transaction.