Preparing for an overseas holiday usually involves a trip to the money changer at Mustafa or Change Alley in hopes of getting the best exchange rates, and then fearfully rushing home before someone robs you of those big wads of cash.

Now, thanks to multi-currency cards, that is a thing of the past. Just exchange currencies from the comfort of your home, and then use your card to pay or withdraw cash when you’re overseas.

Are these services too good to be true? Should you use them? And before you do, what do you need to know?