Internet used during travels

You don't need one but it can't hurt to use one while on the hotel wifi for added security of your personal data. I have one on my smart phone.
Also is it possible for you to pay the bills beforehand or have that automated?

A VPN would be a good idea. A better idea would be to set up automatic bill pay on your accounts. There will be some that you cannot set up this way such as cc’s but this will lessen your risk.

Most of my accounts require two factor authentication, so have that added level of security for use without a VPN. If you are using your phone with data (not connected to wi-fi) then then a VPN is not needed. For general browsing, maps, etc.; you also do not need a VPN. Basically, I have not felt the need to go to a VPN for traveling.

I don't use one, it's not required but if you are especially concerned might be a good idea.

I'd suggest minimizing any banking related work - maybe pick a day once a week and check in then, pay everything, and sign off until the next week. Minimize the number of networks you use your sensitive accounts on. No worries about using the internet daily for general web info maps, research, language help, whatever - just the banking part and anything else valuable.

I use a vpn at home and keep using it while overseas.

I thought about getting one and decided not to for my month long trip to Germany. Bank websites are encrypted and have multiple layers of security so you should be able to pay your bills without a problem. However, I would suggest, as Mary did, that you set up auto-pay for the time you are gone. You can always switch back once you are home. And you CAN set up auto-payments with credit cards, at least for most of them. I have a number of them and they all allow auto payments.

I would also suggest that if you are surfing the web using public wifi, you use an incognito window in your browser, or you may get hit with lots of spam once you are home.

I avoid any such transaction overseas, or even domestically if its a short enough trip. Not everyone can afford to do this, but we usually overpay any accounts that we think will come due, so we carry a credit balance that covers any anticipated bills. But we've never been gone for 6 weeks.

I continue to be astonished by the primitive banking procedures still prevalent in the USA.

I spoke to somebody the other day who still pays bills by check (cheque). I haven't had one of those except for my US account for at least 15 years.

When I go on holiday I don't take any concern of my bills. Various accounts pay different bills which are all done by Direct Debit where the company pulls the agreed amount (actual amount, percentage or fully pay what's due (that is my choice), by agreement) on the appointed day of the month, or by Standing Order where I decide the fixed amount and date myself.

All done under a guarantee of accuracy and I have never had a wrong one.

Set them up once and it takes care of itself.

The last thing I'd want to deal with on holiday is bill paying. I do peek at the apps (one for each bank) every few days...

Oh dear Nigel, I hope this does not start posts comparing and contrasting primitive practices over here versus over there. You are generally right about banking practices -- thank goodness we all have the chip credit cards these days and that contactless payments generally do not require a pin.

In any event, we have had bill pay features for a long time that dispense with the need for mailing paper checks, but it just has taken some time to fully take hold. Personally, I do not write many checks any more or need many stamps to mail envelopes (email has hurt sending mail, too). My last box of checks will last me years and years

If I were traveling for business and had to send/receive sensitive business documents regarding financial or proprietary issues I would use a VPN. But on vacation it's overkill.
Most all websites (including this message board) already have built-in encryption, in addition many banking apps on mobile devices have extra levels of encryption on top of that.
That's good enough for me.

I never need to make any payments while away from home. Automatic payments on everything.
I rarely try to access the internet while traveling. My phone doesn't work overseas, unless I use wifi. I might use wifi to sent photos to family and friends.

I always use a VPN. Need one? Probably not. I've had varying success using a VPN while traveling to stream sporting events that are available in limited areas.

No VPN. I just get a local SIM card and use cellular data. Cell service is often very cheap in europe.

Another person here who has had my mortgage and various recurring bills paid automatically for years, including my credit cards. The are 3 basic methods: direct pull from one of my credit union accounts or from its debit card which is the same thing and charged to a credit card. For the first 2, there must be the funds in the account the bills are paid from.

I haven't written a check in years, am totally paperless in every way possible and use e-checks to pay for non-recurring things like Rick Steves tours (😉) and quarterly estimated AZ taxes.

If you can start that transition with this trip, you'll be on the way to a simpler life and perhaps a higher credit score due to regular on-time payments.

As for the comments about how slow the USA has been to adopt these practices, I'll just say that when I worked for the Army in Germany, my phone bill was automatically paid from my bank account on post there. That was 1982-1985, 40 years ago!