Cash or Card? Countries where you still need cash.

[burmans]

I’d have to defer to my legal council (SYD+1) for the actual legislation but the ACCC website is pretty clear.

Card surcharges

From 1 October 2026, businesses can no longer add a surcharge for payments made using Visa, Mastercard, American Express and eftpos cards.

www.accc.gov.au

Basically, if they don’t take cash and the only way to pay includes a surcharge then they have to build that into the advertised price. Not add it later.

While I agree have yet to see any proof this law is being enforced!

 

[SYD]

While I agree have yet to see any proof this law is being enforced!

Maybe a discussion for here etc?

Thread 'Card Payment Surcharges Banned in Australia from 2026'

Oct 14, 2024

There's an interesting article in the AFR today about some crazy credit card surcharging practices.

Live Payments, which leases payment terminals to small businesses, is incentivizing those businesses to cop a very high 2.6% processing fee in exchange for earning 1 Qantas Point per $1 processed. That fee can be passed on in full to customers under current regulations, which means the business can earn Qantas Points for free, essentially - and some are doing just that...

• Doctore1003
• Replies: 1,702
• Forum: Other Finance Discussion

• 

 

[Cynicor]

I’d have to defer to my legal council (SYD+1) for the actual legislation but the ACCC website is pretty clear.

Card surcharges

From 1 October 2026, businesses can no longer add a surcharge for payments made using Visa, Mastercard, American Express and eftpos cards.

www.accc.gov.au

Basically, if they don’t take cash and the only way to pay includes a surcharge then they have to build that into the advertised price. Not add it later.

Nothing to do with cash- they have have a surcharge free way to pay.
They are welcome to charge a cash surcharge too, as long as jetstar Mastercards are fee free they meet their obligations. (Which is what Jetstar do)

 

[JohnK]

Hahah I grew up with Mum and Dad using travelers cheques

Ah yes the good old days of travelling in the 80's and 90's. I also used travellers cheques for the first few trips to Thailand in early 00's.

I've carried $6,000-$7,000 AUD with me in the past. Not a big deal at all.

For the past 2.5 years I've been using credit cards to purchase beer in Thailand at 7-Eleven, Tops, Lotus and Big C. I've now had credit cards compromised 7 times. Imagine if I was using credit cards everywhere? I'd need new credit card(s) every trip because you'd never travel with just 1 credit card?

We do have Thai bank accounts and we do send quite a bit of money via Wise but I also want to carry cash with me as it's not difficult to exchange.

And as I get older I realise more and more that I don't want anyone knowing how much money I spend and where I spend that money. I don't want a visible trail that anyone can tap into.

 

[tdimdad]

For those interested. The early part of the article talks about countries, the rest is more about the role of cash as a reserve.

Which countries in Europe are most prepared to go cashless?

The Nordic countries are leading the way for adopting a future without cash transactions, while Armenia, Georgia, and Germany fall behind, according to a recent analysis.

www.euronews.com

 

[pagingjoan]

Not quite on topic. But an interesting wrinkle.
Casablanca Airport does not accept LOCAL currency in their Duty Free area.

 

[Flashback]

Not quite on topic. But an interesting wrinkle.
Casablanca Airport does not accept LOCAL currency in their Duty Free area.

Quite a few airports do this, where they generally limit the export of their currency etc. ADD springs to mind as well, everything is priced in USD.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Currently in SW France/Basque country; pretty much everywhere else in France accepts cards, even for small purchases. But here, three times in as many days I've come across "cash only" or a minimum of EUR15 for CC purchases.

 

[lovestotravel]

Yes that's a good point quite a few places I've found in France/Switzerland/Italy have min of around 15-30 EU etc for a purchase.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not quite on topic. But an interesting wrinkle.
Casablanca Airport does not accept LOCAL currency in their Duty Free area.

We’ll be there in a couple months. Aside from not taking local currency… was there anything worth buying? lol

Or was it a case of trying to offload excess currency?

 

[SYD]

SYD+1 stumbled onto an article recommending this app for finding fee free / low few ATMs. Seems legit and useful. Anyone used it?

ATM Fee Saver: Travel Smarter App - App Store

Download ATM Fee Saver: Travel Smarter by Tripling Technologies Private Limited on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips and more apps…

apps.apple.com

Meanwhile, what’s the thoughts on:
Austria,
Czechia, and
Hungry?

We’re off to Germany first next week and we already know that they’re laggards in going cashless…

 

[VPS]

SYD+1 stumbled onto an article recommending this app for finding few free / low few ATMs. Seems legit and useful. Anyone used it?

ATM Fee Saver: Travel Smarter App - App Store

Download ATM Fee Saver: Travel Smarter by Tripling Technologies Private Limited on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips and more apps…

apps.apple.com

Meanwhile, what’s the thoughts on:
Austria,
Czechia, and
Hungry?

We’re off to Germany first next week and we already know that they’re laggards in going cashless…

not heard of it but sounds very useful

 

[OZDUCK]

SYD+1 stumbled onto an article recommending this app for finding fee free / low few ATMs. Seems legit and useful. Anyone used it?

ATM Fee Saver: Travel Smarter App - App Store

Download ATM Fee Saver: Travel Smarter by Tripling Technologies Private Limited on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips and more apps…

apps.apple.com

Meanwhile, what’s the thoughts on:
Austria,
Czechia, and
Hungry?

We’re off to Germany first next week and we already know that they’re laggards in going cashless…

A couple of years ago in Prague the only time we really had to use cash was at the Farmers Market and at some Public Toilets.

 

[Flashback]

Italian ATM's now seem to charge €5 for a withdrawal fee. We needed cash to pay for the city tax, but fortunately always keep a stash of €€€'s. We'll top up again when we're in Ireland in a few weeks.

 

[SydneySwan]

Just spent a month in Portugal and Spain. No fee at Portugal bank ATMs - just be sure to avoid the Euronet ATMs.

In Spain fees are high but there are occasional ING branches with ATMs that were fee-free using my ING card.

Generally cards accepted in most places except some museums, monuments, etc and toilets.

 

[SYD]

Just spent a month in Portugal and Spain. No fee at Portugal bank ATMs - just be sure to avoid the Euronet ATMs.

In Spain fees are high but there are occasional ING branches with ATMs that were fee-free using my ING card.

Unicaja is a useful fee free ATM network in Spain. Definitely some handy ones in Madrid.

I found ING ATMs to be hit and miss for charging a fee (even with an ING card).

Generally cards accepted in most places except some museums, monuments, etc and toilets.

More cash only places in Portugal than Spain (but easy to get buy card only).

 

[Flyerwin]

Probably already mentioned but we recently came back from a trip to HK, Macau and China.

HK - taxis are all cash only. Annoying. We used Ubers mostly.

Macao - there is no rideshare. Their taxis use WeChat and you need a local HK or Macau number. Also cash only.

China - WeChat works well once it’s set up.

 

[SYD]

Prague - easy to go cashless.

Except these guys but even most of the Christmas market was tap and go.


Did see a few cash only bars and restaurants but no difficulty finding alternatives.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Anyone know of fee-free ATMs in Turkey?

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Anyone know of fee-free ATMs in Turkey?

At the airport arrivals Ziraat. In Turkiye/Turkey, Ptt, Halkbank and Ziraat are the ones to look out for.