Cash or Card? Countries where you still need cash.

[Flashback]

Vienna, Austria. Half of the Christmas market stalls are cash-only, others accept also cards. If you take hot drinks, you get it in a ceramic mug and need to pay deposit for the mug (2€ - 5€). When you return the mug back after all your merry drinking, you get the deposit back in cash.

ATM charged a 3.50€ fee for a withdrawal (Wise MC debit) but that was a single transaction only so don't know how widespread this is.

Ditto in Germany on all of the above points. We bought some stuff from a guy who had a stall in another city (it was a Sunday so his shop front in the first city we were at was closed) but we were happy to pay cash as the items were about 40% off compared to what we saw in the shop front.

Also, if you keep one of the mulled wine glasses / mugs (or just buy your own 200ml cup somewhere) you can just use your own mug and avoid having to constantly pay and take it back for the refund.

 

[tdimdad]

Also, if you keep one of the mulled wine glasses / mugs (or just buy your own 200ml cup somewhere) you can just use your own mug and avoid having to constantly pay and take it back for the refund.

Yup, it works well when you get one at the start and return at the end of the night but I ended up keeping a mug as a souvenir...

 

[Flashback]

Yup, it works well when you get one at the start and return at the end of the night but I ended up keeping a mug as a souvenir...

Most of the mugs this year were naff and we visited 10 or so different markets, maybe more ... but then found 2 cool ones at Karlsruhe, sorted! We have a pretty decent collection of them. Good to see they do lots of alcohol free versions now too.

 

[SYD]

Not sure how this is going to pan out next year visiting Argentina… 50% devaluation ought to be good for travellers but we saw what happened years ago when the unpegged from the USD.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/markets-greet-argentinas-tough-pill-fix-economy-with-cautious-optimism-2023-12-13/

 

[VPS]

Not sure how this is going to pan out next year visiting Argentina… 50% devaluation ought to be good for travellers but we saw what happened years ago when the unpegged from the USD.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/markets-greet-argentinas-tough-pill-fix-economy-with-cautious-optimism-2023-12-13/

View attachment 358006

with their new president anything could happen - I think it depends on what his dogs tell him to do on a certain day

 

[Brissy1]

with their new president anything could happen - I think it depends on what his dogs tell him to do on a certain day

Has dropped a bit from it's 1:1 exchange rate!
Argentina was once the most wealthy country in the world, and for a long time in the top 10, but only because it had won the "Commodity Lottery". I think there might be a lesson there.

 

[SYD]

Has dropped a bit from it's 1:1 exchange rate!
Argentina was once the most wealthy country in the world, and for a long time in the top 10, but only because it had won the "Commodity Lottery". I think there might be a lesson there.

Pegged 1:1 to the USD but we were at 0.47 to the USD. Horrible time for us back in 2001.

Disaster of of a policy when they finally devalued in 2002.

But back to topic, with the inflation genie out of the bottle over there, having too much ARS in your wallet will be a PITA if you need cash!

The new President is talking up Dollarising the economy. ie ditch the ARS entirely and adopt USD.

 

[exceladdict]

In Christchurch (NZ) recently, only needed cash for the buses in Christchurch. Made one other purchase in cash to get change to use on the bus, which was in itself difficult because some places are cashless. Everywhere else, credit card preferred.

 

[latawiec]

Pegged 1:1 to the USD but we were at 0.47 to the USD. Horrible time for us back in 2001.

Disaster of of a policy when they finally devalued in 2002.

But back to topic, with the inflation genie out of the bottle over there, having too much ARS in your wallet will be a PITA if you need cash!

The new President is talking up Dollarising the economy. ie ditch the ARS entirely and adopt USD.

Hope that Argentina under the new president will start recovery from an enormous mismanagement under governments of socialistic nature.
Wish a better time for Argentina.

 

[watchingwatchesau]

Just came back from Vietnam and cash is king there. you see everyone taking out a wad of cash to pay for everything on the streets.

 

[kpc]

Just came back from Vietnam and cash is king there. you see everyone taking out a wad of cash to pay for everything on the streets.

Yup!....Currently in Vietnam where we have been the last 9+ days.....it is CASH, CASH, CASH everywhere...if you manage to find somewhere that accepts card, they will likely slap a 3% surcharge to encourage you to use cash!
We brought a stack of A$100 and $50 notes to change....best place to change? Gold shops (Google to find them!) in the major cities where you will often get close to the spot rate or slightly higher! We changed in Gold shops in HCMC, Hoi An and Danang.

Ha Tam Jewelry · 2 Đ. Nguyễn An Ninh, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

★★★★☆ · Gold dealer

maps.app.goo.gl

Kim Hong Phuc Gold Shop · V8GM+M4W, Hoàng Diệu, Old Town, Tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

★★★★☆ · Gold dealer

maps.app.goo.gl

Hiệu vàng Soạn Hà · 121 Trần Phú, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam

★★★★☆ · Currency exchange service

maps.app.goo.gl

PS don't forget to download the Grab app and link your card...the Uber of Vietnam! ...cheap and removes the language issue.

 

[Pushka]

Yup!....Currently in Vietnam where we have been the last 9+ days.....it is CASH, CASH, CASH everywhere...if you manage to find somewhere that accepts card, they will likely slap a 3% surcharge to encourage you to use cash!
We brought a stack of A$100 and $50 notes to change....best place to change? Gold shops (Google to find them!) in the major cities where you will often get close to the spot rate or slightly higher! We changed in Gold shops in HCMC, Hoi An and Danang.

Ha Tam Jewelry · 2 Đ. Nguyễn An Ninh, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

★★★★☆ · Gold dealer

maps.app.goo.gl

Kim Hong Phuc Gold Shop · V8GM+M4W, Hoàng Diệu, Old Town, Tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

★★★★☆ · Gold dealer

maps.app.goo.gl

Hiệu vàng Soạn Hà · 121 Trần Phú, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam

★★★★☆ · Currency exchange service

maps.app.goo.gl

PS don't forget to download the Grab app and link your card...the Uber of Vietnam! ...cheap and removes the language issue.

The cash they want is Dong not US? Cambodia is USD I think.

 

[SYD]

PS don't forget to download the Grab app and link your card...the Uber of Vietnam! ...cheap and removes the language issue.

and haggling!

Grab works throughout most of SE Asia. A must have (even good for cheap Tuk Tuk rides in Cambodia we discovered on a port visit).

Some places have Bolt but it’s not as reliable. Something about drivers getting paid less?

 

[Lizzi]

I just came back from Vietnam too and we needed cash for everything. As KPC says, 3% surcharge on card was usual, if you can find someone who will accept it.

 

[RealtimeY]

Some places have Bolt but it’s not as reliable. Something about drivers getting paid less?

The rides also cost less. We enjoyed used it in Thailand, but annoyingly it was cash only (unless they've changed it recently).

 

[clifford]

The rides also cost less. We enjoyed used it in Thailand, but annoyingly it was cash only (unless they've changed it recently).

Yes, still a lot of cash usage in Thailand.

I was trying to buy something at a 7-11 in Bangkok recently and was advised that only cash was accepted for purchases of <200 Bt.

 

[wildbill]

In Thailand now - card accepted in some places and some cash only.
Also some of the places accepting card put a surcharge on - mostly about 3%.
Can confirm about the 7-11 I have shopped in having a minimum of 200Baht for card.
June last year there was no such a minimum limit.

 

[Flashback]

and haggling!

Grab works throughout most of SE Asia. A must have (even good for cheap Tuk Tuk rides in Cambodia we discovered on a port visit).

Some places have Bolt but it’s not as reliable. Something about drivers getting paid less?

The rides also cost less. We enjoyed used it in Thailand, but annoyingly it was cash only (unless they've changed it recently).

PassApp is the main one to use in Cambodia, requires a local SIM. Cash payment only. Can use Grab (sometimes cheaper, but rarely) which will then allow you to pay by card.

 

[SYD]

PassApp is the main one to use in Cambodia, requires a local SIM.

Probably puts it out of reach of most casual visitors.

Cash payment only.

Kind of defeats the purpose for visitors?

Can use Grab (sometimes cheaper, but rarely) which will then allow you to pay by card.

The fares are so small, I‘m happy to pay 10c more for the convenience. In fact, the default min tip on Grab was 50c on $1.50 trips!

 

[Flashback]

Probably puts it out of reach of most casual visitors.

Kind of defeats the purpose for visitors?

The fares are so small, I‘m happy to pay 10c more for the convenience. In fact, the default min tip on Grab was 50c on $1.50 trips!

Often more of a difference in my recent experience. Sometimes it was the other way around, too.

SIM cards are cheap and easy, takes literally 1 minute on arrival at the airport. They have it down to a fine art!