How do you get your small USD bills?

[SeatBackForward]

Have an upcoming work trip to the USA and upon checking my stash of notes, all I have is a few $20 bills. I 've checked and most FX places need minimum conversions of hundreds of dollars - I use my AMEX/WISE for most expenditures so I literally only less than $50 in $1 bills? We all know these are still needed for light tipping at hotels etc.

Any ideas on how I can one go about getting a bunch of $1 bills before arriving in the USA?

 

[I love to travel]

Having learnt my lesson last time ( you always need small bills for tips) I now always come home with 10 $1 bills.
My only suggestion is on day of arrival go to a supermarket and buy lots of little individual ( 1 item) shops and get change that way.

 

[Daver6]

I'm by far from an expert on US tipping culture, but I think most places where you need to tip, eg, restaurant, bar, hotel the people you tip will usually break a larger note for you. Otherwise, ask hotel reception.

 

[SYD]

I'm by far from an expert on US tipping culture, but I think most places where you need to tip, eg, restaurant, bar, hotel the people you tip will usually break a larger note for you. Otherwise, ask hotel reception.

Except the taxi to the hotel or the Porter at the hotel… (before you’ve had a chance to change money).

Fortunately Uber/Lyft solves one of those. Not staying at hotels with porters solves the other! But as above, it pays to hang on to a few $1 bills between trips - if possible.

 

[Daver6]

Except the taxi to the hotel or the Porter at the hotel… (before you’ve had a chance to change money).

Fortunately Uber/Lyft solves one of those. Not staying at hotels with porters solves the other! But as above, it pays to hang on to a few $1 bills between trips - if possible.

I'd be confident both taxi drivers and porters will be able to break a $20 into smaller denominations so you can tip them.