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.

 

[offshore171]

Not staying at hotels with porters solves the other!

Even where there are porters, you dont have to use them.

It's ok to politely say "thanks, but we're ok to handle our bags."

 

[SYD]

Even where there are porters, you dont have to use them.

It's ok to politely say "thanks, but we're ok to handle our bags."

Of course!

We’re well versed in “dodge the porter” around the world. Although some locales are harder than others.

At some point we’ll probably appreciate the helping hand for hire but they’ll probably be gone by then - maybe replaced by AI….

 

[RooFlyer]

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

I always like to have small Bills before I leave home. I go to my bank, the Commonwealth and get them there. Sure it will cost a little bit, but a tiny tiny amount compared to the overall trip.

 

[Forg]

I’m always surprised by the small things you need to take into account when visiting the 3rd world ….

 

[SeatBackForward]

I always like to have small Bills before I leave home. I go to my bank, the Commonwealth and get them there. Sure it will cost a little bit, but a tiny tiny amount compared to the overall trip.

I did look into that, well at the local post office since bank branches are scarce these days.. minimum $400 exchanged.

 

[WilsonM]

I tend to get a small amount of cash out at an ATM (I have a bankwest debit card which has no overseas atm fees), and just go to a convenience store in the airport or something to break them up

Somehow, I do have a bunch of US $1 coins though, which are more painful to travel with than a $1 bill

 

[HMcM]

I'll usually just get myself a coke or something at the airport which generally will give me enough change for a couple of tips. After that the change tends to sort itself out. Just try to avoid flying in with only $100 notes.

 

[anat0l]

My approach is to buy something small at a kiosk, convenience store, supermarket or fast food place. Do a few transactions if you need to. Maybe politely asking the cashier (if a human, not a machine) for some extra ones might work.

Keeping a stash of ones for tips can be a tough thing to do - definitely bulks up your wallet. Me personally, I would not rely on someone who receives a tip to break a large bill to smaller ones so you can tip them - not that they are automatically untrustworthy, but it just looks awkward IMO.

Check the issue date / series of your notes. In the USA, attempt to use any older issue notes. This leaves newer ones for using USD in other countries which may accept USD, as well as increases chances that leftover greenbacks are accepted by forexes.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I'll usually just get myself a coke or something at the airport which generally will give me enough change for a couple of tips. After that the change tends to sort itself out. Just try to avoid flying in with only $100 notes.

My issue is that I seem to rarely need any cash at all anymore. Most of my USA trips are pretty much Airport, Uber, hotels, conference/meetings and restaurants; all of whom accept payment and tips electronically now.

 

[HMcM]

My issue is that I seem to rarely need any cash at all anymore. Most of my USA trips are pretty much Airport, Uber, hotels, conference/meetings and restaurants; all of whom accept payment and tips electronically now.

Thankfully I've been travelling to the US often enough for work that I don't mind having a bit of cash reserves in USD. But can definitely be annoying if just wanting small amounts for tips.

Maybe I'm just the a-hole Aussie that doesn't tip when I "should" but 99% of the places that I tipped in cash I could have simply tipped by card.

 

[SYD]

My issue is that I seem to rarely need any cash at all anymore. Most of my USA trips are pretty much Airport, Uber, hotels, conference/meetings and restaurants; all of whom accept payment and tips electronically now.

If it’s a work trip, you possibly could get by without cash entirely - post Covid, contactless payment has finally taken off. Even a lot of bars, will let you run up a tab and tip at the end.

It’s still a good idea to have some cash on hand - just because it’s America and locals will tip anything that moves.

 

[elanshin]

My issue is that I seem to rarely need any cash at all anymore. Most of my USA trips are pretty much Airport, Uber, hotels, conference/meetings and restaurants; all of whom accept payment and tips electronically now.

I think i need more small USD notes - but not for the US. They're very handy in many parts of the world.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If it’s a work trip, you possibly could get by without cash entirely - post Covid, contactless payment has finally taken off. Even a lot of bars, will let you run up a tab and tip at the end.

It’s still a good idea to have some cash on hand - just because it’s America and locals will tip anything that moves.

Yep exactly my scenario. I think other than leaving tips for staff at the hotel, my last few trips to the USA have been card/tap payments for everything, including tips at places where I've paid using that method.

The problem is usually leaving tips for people when you've not actually paid for anything else eg. doorman/cleaners etc.