Make sure you have debit/credit cards from more than one bank when travelling

[Tonks]

I did get caught out occasionally.

A hotel in Switzerland that only took cash, which we found out on checkout over a bank holiday.
He let us go without paying, it turned out he had known all along exactly who were were as he had worked for one of our clients, and was happy to be paid by head office a few days later!

A hotel in Czech rep, cash only, I paid in a mixture of Korunas, Euros, Pounds and Dollars.

A hotel in China, would only accept a Credit Card on entry.
I did not have a company CC and I've never had a personal CC
A call to my boss in the UK (luckily he was awake) , we paid with his card.
When I got back, I had a company CC awaiting on my desk!

There were a few more in places such as Greece, Morocco, Mexico, Bolivia, South Africa, India, Venezuela etc, where it involved going to the local market and negotiating with the (usually illegal) money changers.

During the aforementioned Caribbean Incident I had to go to the island’s casino as it was the only place at the time where it was possible to get money, due to the hurricane. Partly to pay a mysteriously required cash ‘charge’ at immigration (who held my belongings while I made the journey) before I was allowed entry. A charge I still believe was entirely invented by the official at the time since as a seasoned traveller I’d done my homework and knew I had all the necessary documents for my visit. However it’s hard to argue with a huge, armed, uniformed official who knows you cannot contact your office (mobiles and phones down) and who has the power to send you back to the island you’d arrived from. It wasn’t my greatest business travel experience.
As I at the time worked for a religious publishing house, both matters did take a little explaining on my expenses when I got home!

 

[carolyn]

I do have some cash for this trip as we’d not been here before and we’re off into the tropical rain forest bit where they like a bit of cash . Mind you we don’t have to worry really if we get stuck with anything as Claire and Alex are diplomats and Claire is a fluent Spanish speaker but it would hurt my pride to ask for help !

We took the 3 children to Costa Rica and Brazil in the days of travellers cheques plus a pile of cash. Some bits of Brazil were a bit nerve wracking with 3 kids! No wonder they love to travel.

 

[The Wino]

Fear? Nothing to do with fear but practicalities & principals.
What are you going to use to pay when ,hopefully as soon as possible, it all kicks off & we can sort the russians out once & for all? hardly likely to be internet & gps facilities as they will be the first to go/be turned off?
As I said in the previous post ,here in spain,where we have the highest bank charges for everything,the only thing that is free is paying in & drawing out cash & in unlimited amounts.

If it all " kicks off" what do you think currency will be worth? All money is just tokens to exchange for things if the banking system collapses all currency would become as valued as your old collection of green shield stamps! When they stopped issuing coins made of gold and silver a few hundred years ago your allegance to " real money" became pointless. In a collapse of the banking system the real currency would be bartering of goods especially food and fuel.

 

[Nanniemate]

If it all " kicks off" what do you think currency will be worth? All money is just tokens to exchange for things if the banking system collapses all currency would become as valued as your old collection of green shield stamps! When they stopped issuing coins made of gold and silver a few hundred years ago your allegance to " real money" became pointless. In a collapse of the banking system the real currency would be bartering of goods especially food and fuel.

What do you mean my green shield stamps aren't worth anything .

 

[bobnick]

Wherever i go in the world i always carry $500 in cash..............why, no idea.

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[Brains]

If it all " kicks off" what do you think currency will be worth? All money is just tokens to exchange for things if the banking system collapses all currency would become as valued as your old collection of green shield stamps! When they stopped issuing coins made of gold and silver a few hundred years ago your allegance to " real money" became pointless. In a collapse of the banking system the real currency would be bartering of goods especially food and fuel.

Coins made of Silver and Gold are still in regular production.
They are still made by the UK's Royal Mint, and many other mints.

Sovereigns are still currency in selected places the UK.
(The Savoy regularly used to have bills paid in Sovereigns, and I'll bet you still can!)

You can buy Sovereigns today from the Royal Mint here
The price is the bullion price, (which is crazy high at the moment, nearly £75 per gram!)

Certain places still insist on Gold Sovereign payment.
I've both been paid in Sovereigns and have paid for items in Sovereigns.

Come the Zombie Apocalypse, Gold Sovereigns will more than hold their value.

Fun Fact:
A British fast jet pilot wears a belt of Sovereigns in combat,
as a method to persuade the locals to assist in the case of being shot down.
(So should you find a pilot hanging from a tree in his parachute, you know what to ask for before you offer him assistance.)

 

[The Wino]

Coins made of Silver and Gold are still in regular production.
They are still made by the UK's Royal Mint, and many other mints.

Sovereigns are still currency in selected places the UK.
(The Savoy regularly used to have bills paid in Sovereigns, and I'll bet you still can!)

You can buy Sovereigns today from the Royal Mint here
The price is the bullion price, (which is crazy high at the moment, nearly £75 per gram!)

Certain places still insist on Gold Sovereign payment.
I've both been paid in Sovereigns and have paid for items in Sovereigns.

Come the Zombie Apocalypse, Gold Sovereigns will more than hold their value.

Fun Fact:
A British fast jet pilot wears a belt of Sovereigns in combat,
as a method to persuade the locals to assist in the case of being shot down.
(So should you find a pilot hanging from a tree in his parachute, you know what to ask for before you offer him assistance.)

I think come the zombie apocalypse gold will actually not be worth as much as things of use to people. I seem to recall at the start of the pandemic that in our country the thing most valuable was toilet rolls closely followed by rice and pasta.

 

[Googlebot]

Or a photograph of your face...

Doesn’t work like that. I suppose it would be pretty rubbish if it did.

About Face ID advanced technology – Apple Support (UK)

Find out how Face ID helps protect your information on your iPhone and iPad Pro.

support.apple.com

 

[dna]

A small percentage of guests at our B&B used to pay cash by choice. We didnt accept cheques but almost all debit / credit cards. The main exception being American Express as their charges are substantially higher than any other card. Many of the guest who paid cash we of an older age group and didnt have debit / credit cards. They would produce an envelope with the B&B name on it and the exact amount for the stay. More than one commented that once they had paid us they knew whats left as "spends" in another envelope.

Any cash we received was used either to pay casual staff or the cash & carry still accepts cash. Both of these were recorded in the accounts (and we reclaimed the VAT on cash & carry purchases so incentive there to declare things accurately!).

 

[Brains]

I think come the zombie apocalypse gold will actually not be worth as much as things of use to people. I seem to recall at the start of the pandemic that in our country the thing most valuable was toilet rolls closely followed by rice and pasta.

True.
But I could have bought a lot of toilet rolls, pasta and rice for a single Gold Sovereign.

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[Brains]

I think come the zombie apocalypse gold will actually not be worth as much as things of use to people. I seem to recall at the start of the pandemic that in our country the thing most valuable was toilet rolls closely followed by rice and pasta.

My parents had a friend who had been a German refugee as a teenager.

She escaped Dresden and to keep ahead of the Russians she walked toward the American Lines and eventually passed through to the British lines (she spoke some English, but could not tell the difference between the British and the Americans, but she also wanted to avoid the French as they were seen as being almost as bad as the Russians).

She told me a lot about what was valuable, and what was not, on her trek and her subsequent time in the refugee camps before she arrived in England in the early 1950's.

When we moved into our current house some 35 years ago I had a Hungarian fit the shelving into the old larder, he made the shelves exactly two tins high, which is also the height of one old preservative Kilner jar.

We never have had less than one to two months supply of loo paper, pasta and rice.
We also have sugar, salt, flour and yeast.
In addition we also have about 50 tins of soup, vegetables, corned beef, etc. at any given moment.
There is a backup box of stuff with the motorhome.

It meant come the Covid lockdown, we were already fully stocked.

 

[The Wino]

True.
But I could have bought a lot of toilet rolls, pasta and rice for a single Gold Sovereign.

You certainly could in a situation where some people have those items and still value gold . If there is a shortage of those items and gold and other more essential items are in short supply it would be a different matter.

 

[Brains]

You certainly could in a situation where some people have those items and still value gold . If there is a shortage of those items and gold and other more essential items are in short supply it would be a different matter.

Re the refugee in the post above.

Her Mother sold her gold band wedding ring for a kilo of butter somewhere in what became East Germany.

But later, in what became West Germany they got a room with a stove and a lockable door for the entire winter for a single gold 20 deutschmark coin (similar to a Sovereign).

She salvaged broken glass and bits of wood to fill in the space where the window had been to keep the heat in.
The gaps in between the 'stained glass' window were filled with newspaper.

They salvaged serving spoons and glass ashtrays from the bombed buildings, as a glass ashtray when warmed up retained the heat for the food handouts.
And if there was a communal dish available, a kid with a serving spoon could get more than one with a teaspoon.

 

[CAB96]

During the aforementioned Caribbean Incident I had to go to the island’s casino as it was the only place at the time where it was possible to get money, due to the hurricane. Partly to pay a mysteriously required cash ‘charge’ at immigration (who held my belongings while I made the journey) before I was allowed entry. A charge I still believe was entirely invented by the official at the time since as a seasoned traveller I’d done my homework and knew I had all the necessary documents for my visit. However it’s hard to argue with a huge, armed, uniformed official who knows you cannot contact your office (mobiles and phones down) and who has the power to send you back to the island you’d arrived from. It wasn’t my greatest business travel experience.
As I at the time worked for a religious publishing house, both matters did take a little explaining on my expenses when I got home!

I can just imagine the conversation

"Now then, Mr Tonks, about this 'Casino del Hispaniola' receipt you have attached to your expenses claim..........."

 

[Brains]

I can just imagine the conversation

"Now then, Mr Tonks, about this 'Casino del Hispaniola' receipt you have attached to your expenses claim..........."

Us regular travellers had plenty of conversations with the Accountant that started like that.

We used to save up what were known as 'Greek receipts'

These were any unreadable receipt (except the figures), ideally in Greek, Russian or Chinese, which meant the Accounting team had no idea what they were for.

When in places such as Greece or Hong Kong I'd sweep up any receipts left on tables and bars and trade them with my colleagues.

No one was involved in fraud, but then again we did not want to be out of pocket having taken a client (or just some other work colleagues) to a bar or restaurant.

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[VXman]

Just got back from a trip around South America.

My cards:

Chase debit
Barclaycard Reward Credit
Halifax Clarity

Plus some cash:

200 us dollars
£400

Basically the one debit card would have done the whole trip. They love card payments. Tried to pay for a bottle of water in a supermarket with Argentinan pesos and got refused. They wanted me to use card for a 40p bottle of water!

Even the street sellers took card!

They do this strange thing of asking whether it's credit or debit as they have to input that on their machine first.

 

[VXman]

No way will i be using my phone for payments.
I barely use now as a phone.
Now phone camera it's used a fare bit.
And, i leave it at home most of the time, don't wantbto be tracked.

Who's tracking you and what dodgy stuff are you up to?

 

[CAB96]

Us regular travellers had plenty of conversations with the Accountant that started like that.

We used to save up what were known as 'Greek receipts'

These were any unreadable receipt (except the figures), ideally in Greek, Russian or Chinese, which meant the Accounting team had no idea what they were for.

When in places such as Greece or Hong Kong I'd sweep up any receipts left on tables and bars and trade them with my colleagues.

No one was involved in fraud, but then again we did not want to be out of pocket having taken a client (or just some other work colleagues) to a bar or restaurant.

Must admit I occasionally pick up discarded receipts when travelling on business, just enough to make the numbers add up!

 

[Googlebot]

A lot of Sikh families give gold wedding bangles to newly married couples. The reason being it can be sold if needs be in times of hardship later on.

Gold has always retained its value.

 

[bobnick]

Who's tracking you and what dodgy stuff are you up to?

Darn't say on here. Not been caught yet

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[KASPAR]

Had experience of the receipt thing on site in Nova Scotia once when my colleague was educating me on the tricks of the trade as it were. In a gas station he got a book of receipts off the counter, being clever as he thought he was (we were filling up at the clients on site bowser) he would submit said receipts with 'Petrol' instead of "Gas". Those receipts were submitted to the US office, not the UK where he used to work out of. He then wondered why every item on his expense claim was checked with a fine tooth comb from then on.

I worked directly for the Group MD and was the company trouble shooter often despatched to fix problems created by clever people who knew nine parts of sweet Fanny Adams. I was subject to different rules around expenses, but never took the proverbial, no point in the scheme of things. Unlike some, who always got their comeuppance.

 

[Smokaijo]

Be thankful if they are checking transactions.

We have a Nationwide Flex Plus, short story is wife’s email was hacked and scammers took nearly 1k from the account. Nationwide declined to refund or help and said it was a normal pattern of our spending, it wasn’t.

We have complained and are awaiting the outcome, which I will post after it’s sorted. We do have the money back thankfully, no thanks to Nationwide.

I would be very happy if they did check transactions, saves a lot of hassle. :-(

Just make sure you have 2 factor authentications on everything online and keep an eye on the account.

We used our Nationwide Flex Plus both in Spain & another trip in Germany - no problems BUT I always take my Barclaycard as back up. Awful that you had trouble.

 

[Minxy]

We take a few 'flavours' of card, some are hidden away in the MH as emergency backups in case the in-use ones are lost, stop working etc plus Revolut and Santander (in Spain) debit for ATM withdrawals.

We use Curve too which we 'link' our UK cards to for fee free payments where the original card would charge for foreign use. Unfortunately for some reason my hubby's Curve was frozen due to suspected fraud, we've no idea why as customers service are crap so we've only had mine however we have Virgin CCs which are usable without charges.