1. What currency is used in your country? 2. If you travel to a different country, do you rely on card payments, or get some local currency in cash? 3. Do you buy souvenirs for yourself or family? 4. When using an unfamiliar currency, are you aware of how much you are spending in your own?
───── ⋆⋅My Answers⋅⋆ ─────
USD
I’m a hybrid traveler: card in one hand, a little local cash in the other, ready for whatever adventure (or snack cart) appears.
Oh, absolutely. I go in thinking I’ll buy one cute thing… and somehow end up needing an extra suitcase because everything suddenly becomes “special” and “meaningful” and “I can’t leave this behind.”
Mostly. I try to keep track, although sometimes the conversion gets fuzzy and I just hope I didn’t spend $40 on a pop.
Thank you, Di, for this great group of questions! This was fun!
Thank you so much for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting! You are important!
CAN
I do both. I’ve travelled a lot and know that in some countries, cash is king. Cash can also get you out of a jam if necessary.
Very rarely. I take lots of pictures, though.
Yes; I keep a running tally in my head or sometimes on my phone until I’m more familiar and then don’t need to.
Thank you so much, Lynette. Di asks great questions for Share Your World. I love your answers and all the pictures I’ve seen you do. That’s better than souvenirs. 😊 Cheers.
Mine is also the USD and I have never traveled outside the country in a long time. When I was a kid I went to Mexico, but that is it. I have not used their money for anything.
EUR.
I use a card but also keep some cash available.
Maybe a fridge magnet for ourselves. And only if family requests specific items.
Yes, always aware. Both in conversion rate and value-for-money.
Question #2 gets very complicated if you travel to my native country Sweden, Sweden is trying really hard to become cashless. Banks will not give you cash. You cannot go into a US bank or cash change company and exchange dollars into Swedish crowns. Getting Swedish crowns in cash is difficult as a traveller. However, you can get Swedish cash at the exchange stations at airports. Almost no stores in Sweden accept cash. I don’t like it since it makes it harder for visitors, but it’s the way it is.
In Japan there was so much cool stuff, and a lot of things you can’t get in the US, that I had to be careful not to buy too much.
Paradoxically for a high tech country, there were not really many cashless options. You definitely need to exchange and be aware of how much the rate is.
I didn’t buy much in Italy, France, Spain or Portugal, and I was too young to buy anything in Greece.
Thank you for calling pop, pop! They call it Soda down here and it sounds ridiculous. The cashier at my fav grocery store called it pop recently and I asked her if she is from Michigan. Indiana actually.
The good old US Dollar of course. I haven’t left our country in years and likely won’t ever again. Nope, no souvenirs… It’s cash or CC, nothing else!
Yes, it’s a pop! LOL I would have thought the cashier was from Michigan, too. But now that I think of it, I lived in Indiana before and we called it pop down there, too.
Happy timezones, Kymber! Interesting questions. We have only traveled outside the country twice, both times to Mexico (since I have been married . . . my family went to Juarez, Mexico, when I was about 16, when it was still possible to just drive across the border at El Paso, with just a brief stop at customs)
1) US dollars
2) We mostly use card, but keep some cash on hand, just in case.
3) Absolutely, I buy souvenirs for myself, family, and even some friends. I like to give people stuff. 🥰
4) I try to be, but it’s difficult. Credit card receipts are kind of funny in Mexico, though. We went to WalMart in Cancun, and it looked like we spent thousands of “dollars.” LOL!
I doubt we will ever get to go to Europe, but it would be very different than traveling to Mexico, currency-wise, and we would have to pay closer attention, I think.
32 comments
CAN
I do both. I’ve travelled a lot and know that in some countries, cash is king. Cash can also get you out of a jam if necessary.
Very rarely. I take lots of pictures, though.
Yes; I keep a running tally in my head or sometimes on my phone until I’m more familiar and then don’t need to.
Great questions, Kymber. Cheers.
Thank you so much, Lynette. Di asks great questions for Share Your World. I love your answers and all the pictures I’ve seen you do. That’s better than souvenirs. 😊 Cheers.
Thank you very much, Kymber. 😊
Thank you, you’re welcome.
Mine is also the USD and I have never traveled outside the country in a long time. When I was a kid I went to Mexico, but that is it. I have not used their money for anything.
Great answers, Jesse! Thank you so much for stopping by.
EUR.
I use a card but also keep some cash available.
Maybe a fridge magnet for ourselves. And only if family requests specific items.
Yes, always aware. Both in conversion rate and value-for-money.
Great answers, Peter-James! I can see you’re a very wise travelor.
Question #2 gets very complicated if you travel to my native country Sweden, Sweden is trying really hard to become cashless. Banks will not give you cash. You cannot go into a US bank or cash change company and exchange dollars into Swedish crowns. Getting Swedish crowns in cash is difficult as a traveller. However, you can get Swedish cash at the exchange stations at airports. Almost no stores in Sweden accept cash. I don’t like it since it makes it harder for visitors, but it’s the way it is.
That’s really interesting, Thomas. Stores not accepting cash seems so strange to me.
It depends on where you’re going.
In Japan there was so much cool stuff, and a lot of things you can’t get in the US, that I had to be careful not to buy too much.
Paradoxically for a high tech country, there were not really many cashless options. You definitely need to exchange and be aware of how much the rate is.
I didn’t buy much in Italy, France, Spain or Portugal, and I was too young to buy anything in Greece.
You’re definitely right about it depending on where you’re going.
Good points, all of them.
I agree with number 2. It’s always helpful to carry both cards and cash.
Right on, Edward. I think you’re right on that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I liked your answers
Thank you, Jo-Anne. That makes me happy.
Thank you for calling pop, pop! They call it Soda down here and it sounds ridiculous. The cashier at my fav grocery store called it pop recently and I asked her if she is from Michigan. Indiana actually.
The good old US Dollar of course. I haven’t left our country in years and likely won’t ever again. Nope, no souvenirs… It’s cash or CC, nothing else!
Yes, it’s a pop! LOL I would have thought the cashier was from Michigan, too. But now that I think of it, I lived in Indiana before and we called it pop down there, too.
Great answers, John!
Very much the hybrid traveller for currency myself. I like not to have all my eggs in one basket
Right on, Sandman. I think that’s wise.
dollars and cents
not going anywheres
the inner light
the farther you go the less you know
thanks be to the quiet beatle george harrison!
I appreciate your thoughts, my friend.
just another day. enjoy yours too.
Thank you.
I’m so with you on your answer to question 3! 😆 Especially for souvenir travel books. Thanks for reading and commenting on my post as well, Kymber. 🌹
It’s my pleasure, Debbie. I always enjoy your posts. 💗🌺
Happy timezones, Kymber! Interesting questions. We have only traveled outside the country twice, both times to Mexico (since I have been married . . . my family went to Juarez, Mexico, when I was about 16, when it was still possible to just drive across the border at El Paso, with just a brief stop at customs)
1) US dollars
2) We mostly use card, but keep some cash on hand, just in case.
3) Absolutely, I buy souvenirs for myself, family, and even some friends. I like to give people stuff. 🥰
4) I try to be, but it’s difficult. Credit card receipts are kind of funny in Mexico, though. We went to WalMart in Cancun, and it looked like we spent thousands of “dollars.” LOL!
I doubt we will ever get to go to Europe, but it would be very different than traveling to Mexico, currency-wise, and we would have to pay closer attention, I think.
Happy timezones! Mexico is an awesome place to visit, Jeff! Your trips sound like they were fun.
That’s funny about your receipt from Walmart. lol Love your answers! Happy Tuesday!
Thanks for joining in and sharing your world Kymber. No deadline on this one, so no worries.
Oh, good! 💗🌺 It was my pleasure! Thank you for such a great challenge.