Currency exchange while traveling: why do some still carry wads of cash? (page 15 of 28)

When it comes to freedom, there’s really no comparison.

I totally agree on that point. 😇

As long as you don’t dig into the topic a bit, you can indeed live in the blissful harmony of Arcadia’s shepherds. It’s undeniably pleasant, though a tad too cushy. 🙂

I completely agree on this point.😇

Michel

I’m kind of in the middle of this topic...

I’m kind of in the same boat...

A little, or a lot?

(Full-page ad in a daily paper this morning...)

A little mishap that happened 2 weeks ago. I was just about to go grocery shopping at that moment, and was really happy to have some cash on me.

https://www.20min.ch/ro/news/suisse/story/Des-problemes-pour-payer-par-carte-dans-tout-le-pays-28296204

Yes. Cash is disappearing in my workplace too...😛

Yes. Cash is disappearing in my workplace...😛

Except now, they won’t even accept my credit card at the tax office to pay property or housing tax—I have to make a bank transfer... I think they’re taking it a bit too far... 😉

Same in France...

But it's still moving in the right direction—toward going digital...

Good evening,

It’s anyone’s guess which way is the right one... To drift away from the real, the tangible, the natural, or to reconnect with the basics, riding the eco-conservative wave?

But it’s still moving in the right direction—toward dematerialization...

Michel

I read somewhere that credit card management is seamless in France. Other European countries have faced pressure from American credit card operators. These countries were forced to give in to the demands.

Mathilde must be talking about a property in France—we don’t have property tax, residence tax, or tax collection there...

I thought so too—it really did look like that... Way too obvious 😛

I'm talking about France, actually. Here, I think I could pay in cash if I went to the tax office (never tried it though)...

The canton of Geneva starts with virtual options, just like in France. For cash payments, you need to go to the post office, not what we’d call our treasury offices.

https://www.ge.ch/paiement-impots/payer-acomptes

At the post office, I'm sure it works—I've done it before. Now, I have no idea what happens if you show up with cash at the tax office. I should try it in February to see their reaction... 😉

corresponds to our payment offices.

I don’t know what "trésoreries" refers to in France. It doesn’t seem like we have anything similar here. At the post office, you can pay any bill, for any amount, from any issuer.

The canton of Geneva first offers digital options

I wouldn’t put it that way. We’ve always received the amounts due for taxes in the form of "payment slips." Originally, these slips were designed to be paid at the post office—the only method available when I was young. When bank transfers and later online payments (via banks or the post office) or apps became available, we simply started paying our bills—including but not limited to taxes—through these newer methods (or not, I still often pay some at the post office counter). The tax administration had nothing to do with these changes.

I initially suggested going digital first because that’s how it works on the Geneva site.

The postal option is listed last.

I assume that, like in France, the canton wants to save on staff costs, so direct debit is the cheapest method from that perspective. Cash is the most expensive. A bank transfer is somewhere in between.

At the Treasury office, people come to ask questions about their taxes, make complaints, etc., at the counter. Before, I could pay in cash there, then only by credit card, and now not at all (at least since October, the first time I had problems...). It's also not possible to pay for this at the post office in France; the only option left is a bank transfer from UBS to the Banque de France account whose IBAN they gave me... 😉

🙂, If we're only traveling for a weekend, sure, we can bring cash, but since we travel for at least three months and sometimes up to a year, I can't see us carrying enough cash to live that long! And if Big Brother is watching us, well, more power to him—it’s less painful than potentially getting robbed. Not to mention, in my opinion, the person who tempts the thief is at least half as responsible as the thief themselves.

Good evening Catherine,

I’m one of those who also travel for around 3 months at a time. Bringing cash with you isn’t too difficult if you stick to 100-euro bills.

Really, it all depends on the country you’re visiting and the cost of living there. Our travel style also plays a role (small or big budget).

If you’re heading to a wealthier country, you’ll need to plan for more currency. And that can get pretty bulky for a 3-month trip... Especially if you’re traveling with hotels, taxis, etc.—basically, big expenses...

In that case, I think it’s obviously more practical to use your bank card. But for low-budget travel in a country with a lower cost of living, it’s manageable. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring your card, just in case, of course...

On another note, about your last point... Would you say a woman who was raped is "partly" responsible for her assault? I get what you’re saying, but the reasoning leaves me a bit puzzled...