Currency exchange while traveling: why do some still carry wads of cash? (page 5 of 28)

I also wonder how cash enthusiasts manage to get large euro bills (ATMs in France don’t dispense them, and you have to order them from your bank)

I usually only carry 50 € bills. No trouble getting them from French ATMs or any bank. For larger bills (like 100 € ones), you can ask at bank counters.

Isn’t 2000 € in 20 € bills a bit conspicuous?

And where do you hide the money?

Not all hotels have a safe in the room.

Hidden all over the place: some on me (pockets, wallet, clothes...) and some in my bag. 2000 € in 50 € bills is only 40 bills (not a huge amount). On the other hand, I don’t see any point in lugging around small 20 € bills...

Hi, I don’t get it either—I always carry very little cash when I travel.

Plus, I got an N26 bank card, and it’s really great: free, fee-free withdrawals in Europe, and I think it’s just 1.1% abroad. For all in-store payments worldwide, there are no fees—perfect. For those interested, account opening is quick, and you get your card in about 8 days.

That said, I still have another card from my main bank, just in case. I mainly use N26 for travel and transfer money as needed!

Have a great day.

abroad 1.1%

1.7%.

for all merchant payments, zero fees worldwide—awesome.

Yeah. The main downside is that you fund it by bank transfer, which isn’t instant.

Yeah, you're right—planning for 2 days means thinking ahead! But hey, you avoid some fees, and it's good to have a backup card.

I also wonder how people who use cash manage to get large euro bills (ATMs in France don’t have them, and you have to order them from your bank)?

2000 euros in 20-euro bills isn’t very discreet, is it?

Every ATM dispenses 50-euro bills. Personally, I contact my bank to get 100-euro bills. A week later (at most), I go pick them up. Not really inconvenient.

And where do you hide the money?

I’ve always used a belt with a discreet zipper inside. I carefully fold 5 or 6 100-euro bills inside. I always keep my cash on me—except at night! I keep a little stashed in my bag to hand over in case of a robbery, but it’s never happened to me. Just a heads-up: I never use those big, obvious money belts or pouches that you can’t hide well under clothes—they’re a magnet for robbers and pickpockets!

Plus, I got an N26 bank card,

How much can you withdraw fee-free? With Revolut, you're limited to 200 euros/month!

Hi Lysa74,

It’s true that the N26 card is super handy for all the reasons you mentioned. I don’t have one myself, but friends do and they’re really happy with it.

That said, the reason I don’t use it is because I know from experience (as mentioned earlier in the discussion) that there are plenty of places around the world where you can’t pay with a card—N26 or otherwise.

For example, that little roadside shack in the middle of the bush in Madagascar, Mali, Sri Lanka, and so many other countries... Not to mention homestays that only take cash, small rural shops, certain forms of transport like tuk-tuks, local buses, bike rentals from private owners, etc., etc., etc... The list goes on and on.

Which is why I say that while an N26 card can be really useful (I totally agree), traveling without any cash is like heading into the Sahara naked but making sure to pack sunscreen... 😏

I’m joking, but it’s true that having cash on me at all times gives me peace of mind... 🙂

What makes me say that while an N26 card can be super handy (I’ll readily admit that), traveling without any cash on you is like heading into the Sahara naked but having thought to bring sunscreen... 😏

I’m joking, but it’s true that having cash on me at all times gives me peace of mind...

What really gives me peace of mind is not having to stick my card into a foreign ATM. I’ve had two bad experiences: my card got swallowed, and worse—getting the withdrawal receipt but not the cash!! So that’s it—I sometimes use my card to pay for a flight ticket on the spot or a hotel room, but never again to withdraw cash!

Hi Djalma,

We’re totally on the same page! When I first started traveling, I had the same kind of experiences more than once—things you’d rather avoid. It was a good lesson for me too.

With N26, the only limit is what’s in your account 😄

And by the way, what do you think about this new card offered by La Poste called "Ma French Bank"? Has anyone here tried it and could share their experience? More (or less) advantageous than N26? Any opinions?

It's true that for places where you pay in cash, you need to plan ahead, so withdraw from ATMs as you go or at the airport when you arrive. With fees of 1.7%, is it really worth starting with a lot of cash since there are always exchange fees? I’ve often wondered about this, and in the end, I decided—long live plastic! Best regards.

N26 is really great—free, fee-free withdrawals in Europe, and 1.1% abroad, I think.

On their website, they display this:

5 free withdrawals per month in euros, and fee-free card payments in all currencies.

And:

If you choose an N26 You or N26 Metal account, foreign currency withdrawals are fee-free and unlimited. If you opt for a standard N26 account, a 1.7% fee of the total amount is applied for each foreign currency withdrawal. These fees are charged in the following days.

PS: The standard N26 account is free, but N26 You and Metal accounts are paid.

Good evening,

I don’t have an opinion on the card itself, but I do have one on the marketing choice to give it such a ridiculous name.

And by the way, what do you think of this new card offered by La Poste called "Ma French Bank"? Has anyone here tried it and could share their experience? More (or less) advantageous than N26? Any thoughts?

Michel

Hi Tatra,

I totally agree that the wording choice is really poor.

Anyway, I checked out the reviews on N26’s mobile app out of curiosity. Surprisingly, they’re really bad and don’t make you want to open an account with them! I’d suggest taking a look—it’ll give you an idea...

Hey,

About fee-free withdrawals... It's gradually becoming obsolete... Since more and more banks are charging hefty fees for withdrawals... And they limit withdrawals to a paltry amount, like in Southeast Asia...

Just to let you know about N26...

I got the ex-Black card a year ago. There was a 6-month free promo... I tried it out. It was fully refunded, great, and especially with a very responsive app...

But when I wanted to leave, I did everything they asked two weeks ago... And then a whole bunch of nonsense to refuse the account closure... Fake excuses to ask for another letter... You send it again, and more nonsense to tell you that you missed the date by one day...

I set the account to zero... My letter was sent on the right day with proof of the date, and the content was their own template... Let them have their fun—it’s settled for me, and I don’t care what they think...

Also, don’t transfer too much money... You have to justify yourself constantly to customer service, which rarely responds. Many people have had their accounts blocked and lost a lot of money.

N26... already ditched... Testing something else for next year. max

Good evening,

Justify what?

You also shouldn’t transfer a lot of money... We constantly have to justify ourselves to customer service, which rarely responds. Many have had their accounts frozen and lost big.

Michel

Someone asked me to provide documents proving the origin of the funds because I had made a transfer they considered too large... (with a reminder of the law, etc...)

But no explanation about the document or how to send it... Just a short deadline or risk having my account blocked...

I managed to reach them, and a pay slip was enough... It's really annoying when you're in Nepal on a trek, though.

Twice in 1 year...

There are negative comments, it's true—most of them date back to the launch period. Generally, happy people don’t write much, or at all—I’m the first to admit that. But if I’m not satisfied, I’d definitely want to talk about it or write a review... Anyway, I’m thrilled with N26 for traveling—of course!