What's up with rolls of coins?

[QueenIsabella]

My 13 year old child knows about currency because I've taught them. They love it when we travel abroad because they can look at the different coloured and sized money. They even downloaded an exchange rate app to their phone to check when the rates are good - They recently told me to buy Euros because it was a good rate!

My youngest is fascinated with coins from all over, as well. Over the summer, he went to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea--exchanging currency was very popular (along with pins, hats, patches, t-shirts...). He came back with Russian rubles and North Korean whatever, that my DH (also went to WSJ) got from the DMZ, and a few other coins. And swag from around the world..

Same kid inherited his late great-uncle's stash of currency (bills and coins) from travels through the decades. He spent days going through the odd pieces, some decades old, some from countries that no longer exist. It's not really worth anything, monetarily, but he loves the stuff. I suggested that, when he's established, he get one of those display-type tables, or at least a coffee table with a glass cover, so he can display it in his home.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Are systems like Venmo and Zelle popular in the UK?

We just do e- transfer from bank accounts in Canada. Use our bank app nothing third party like Venmo.

 

[sam_gordon]

This is my experience as well. We travel a LOT here in the states and it's probably 50-50 on what's available although there's probably more coin ones then the app or credit card option.

This thread and the threads where people say that they haven't used cash in a year (or years) always make me scratch my head. Usually, the people that post are also people who proclaim to travel a lot and I can never figure out how that works. At least in the states!

We do at least two, 2-3 week traveling vacations throughout the country. There is simply no way you would ever travel without cash. Many small mom and pop places to eat are sometimes cash only, in Arizona many of the Navajo craft markets are cash only, we have found ourselves several times where for some reason a system crashes and they can't take credit cards, cash only, we stopped at a huge flea market one trip, and it was pretty much cash only and then of course doing laundry is often cash only too! I'm sure there are more examples but those are just off the top of my head from recent travels.

It depends on how you travel. I've been away from home about 120 nights this year for business. So about 1/3 of the year. I consider that "a lot". There's been a handful of times I've HAD to have cash, but very infrequent. Even Mom & Pop restaurants have card readers (they may charge an extra fee, but it's available). If it is truly a "cash only" business, you can either go hit an ATM or find another place.

 

[tvguy]

No cash at our meters. There’s a central pay station & you need to pay by credit card.

Like I posted earlier, Old Sacramento, the tourist district apparently does offer AN app for meters there, only. Other areas use a central payment machine on each block that takes quarters or credit cards. Most areas still have old fashioned parking meters that take quarters only. Our entire parking meter situation is a mess because the city basically got a loan from a private company as an advance from future meter income to come up with $233 million for a new arena for the Kings NBA team. That was in 2014. The pandemic threw a monkey wrench into that funding plan with many downtown businesses including the state deciding to keep their work forces remote so parking revenue plunged and now the city is having to use general fund money to make up the shortfall.
Not really an issue for me as I avoid going anywhere I have to pay to park. A few of my Doctors whose main office is in the downtown area, do have office hours a few days a week at satellite offices in the suburbs which have free parking. I guess I am truly a native California. If I can't park right in front of where I am going, I go somewhere else.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

It depends on how you travel. I've been away from home about 120 nights this year for business. So about 1/3 of the year. I consider that "a lot". There's been a handful of times I've HAD to have cash, but very infrequent. Even Mom & Pop restaurants have card readers (they may charge an extra fee, but it's available). If it is truly a "cash only" business, you can either go hit an ATM or find another place.

I totally agree, you can certainly find a place to eat that takes credit. I wasn't meaning you would starve if you didn't have cash! I was simply saying there are still lots of places that only take cash. And no, the places that I was referring to did not have card readers, it was cash only.

And yes, you certainly travel a lot!! For sure!! I'm wondering if the places you travel to are pretty populated since it is for work? The travel I was talking about in my post is vacation travel for 2-3 weeks. It would bore you, but I could make a list of places we have been to in the last few years where having cash on hand came in handy. Many of these places are rural. Here's one, In May, the drive from Rapid City SD, to the Teddy Roosevelt NP in Medora ND was bleak. Not Rapid City of course and not Medora, but the drive between the two certainly was. We stopped at some little hole in the wall that had burgers and drinks, cash only. Was there an ATM around? Maybe? I have no idea, there wasn't any bank. But, for us it's much easier to just have some cash and not go looking for an ATM. For us anyway, this wasn't an once time occurrence. Does it happen a lot? No. But, often enough, that having cash makes life much easier for us.

 

[kyton]

Travelling nearly monthly this year to the USA from Australia I’m forever getting quarters for the hotel washing / drying facilities. With 4 people I’m still doing a load every 3-4 days each visit - sometimes daily if I need to wash race gear overnight.

 

[sam_gordon]

I totally agree, you can certainly find a place to eat that takes credit. I wasn't meaning you would starve if you didn't have cash! I was simply saying there are still lots of places that only take cash. And no, the places that I was referring to did not have card readers, it was cash only.

And yes, you certainly travel a lot!! For sure!! I'm wondering if the places you travel to are pretty populated since it is for work? The travel I was talking about in my post is vacation travel for 2-3 weeks. It would bore you, but I could make a list of places we have been to in the last few years where having cash on hand came in handy. Many of these places are rural. Here's one, In May, the drive from Rapid City SD, to the Teddy Roosevelt NP in Medora ND was bleak. Not Rapid City of course and not Medora, but the drive between the two certainly was. We stopped at some little hole in the wall that had burgers and drinks, cash only. Was there an ATM around? Maybe? I have no idea, there wasn't any bank. But, for us it's much easier to just have some cash and not go looking for an ATM. For us anyway, this wasn't an once time occurrence. Does it happen a lot? No. But, often enough, that having cash makes life much easier for us.

Just trying to say both things can be true...
1) You can travel and will need cash to do what you want/need to do.
And
2) You can travel a lot and not need cash.

 

[tvguy]

Just trying to say both things can be true...
1) You can travel and will need cash to do what you want/need to do.
And
2) You can travel a lot and not need cash.

Or you can be at LAX like my son was at 10pm after a construction crew cut the data line to all the POS machines. Hungry, lots of food for sale, if you had cash. He didn't ......despite his dear old dad always telling him to have at least $20 cash in his wallet.

 

[sam_gordon]

Or you can be at LAX like my son was at 10pm after a construction crew cut the data line to all the POS machines. Hungry, lots of food for sale, if you had cash. He didn't ......despite his dear old dad always telling him to have at least $20 cash in his wallet.

That would fall under #1... traveling and need cash. Not sure how it's an "or".

Depending on how long until the flight, grab an Uber or taxi to an ATM that's not affected.

 

[nw6675]

No cash at our meters. There’s a central pay station & you need to pay by credit card.

You know why I'm laughing

 

[tvguy]

That would fall under #1... traveling and need cash. Not sure how it's an "or".

Depending on how long until the flight, grab an Uber or taxi to an ATM that's not affected.

Its an or because you can't predict those situations. Not sure about you, but once I am at the airport, I don;'t leave , especially a mad house like LAX