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Currency when travelling in three countries.

(14 Posts)
Rosiebee Thu 23-Jan-25 15:14:43

We will soon embark on a holiday that will see us spending time in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. We'll be taking our debit and credit cards with us but are unsure on whether we need to order currency before we go, or can we get it through "hole in the wall" machines while we are there. I'm presuming that we'll be paying for most things on our cards but will need cash for tips, taxis and possibly street food in Singapore. I've read that most of the market stall holders only take cash. Thanks for any replies.

silverlining48 Thu 23-Jan-25 15:24:31

I havnt been to any of these places, but would always want currency because in some countries cards aren’t accepted as much as here. We couldn’t get sterling in Germany when we tried both atm and inside banks.
Sounds a great trip though. Bon voyage.

LOUISA1523 Thu 23-Jan-25 16:11:18

We used a starling card ....even in Singapore you could use it for the majority of things ....even in the hawker centres ( where you get street food) ....we took about £50 worth of Singapore dollars ....Australia took cards everywhere ...even in remote outback

Allira Thu 23-Jan-25 16:18:52

We usually take some cash just in case.

One bit of advice, though, is to take more than one card because one of my Nationwide cards got swallowed up at a Suncorp cashpoint for no reason and, of course, although Nationwide was most helpful, the new card went to my home address in UK.
Lloyds put a stop on a card when I tried to top up a mobile phone (that was years ago) because they said the transaction was at an unusual time. 4pm in Australia, middle of the night in UK although we'd told Lloyds we would be overseas.

Allira Thu 23-Jan-25 16:20:37

2pm I think! We were at lunch anyway.

J52 Thu 23-Jan-25 17:17:16

We’ve found ATM machines offered you local currency or sterling. However, if in a country where we do not speak the language such as Asian countries, we usually find a bank and use their ATM, it’s safer.

denbylover Thu 23-Jan-25 17:36:53

Hi NZ here, cards more widely accepted and used than cash. I rarely use cash. Australia much the same, but only because I’m away from home there I get some back up cash from an ATM.

I’ve not been to Singapore so unable to say what’s best there. But definitely cards accepted everywhere by shops, taxis, businesses in Aus and NZ .

Have a wonderful holiday, I hope we look after you well and you go home with special memories.

Allira Thu 23-Jan-25 17:45:37

Nearly everyone speaks English in Singapore, everyone who comes into contact with tourists, that is.

David49 Thu 23-Jan-25 19:14:23

We did Australia, NZ, Switzerland and France last year and used contactless everywhere, no local currency at all, including buying ice creams and coffee.
Unless you are going to a third world country, everywhere is connected. If you do have a situation where you do need currency you can get it from a cash machine anywhere.

NotSpaghetti Thu 23-Jan-25 20:14:41

We had a credit card only for overseas purchases. It saved us a lot when we travelled more. It probably needs changing now.

We found it on Martin Lewis' website

www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/travel-credit-cards/

Mancjules Thu 23-Jan-25 22:16:32

On my travels I take Revolut. Can just change currency whenever and top up from your UK bank. Cost is same or slightly lower than other methods.

B9exchange Sat 01-Feb-25 17:28:14

A second vote for Revolut. As long as you avoid weekends, you can exchange any currency into any currency without charge as often as you like, and use to draw out cash at ATMs. Preload it before you go in £s and then exchange for the next currency you need. You can top up from your bank account while abroad if you need to. If you have some left when you get back to the UK, swap it back to £s and use it as a credit card in the UK.

M0nica Sat 01-Feb-25 22:13:16

never used my card in Asia, but travelling in Europe, I have never had any trouble getting local currency (not every country uses euros) out of ATMs.

nandad Sun 02-Feb-25 09:57:54

Singapore is virtually cashless, use bank cards for everything including travel on the MRT (underground). You will need a card each. You don’t need any cash at all. Australia the same.

As an aside - Singapore were trying to introduce a cashless society in the early 1980s, but the rest of the world thought it would never catch on.