Cashless travel

[SecondAttempt]

We left Sweden today after almost 2 weeks. We did not spend a single ore or krona in the form of cash, bills or coins. It is almost a completely cashless economy. So far it seems like Denmark is pretty similar.

The only hickup they have to work out is that at local markets and for very small payments they use a system called Swish but you must have a Swedish bank account to use it so tourists are cut out. I think it is like venmo.

I found the whole cashless thing incredibly convenient. I know there are people who have political objections to that kind of thing but I truly believe that is the way we are headed because it is so unbelievably efficient and convenient.

Understand that there is no law, as far as I know, banning cash or even encouraging cashless transactions. It's just so convenient for everyone once the technology is available that it quickly becomes the preferred choice.

 

[athena53]

We left Sweden today after almost 2 weeks. We did not spend a single ore or krona in the form of cash, bills or coins. It is almost a completely cashless economy. So far it seems like Denmark is pretty similar.

Thanks for the reminder- I'll be visiting both next year and it's nice to know I can avoid the guesswork of how much to withdraw and whether to squander or save whatever I have left when I leave. I'd heard a BBC podcast on the switch in Sweden. Apparently even panhandlers such as street musicians display signs with their Swish account info.

Advantages: Cuts WAY down on crimes involving cash (pickpocketing, thieves holding up stores for the cash in their registers, employees pilfering cash, etc.) From the government's point of view, it's ALL recorded and traceable.

Disadvantages: From the citizens' point of view, it's ALL recorded and traceable. Hard on the very poor and anyone who lacks the mental capacity to handle the technology. And yes, not having access to a Swish account might be a disadvantage for tourists.

 

[audreyh1]

Netherlands has areas that a virtually cashless. But outside of major tourist areas they don’t accept credit cards and if you don’t have a Dutch bank account with a PIN card, you use cash. They readily take cash in these more remote areas.

Germany from what I’ve read is very attached to using cash.

It depends on the country/culture.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Thanks for the reminder- I'll be visiting both next year and it's nice to know I can avoid the guesswork of how much to withdraw and whether to squander or save whatever I have left when I leave. I'd heard a BBC podcast on the switch in Sweden. Apparently even panhandlers such as street musicians display signs with their Swish account info.

Not many panhandlers in the social welfare state but yeah, street musicians displayed their swish. I have lots of inside connections (friends and having lived there) but I was still skeptical and kept a little cash leftover from previous trips but it was unnecessary.

I'll update on Denmark after we leave. We'll be in Copenhagen and some outlying areas.

 

[audreyh1]

Be interested to hear how it goes in Copenhagen.

 

[tulak]

I wrapped up a two week trip in England/Scotland and didn’t use any cash. I used Apple Pay for almost all payments. Super convenient.

I know at home (PNW), the country is trying to require businesses accept cash payments since not everyone has access to cashless tech. Personally, I think it’s inevitable, but there does need to be a low barrier of entry for all.

 

[bobbyr]

I wrapped up a two week trip in England/Scotland and didn’t use any cash. I used Apple Pay for almost all payments. Super convenient.

I know at home (PNW), the country is trying to require businesses accept cash payments since not everyone has access to cashless tech. Personally, I think it’s inevitable, but there does need to be a low barrier of entry for all.

Can you advise how to sign up for and use Apple Pay? And are there any gotchas? I am wary of anything other than paying with a credit card (for security concerns), but I may need to change my ways.

 

[audreyh1]

Can you advise how to sign up for and use Apple Pay? And are there any gotchas? I am wary of anything other than paying with a credit card (for security concerns), but I may need to change my ways.

Do you have an iPhone? That is the first step.

Then add credit cards to your wallet (app) and the iPhone will talk to your bank to turn on Apple Pay.

Apple Pay does use your credit cards. It’s just more secure than handing over a physical card (no skimming, etc.) plus the vendor doesn’t see even your credit card number and other credentials. They get a token from the phone and bank to process the transaction. Also no signature required as your phone (or watch) identifies you after login.

I use my Apple Watch which is always logged in once I put it on my wrist.

 

[tulak]

No gotchas. I use it mainly on an Apple watch, but have also used it on an iPhone. All you need to do is add the credit card in the Wallet app.

Here’s a link to instructions from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204506

 

[bobbyr]

Do you have an iPhone? That is the first step.

Then add credit cards to your wallet (app) and the iPhone will talk to your bank to turn on Apple Pay.

Apple Pay does use your credit cards. It’s just more secure than handing over a physical card (no skimming, etc.) plus the vendor doesn’t see even your credit card number and other credentials. They get a token from the phone and bank to process the transaction. Also no signature required as your phone (or watch) identifies you after login.

I use my Apple Watch which is always logged in once I put it on my wrist.

Thank you...yes we use iphone -- I'll check it out. We're not travelling much now, but hope to in the near future.

 

[audreyh1]

Thank you...yes we use iphone -- I'll check it out. We're not travelling much now, but hope to in the near future.

You can use it in the US as well. We use it anywhere that accepts Apple Pay. Maybe your grocery store does. Costco certainly does.

Just check out the Wallet app on your iPhone - it comes with the app already installed.

The transaction appears on your regular credit card statement and you usually get a receipt. The only difference is using your iPhone or Apple Watch to pay instead of pulling out one of your credit cards.

 

[brett]

We came very close last time in Australia. Got $350. cash from ATM. Three weeks later we still had a little less than $300. I started paying cash to use it up. I really noticed the difference from our trip three years previous.

The exact opposite to the 5 weeks in Thailand/Malaysia prior to Australia.

 

[Midpack]

Do you have an iPhone? That is the first step.

Then add credit cards to your wallet (app) and the iPhone will talk to your bank to turn on Apple Pay.

Apple Pay does use your credit cards. It’s just more secure than handing over a physical card (no skimming, etc.) plus the vendor doesn’t see even your credit card number and other credentials. They get a token from the phone and bank to process the transaction. Also no signature required as your phone (or watch) identifies you after login.

I use my Apple Watch which is always logged in once I put it on my wrist.

We use Apple Pay as much as possible, mostly for the reason highlighted above. It’s even more useful for online purchases in that Apple Pay has your address - so it’s truly one click buying if you want, there are zero “forms” to fill out, all automatically done.

I have no problem if the world goes cashless. I just feel stupid charging anything less than $10, so use cash, though it’s just a silly habit I guess. I always take extra cash on trips ‘in case,’ but I can’t remember ever needing any cash…

 

[explanade]

We left Sweden today after almost 2 weeks. We did not spend a single ore or krona in the form of cash, bills or coins. It is almost a completely cashless economy. So far it seems like Denmark is pretty similar.

The only hickup they have to work out is that at local markets and for very small payments they use a system called Swish but you must have a Swedish bank account to use it so tourists are cut out. I think it is like venmo.

I found the whole cashless thing incredibly convenient. I know there are people who have political objections to that kind of thing but I truly believe that is the way we are headed because it is so unbelievably efficient and convenient.

Understand that there is no law, as far as I know, banning cash or even encouraging cashless transactions. It's just so convenient for everyone once the technology is available that it quickly becomes the preferred choice.

What's the cut off amount for when they won't take cash?

I use Apple Pay all the time at supermarkets, this year so far in Spain and France.

Sometimes I only need to buy some bottled water and they're like super cheap, often under 1 Euro for say two 1.5 liter bottles.

So I will usually buy something else so that the total is at least €2-3 Euro but I don't think the clerks care.

Most of the neighborhood supermarkets in town centers are part of chains. But it could be that some of them are owned by a local owner and they may care if you charge such a small amount.

Sometimes you will see signs saying you have to spend at least 10 Euros to use credit cards.

But more often than not, I haven't seen such requirements.

 

[tulak]

It didn’t even occur to me to worry about charging small amounts. I’d often buy only bottled water, which was under £1.

 

[2017ish]

Rich countries are one thing. Not-rich countries, especially in rural areas, are another....

Since March 2020, we've visited (among other destinations), the following not-rich countries/areas, where you'd better have an ATM card to get cash, especially if you plan to eat at small restaurants that don't cater to tourists: East-central Portugal, Honduras, Jordan, Egypt, Colombia, Argentina (patagonia), Chile (patagonia), Indonesia, and Malaysia.

These countries/areas, however, no need for cash: Singapore, Iceland, Spain, Gibraltar, Falklands, South Georgia (I think?), both Irelands, and Scotland.

A few areas/countries that we weren't in long enough to really say (Uruguay, Qatar, Turkey), or where the question is irrelevant (Antarctica).

Our bottom line is that it is always good to have an ATM card that will work, just in case.

 

[Chuckanut]

I wish I could get get my Kroger owned super market to use Apple Pay.

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah, our local HEB is a main holdout. They don’t even support tap to pay.

 

[Drake3287]

I'm another that tries to go cashless on our international trips, more for credit card rewards than anything else. I do bring a fair amount of local currency with me just in the case of our cards being lost, stolen or compromised tough.

There is NOTHING worse than not having your credit/ATM card available to you on a trip like these. My wife and I also each carry a separate credit card so we still have one to use in case something happens to a card. Lot's of people don't think of this.

As for all the foreign currency I end up not using, I simply redeposit it back in the bank when I get home. And for those of you that say I hate to carry that much cash around, just think about that $1,000. iPhone sticking out of your back pocket.

 

[Sunset]

I'm another that tries to go cashless on our international trips, more for credit card rewards than anything else. I do bring a fair amount of local currency with me just in the case of our cards being lost, stolen or compromised tough.

There is NOTHING worse than not having your credit/ATM card available to you on a trip like these. My wife and I also each carry a separate credit card so we still have one to use in case something happens to a card. Lot's of people don't think of this.

As for all the foreign currency I end up not using, I simply redeposit it back in the bank when I get home. And for those of you that say I hate to carry that much cash around, just think about that $1,000. iPhone sticking out of your back pocket.

Ouch... so you pay the conversion rate twice on the cash..

 

[JoeWras]

Yeah, our local HEB is a main holdout. They don’t even support tap to pay.

ArrrgggghhhH!

What is going on in the USA? We live in the dark ages. Very little tap to pay. Many servers still taking your card into the back room.

Go to any other first world country and the terminal is brought to table and everything works tap-to-pay.

 

[audreyh1]

HEB took several years after the supposed “deadline” to handle chipped cards, we had to keep swiping, so I’m not surprised.

But within the last year they updated their card readers (again) and still no Apple Pay or tap to pay support!

So it seems they are extremely conservative about their checkout payment systems. Everything else about the store is fantastic, so having to pull out a wallet and insert a card is my only beef.

ETA: well I’m reading online that some stores do have tap to pay terminals, but that HEB doesn’t accept digital payments at any of their stores.

 

[Chuckanut]

Yeah, our local HEB is a main holdout. They don’t even support tap to pay.

For me, it’s another reason to shop more at places like Costco and Trader Joe’s.

 

[Alan]

It didn’t even occur to me to worry about charging small amounts. I’d often buy only bottled water, which was under £1.

Yeah, pre-Covid many/most places here would have a minimum price for using a credit card but now no cost is too low. Certainly saves having to mess with small change.

 

[Koolau]

I'm another that tries to go cashless on our international trips, more for credit card rewards than anything else. I do bring a fair amount of local currency with me just in the case of our cards being lost, stolen or compromised tough.

There is NOTHING worse than not having your credit/ATM card available to you on a trip like these. My wife and I also each carry a separate credit card so we still have one to use in case something happens to a card. Lot's of people don't think of this.

As for all the foreign currency I end up not using, I simply redeposit it back in the bank when I get home. And for those of you that say I hate to carry that much cash around, just think about that $1,000. iPhone sticking out of your back pocket.

Yep, I've thought of this often. I want back ups no matter what system I use. Cash in a sock comes to mind but there are more elegant ways to cover the bases.