Currency needed in Australia & New Zealand

[lissie]

5 hours ago, Galesa said:

Just found a reason I need cash.

 

Staying in a cabin in a caravan park and the clothes dryer needs coins.

 

Not the washing machine mind you. That had a qr code which linked to google pay. Still with me everyone? Lol. 

 

So clothes went on the  line....whatever that means 🙂

So you don't need cash - because who uses a dryer in Oz? 

[GUT2407]

7 minutes ago, lissie said:

So you don't need cash - because who uses a dryer in Oz? 

Often when staying in hotels etc.

[OzKiwiJJ]

8 hours ago, NSWP said:

Cash is King mate. I always have a couple of hundred 💵 on me plus my debit card.

We carry a small amount of cash but these days we only use it in a couple of cafes, just for coffees. Everything else goes on the credit card and is paid off each month.

[GUT2407]

8 hours ago, NSWP said:

Cash is King mate. I always have a couple of hundred 💵 on me plus my debit card.

Me too Uncle Les but hospital vending machine wiped me out (I seldom leave the house so don’t carry much in notes but usually $20-$50 in coins. Mrs G had had a fund raiser BBQ Chocolate sale at school so was out of coins, rare for us to both be out at one time, though come to think of it I carry a $50 note in my car key case, the ca4 doesn’t need you to take it out of your pocket or bag, so it lives in a little leather case, and when I was at the grindstone I started carrying a pineapple in there for emergency drinkies or some trivial spending.

[chubbypiggy]

10 hours ago, buchhalm said:

I called A friend who works at the international airport. He confirms that there are currently NO bank owned ATM at the international airport. 

However, all modes of transport to the city accept credit cards.

In the city there are plenty of ATM if you need some cash AUD

Thank you so much for calling your friend!!  I will use my credit card for the transportation, then will get cash after arrival at the hotel.  

[Ozwoody]

9 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Me too Uncle Les but hospital vending machine wiped me out (I seldom leave the house so don’t carry much in notes but usually $20-$50 in coins. Mrs G had had a fund raiser BBQ Chocolate sale at school so was out of coins, rare for us to both be out at one time, though come to think of it I carry a $50 note in my car key case, the ca4 doesn’t need you to take it out of your pocket or bag, so it lives in a little leather case, and when I was at the grindstone I started carrying a pineapple in there for emergency drinkies or some trivial spending.

You must have strong belt and pants, that would be around 1/3 to just under 1/2 a kilo of coins...😱😂

[GUT2407]

On 12/1/2022 at 7:47 AM, Ozwoody said:

You must have strong belt and pants, that would be around 1/3 to just under 1/2 a kilo of coins...😱😂

I carry a man bag, so much medical crap to cart around, and it is only 10 to 25 $2 coins, nowhere near 1/2 kg.

 

[GUT2407]

$2 coin weights 6.5g so $20 is 65g 50 is under 200g

[Cruisers47]

I have cash left over from different pre Covid trips.

 

when in the UK some places would not accept it as they had changed the currency.   Went  into one bank and asked them to change it and they said as we were not customers..,hard luck.   Finally Barclays Bank changed it.

 

I have $100 in NZ currency,I hope it is still acceptable!😩

 

Eileen

[Docker123]

I have not carried cash in many many months. Tap for everything. Works very well in Melbourne. 
 

When I was I Perth recently, there were signs in some shops indicating they preferred cash.

 

May reflect lockdown differences.

 

[Cruisers47]

1 minute ago, Docker123 said:

I have not carried cash in many many months. Tap for everything. Works very well in Melbourne. 
 

When I was I Perth recently, there were signs in some shops indicating they preferred cash.

 

May reflect lockdown differences.

 

Having worked for the ATO I know why places want cash rather than credit cards🤐.

 

I very rarely use Cash these days.  Use my credit card all the time!   
 

read this week the reason that Banks won’t give retirees credit cards is that they pay them off each month so the banks do not get any interest.

 

you have to make sure that both partners have separate credit cards before retiring,   Mind you once my husband had his own credit card there were more trips to Dan Murphy’s and the Golf shop.

[MMDown Under]

5 minutes ago, Cruisers47 said:

 

read this week the reason that Banks won’t give retirees credit cards is that they pay them off each month so the banks do not get any interest.

 

you have to make sure that both partners have separate credit cards before retiring,   Mind you once my husband had his own credit card there were more trips to Dan Murphy’s and the Golf shop.

I wonder if that is true.  Yes, I wish I had done that before we retired.  Card was in my husband's name only  with me on second card.  yet I made all payments on due date.  I had a card in my name which I discontinued when banks started charging for credit cards.  Banks make a fortune from Seniors who leave money in bank accounts earning minimal interest.  When they increase rates it isn't for these type of accounts.  I feel exploited!

[Ozwoody]

2 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

$2 coin weights 6.5g so $20 is 65g 50 is under 200g

Your right I multiplied the $2 coin by twenty as I did for the $1 coins, to get max weight.

Currently wearing my dill hat.😁

 

[onlyslightlymad]

On 10/21/2022 at 4:00 PM, lucymorgan said:

I usually carry a bit of cash but as others have said rarely use it.  Especially since the pan**** most retailers and service providers actually prefer card or phone payment over cash and tapping is widespread.  Good advice from others about checking international transaction fees and whether your cards will work here.

 

For context about why Aussies don't like people to tip (unless they are the person being tipped) the national minimum wage is currently $21.38 per hour and if you are casual, you get at least 25% more than that.  (This doesn't apply to teenagers and people under 21 though) 

 

My daughter works as a casual in a pet store and regularly carries heavy items out to cars but she would not know what to do if someone offered her a tip!  People close to tourists would know but would not expect it - although if they heard an American accent they would be perhaps hopeful.     

I generally find that a sincere thank you is all that is expected

 

[P&T]

1 hour ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I generally find that a sincere thank you is all that is expected

 

Yes! Treat them with respect, don't act like a self entitled ........ and say a genuine thankyou.

[Lunur]

Any recommendation on banks in Sydney that have a reliable ATM? I have heard of some to avoid when visiting other countries.

 

Thanks!

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, Lunur said:

Any recommendation on banks in Sydney that have a reliable ATM? I have heard of some to avoid when visiting other countries.

 

Thanks!

Any bank that has an ATM on the front is reliable, and they will have ATMs in the larger shopping centres --- Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ, NAB, St George

 

Our banks are slowly reducing the numbers of ATMs here, with cash being used less than it used to be. 3rd party ATMs are showing-up in their place and apart from a trust issue, they usually have bigger fees to use.

[GUT2407]

1 hour ago, Lunur said:

Any recommendation on banks in Sydney that have a reliable ATM? I have heard of some to avoid when visiting other countries.

 

Thanks!

Check with your own bank, many have a relationship with one Australian bank that can save you on fees. Can’t hurt to ask.

[Over from NZ]

3 hours ago, Lunur said:

Any recommendation on banks in Sydney that have a reliable ATM? I have heard of some to avoid when visiting other countries.

 

Thanks!

It's Australians that are dodgy. Their banks are ok though! 😁

[paradiselivin1]

On 1/12/2023 at 2:22 PM, GUT2407 said:

Check with your own bank, many have a relationship with one Australian bank that can save you on fees. Can’t hurt to ask.

True. Bank of America uses Westpac. Easy to find out from your bank!

[SilvertoGold]

In Canada a while ago, one of the main suppliers has a huge network outage.  You had to have cash as credit cards and debit cards were not working. Many at the grocery store where I was shopping had to leave empty handed as they had no cash.  Obviously these systems are now being rethought, but it was quite a wake-up call for what can happen!

[MicCanberra]

I use cash when buying something in a small business type shop, otherwise it is tap and go.

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

In Canada a while ago, one of the main suppliers has a huge network outage.  You had to have cash as credit cards and debit cards were not working. Many at the grocery store where I was shopping had to leave empty handed as they had no cash.  Obviously these systems are now being rethought, but it was quite a wake-up call for what can happen!

When I was last in London, I had two credit cards fail.  Lucky I had cash!

[windsor26]

On 11/30/2022 at 10:28 PM, GUT2407 said:

Often when staying in hotels etc.

All the time I cannot raise arms to hang washing (and we have solar)

[windsor26]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:29 AM, Lunur said:

Any recommendation on banks in Sydney that have a reliable ATM? I have heard of some to avoid when visiting other countries.

 

Thanks!

In Australia we ae able to use Post offices instead of ATM's   They just scan your debit card and pay out with a receipt