Our team members love to travel and have scoured the world looking for amazing experiences. Here they share their favourites:
New Zealand
Planning some relaxation at the beautiful beaches or the breathtaking countryside of New Zealand? While you’re not likely to run into any issues using a credit card or debit card when visiting most of the country, it’s still a good idea to pad your wallet with some cash for small item spending and emergencies.
Japan
While Japan’s economy is considered a consumer electronics powerhouse, credit card payments in the country remain surprisingly far behind. Running low on cash can be a hassle, as ATMs that understand English and accept non-Japanese bank and credit cards are difficult to come by, even in a major city like Tokyo.
United Kingdom
American dollars can be exchanged to British pounds locally without much difficulty -- the lowest rates typically found from local post offices. Depending where in the UK you're visiting, finding a post office may be difficult and opening hours will vary.
China
Exchanging money in China can be a confusing and time-consuming affair. With a population of over 1.4 billion people, a line at the bank can easily take an hour of your day.
Sweden
Considered the most cash-free country in the world, even some of Sweden's banks have stopped handling cash, while it's not uncommon for some tourist attractions, including restaurants and museums to accept only credit and bank card or mobile payments.
Australia
With its genuinely pleasant and laid-back lifestyle, Australians are accustomed to paying with both cash and plastic virtually everywhere. While hotels and restaurants don't add any service charges to your bills, tipping is generally not necessary here.
Canada
It's not uncommon for many Canadian retailers to accept American dollars, especially in major cities and close to the American border. However, this isn't the case everywhere and you won't get the best percentage as retailers are free to set their own exchange rate.
Mexico
Cash is still the most popular way to pay for your shopping and entertainment expenses when visiting any part of Mexico. From the small costs of taxi rides, snacks and bottled water to the larger expenses of restaurants and admission fees of museums and site attractions, cash is still required in most locations.
France | Spain | Italy
Tourism in mainland Europe in countries like France, Spain and Italy are some of the most popular spots for Americans traveling abroad to spend their vacations. While the official currency here is the euro, you'll notice that credit cards and bank cards aren't widely accepted everywhere since these countries are still very commonly cash-based.
Poland
Despite its central Europe location and European Union member status, to the surprise of many, Poland does not use the Euro as its currency. Instead, the country of nearly 40 million has its own currency known as the zloty.
Germany
The surprising thing in Germany is just how many restaurants, fast food outlets, entertainment venues and shops refuse to take credit and debit cards. Despite being one of the most technologically advanced country in the world, people pay principally with cash, having a very strong desire for personal anonymity and a belief in the power and security of physical cash.