Originally Posted by
RTW1
I really don't get your point about how difficult it is to use your cards..... every ATM (or almost every one) accepts swipe credit cards from Visa/Master without any problems. Amex is a bit harder, but that's because they charge ridiculous transaction fees.
I don't think the OP has a complaint about said cards working to get cash in an ATM; but that wherever the OP is located the merchants (perhaps, smaller merchants), are not interested in swiping the OP's cards.
Of course, the OP can just work with cash from an ATM; that would be one obvious solution.