Paying with USD in Third World Countries
Jan 28, 2004, 7:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York & London
Posts: 290
Paying with USD in Third World Countries
Has anyone had any problems paying with the new colorful twenties (or now, perhaps the old ones)in lesser developed countries that normally accept USD as payment?
Jan 28, 2004, 7:42 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: BKK, formerly Irvine, CA, UA 1-k-MM, Hilton-gold, Gold Starwood
Posts: 3,004
No the information about the new bills was world wide news.
I was just in Sri Lanka, no problems.
One word of warning, always carry NEW bills, they won't accept torn or really old bills.
Regards,
Robert
I was just in Sri Lanka, no problems.
One word of warning, always carry NEW bills, they won't accept torn or really old bills.
Regards,
Robert
Jan 28, 2004, 7:53 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: LON, SFO, SYD
Posts: 409
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by liquid:
Has anyone had any problems paying with the new colorful twenties (or now, perhaps the old ones)in lesser developed countries that normally accept USD as payment?</font>
Has anyone had any problems paying with the new colorful twenties (or now, perhaps the old ones)in lesser developed countries that normally accept USD as payment?</font>
Almost all these places are fully aware of the new notes.
Jan 28, 2004, 8:12 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,330
Brazil, Peru, Boliva and Argy this month. No issues.
ALWAYS take clean bills to places like Peru and Bolivia or they will NOT take them. No red marks, no purple marks, no writing on them etc.
------------------
~ Glen ~ sipping bubbly from a UA 747-400 exit row 15 near you SOON!
ALWAYS take clean bills to places like Peru and Bolivia or they will NOT take them. No red marks, no purple marks, no writing on them etc.
------------------
~ Glen ~ sipping bubbly from a UA 747-400 exit row 15 near you SOON!
Jan 28, 2004, 10:18 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 85
I've carried $2 bills as a novelty for years. Usually have a 90-95% acceptance rate in the USA. Some folks think they're not real, or are bad luck!
Overseas, in developed countries if they would take dollars, they sure didn't want to take $2 bills. In less-developed countries I found it very easy to spend $2 bills. They were often valued at MORE than $2.
Overseas, in developed countries if they would take dollars, they sure didn't want to take $2 bills. In less-developed countries I found it very easy to spend $2 bills. They were often valued at MORE than $2.
Jan 29, 2004, 12:38 pm
#9
Moderator: InterContinental Hotels and Germany
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,550
I was in Cambodia a week ago and I had no problems with US$ (all notes). Also no problems with old ones, because you often get dirty money back form local dealer. Only, if the note is torn, it will not be accepted any more by dealer (but you can change at a bank)
Jan 29, 2004, 6:56 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Currently living in MAD
Programs: *G and whatever else I can match to....
Posts: 914
A slight caveat to the above post on Cambodia. I've been living here for a couple of years, and have seen that torn bills (especially of larger denominations) are NOT always accepted by the banks. Sometimes they'll take them, sometimes not.
The new $20 bills are indeed no problem, though.
- Michael
The new $20 bills are indeed no problem, though.
- Michael
Jan 29, 2004, 7:19 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rkt10:
I was in Albania about 5 years ago, just as the larger faces of the presidents began appearing on the bills.
My contact told me, "Bring Big Heads"!</font>
I was in Albania about 5 years ago, just as the larger faces of the presidents began appearing on the bills.
My contact told me, "Bring Big Heads"!</font>
Jan 29, 2004, 11:39 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,582
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by FWAAA:
Funny how the third world is more in tune with our new money than the clerk at the local Ralphs.
</font>
Funny how the third world is more in tune with our new money than the clerk at the local Ralphs.
</font>
Jan 30, 2004, 12:19 am
#13
Moderator: InterContinental Hotels and Germany
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,550
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Michael:
A slight caveat to the above post on Cambodia. I've been living here for a couple of years, and have seen that torn bills (especially of larger denominations) are NOT always accepted by the banks. Sometimes they'll take them, sometimes not.
The new $20 bills are indeed no problem, though.
- Michael</font>
A slight caveat to the above post on Cambodia. I've been living here for a couple of years, and have seen that torn bills (especially of larger denominations) are NOT always accepted by the banks. Sometimes they'll take them, sometimes not.
The new $20 bills are indeed no problem, though.
- Michael</font>
Jan 30, 2004, 12:33 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,107
Series 1996 $100s (the big heads) seem to be no-gos in many places in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. As do any of the small heads.
Jan 30, 2004, 12:35 am
#15
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: everywhere, BA Gold, LH, etc. etc.
Posts: 467
In Russia, absolutely everyone is well aware of every intricate detail of the bills, and there is no problem with acceptance at banks or exchange points. The days are gone when you would pay in a restaurant with greenbacks: the rule is Roubles only, but businesses get around this by setting their prices in 'Conditional Units', where 1 C.U. = $1. When the time comes to pay, they just multiply the bill by that day's official exchange rate, add a (large) pad to cover themselves for the exchange rate risk, and take Roubles cash. If you pay by credit card, same thing - you sign a chit denominated in Roubles, which then goes through the regular channels. If you do the latter, you are being whacked twice (and in the case of Amex, three times if your card is not denominated in US$) on the exchange rate!
As for torn or defaced notes, most banks in Russia will accept them, but again, they will charge you a premium for this - generally in the form of an exchange rate 10% - 15% worse than normal.
As for torn or defaced notes, most banks in Russia will accept them, but again, they will charge you a premium for this - generally in the form of an exchange rate 10% - 15% worse than normal.
