Most useful Euro banknote to carry

[capun]

A quick question for all of you experienced peregrinos, what is the most useful Euro baknote to carry around?

When we exchange our Dollars they'll probably give us the largest bill they have. At the same time we don't want to carry a big wad of smaller bills

Thanks

 

[Whalleyranger]

Try not to get anything larger than a 20. You'll be passing through a lot of very small places where the only shop / bar / shop-combined-with bar probably won't have enough change on the premises if you try to use a 50 to pay for your coffee.

 

[lettinggo]

Hello Capun

Well... don't exchange all your money to cash..
Once on your camino withdraw 200-250 Euro from ATM's, which is around the 'normal' limit.
You will get 100,50,20,10,5 bills. Stores in Spain generally have enough cash and don't 'reject' large bills.
It was never an issue for me.

Buen Camino.

Edit.
After I saw Whalley's and Annie's posts...
Always make sure to have 20,10 and 5 bills on you.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I thought I replied, but can't find my post. Bizarre day.

I usually just take whatever the ATM spits out, which in my experience is usually 20 Euro notes.
As one person above mentioned, some small bars and tiendas along the way can't make change for large bills. I did had that happen on my first Camino. It's much easier if you have 20s, 10s and 5s.

I never carry more than 300 euros at a time.

 

[dduroy]

After a week, I've amassed so much change I use it for the coffees and donuts in small places. I'm carrying mostly tens, fives and small amount of 20s. During the day though you'll be trying to get rid of the heavy change.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Just be careful and learn the currency BEFORE you leave.
Last year, one of my friends on her first Camino tipped someone at the airport, giving them ALL her change. We figured the person got well over 16 euros. She was associating the 2 euro coins with US quarters!

 

[NicoZ]

Hello Capun

Well... don't exchange all your money to cash..
Once on your camino withdraw 200-250 Euro from ATM's, which is around the 'normal' limit.
You will get 100,50,20,10,5 bills. Stores in Spain generally have enough cash and don't 'reject' large bills.
It was never an issue for me.

Buen Camino.

Edit.
After I saw Whalley's and Annie's posts...
Always make sure to have 20,10 and 5 bills on you.

This. Use your bank card and you'll likely even get a better exchange rate. It'll be safer no matter what.

It's not nice expecting a small shop to take large bills for small purchase. Plus they'll likely waste a bit of time making sure it's not counterfeit.

Euro bills are sized. The smaller the amount the smaller the piece of paper. So €5 is the smallest thing. Each bigger note is slightly bigger. Keep your bills in size order. Or ascending amount. This will reduce the risk of making a mistake. Small bills at the front. Bigger ones in the back.

Same rule applies to coins. The smaller lighter the coin the less it's worth.

 

[capun]

I was figuring out 200 Euros for me and another 200 for my wife, just in case we loose the money/get robbed, etc. That way we could have cash handy.

 

[Damian27]

Thanks for the great question! I would have never thunk to think it and ask it LOL


Sent from my iPad using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app

 

[NicoZ]

I was figuring out 200 Euros for me and another 200 for my wife, just in case we loose the money/get robbed, etc. That way we could have cash handy.

If you get robbed won't they take this to :shock:


Get a different bank card for each of you. Even better if they're for different banks. This way if one card has a problem hopefully the other will be okay.

 

[capun]

I thought about that already, we are taking two ATM's from different institutions. The primary ATM does not charge fees (they reimburse the fees) and suposedly have better exchange rates. The back-up charges fees but is a larger bank in the US, plus we are taking a Credit Card. All have been informed that we are traveling so they won't reject charges.

BTW, we are going to phisically separate the money so no one person carries all of the money. Just a precaution, remember "don't put all of the egss in one basket"

 

[hyalinejim]

Another piece of currency related advice for Americans: do remember that Europe does not have the same tipping culture as you do. It varies between countries, but this is what I've gathered for Spain.

It's not the done thing to tip bar staff for drinks.

You may leave a couple of coins when dining out to round up to the next euro. But for casual dining and peregrino menus don't leave a tip.

It's not necessary to tip taxi drivers (as far as I know, can someone confirm? ).

I know all this seems counterintuitive. I'm Irish. Here we always tip for food, never for drinks and usually not for taxis. I find it strange not to tip for food in countries like Spain and France, but accept the argument that one must respect local customs.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Re tipping. Last November I often left small tips for people in bars etc. Almost no one objected and quite a few showed gratitude well beyond the size of the tip. What I mainly did was to round a 9€ meal up to 10.

Northern Spain has never really been very rich and at the moment people really seem to be suffering.

If the coins were pushed back at me I would look, raise my eyebrows, and if they were sure I would immediately put the coins in my pocket. I try desperately hard not to offend people, I am by no means well off, but I sense that in difficult times showing a bit of solidarity with people struggling to making a living is in the true spirit of the Camino.

If you can bring coins - maybe to the value of 10 to 20€ - because if you get on a bus or need an instant drink it makes life easier. I have found bus drivers are not happy with 20€ notes!

Remember that if you use ATM's your bank may charge you a flat fee for each transaction. In 2004 my SJPP to SdC trip cost me £60 in charges and that worked out to three/four days spending money on the Camino.

Check with your bank what you will pay.

Annie is right that around 200€ is what you should be carrying because some areas have fewer ATMs and because of the flat rate charge.

Others may disagree but I also keep 10€ stuffed in the bottom of my rucksack in case for any reason I get parted from my money pouch (I did once leave it an albergue and with no money to grab a bus I had to walk all the way back - I promise you 10€ would have saved the day!)

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Re tipping. Last November I often left small tips for people in bars etc. No one objected and quite a few showed gratitude well beyond the size of the tip. What I mainly did was to round a 9€ meal up to 10.

Northern Spain has never really been very rich and at the moment people really seem to be suffering.

If the coins were pushed back at me I would look, raise my eyebrows, and if they were sure I would immediately put the coins in my pocket. I try desperately hard not to offend people, I am by no means well off, but I sense that in difficult times showing a bit of solidarity with people struggling to making a living is in the true spirit of the Camino.

If you can bring coins - maybe to the value of 10 to 20€ - because if you get on a bus or need an instant drink it makes life easier. I have found bus drivers are not happy with 20€ notes!

Remember that if you use ATM's your bank may charge you a flat fee for each transaction. In 2004 my SJPP to SdC trip cost me £60 in charges and that worked out to three/four days spending money on the Camino.

Check with your bank what you will pay.

Annie is right that around 200€ is what you should be carrying because some areas have fewer ATMs and because of the flat rate charge.

Others may disagree but I also keep 10€ stuffed in the bottom of my rucksack in case for any reason I get parted from my money pouch (I did once leave it an albergue and with no money to grab a bus I had to walk all the way back - I promise you 10€ would have saved the day!)

I think this is very sad. My aunt and uncle lives in a town south of Malaga, which is supposed to be a rich area. And things were difficult even there. I visited them last spring, and they said everyone were just talking about "the crisis".
Anyway, when I was there we went to an ATM, and it did not accept either of my Visa or MasterCard, only local cards (or Spanish I guess). We had to go to Malaga and try others and finally we find a Santander bank. That has never happened to me before (except in Germany).
And another thing is the numbers on the ATM where you press your pin code. When I walked vdlp I found an ATM where the numbers were upside down! I pressed wrong number twice and boy I was nervous the last try.
So I think it's a good idea to have some extra money here and there.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We try to carry 20s, 10s and 5s and small change. If we get a larger note out of an ATM we either keep it hidden for emergencies or use it as soon as we find a big enough place - town supermarket or hostal. Otherwise if the bank is open you could go in and ask for smaller notes

We were also told to always use the 'euros' option on the ATM as it will give a lower rate of charges, and better rate, with a non euro debit or credit card. I don't know if this is true or how it works as we use euro cash cards anyway.

 

[grayland]

This thread is locked to allow for some cool down time.

 

[grayland]

The thread is now open for (hopefully) uplifting comments. :wink:

 

[Pieces]

i agree, it should be all or nothing...

 

[capun]

Like I was saying how nice this forum was...

BTW, I was planning to get some Euros at one of the Airports before the arrival at Madrid, but found the TravelEx exchange and fees way too high.

Even my bank rates were better and since I have been banking with them for a long time they did not charge me any fees. Now we have some money when we arrive.

 

[grayland]

I usually keep some euro from a previous trip and then use an airport ATM when I arrive in Europe to start another Camino.
The ATM rates at the airport seem to be the same as elsewhere in the same area.

This does not work well when you have a tight schedule after arrival.
It does work well if you have a transfer flight in Europe.