The joy of getting new foreign currency

[colourbird]

2 hours ago, Jean C said:

It always used to be 10 or 15% for a meal and one or two dollars for porters. I tend to pay 15% these days but can't bring myself to fork out 20%. $10 or so for day trip tour bus operators, especially if they are very good, more for weekly/fortnightly bus tours. These days Keith usually takes care of tipping in the US so I'm out of touch, but yonks ago when I travelled back and forth to home via the US, I researched the protocols, much harder to do then than it is now with readily available, always accessible, internet 💵 

 

When we were in the USA in November 2023 18% at restaurants was pretty much the minimum with some having the default tip set at 20% with an option to go higher. When we checked into our hotels we asked how much to tip and were told not to give tips to staff at the hotels. They automatically added 20% for drinks and meals though.

 

Some fast food restaurants added a tip and the only service was the staff member passing our items over the counter. A milkshake ended up costing A$26 after tax, tip and currency conversion.

[MicCanberra]

We factor in all those things in our budget, it is just the cost to travel.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Before Rolf retired he used to do a lot of overseas travel for business and tended to keep any remaining currency from his trips. We're now finding some of those currencies aren't accepted any more as it's been quite a few years since he last visited those countries. It's no big deal as it was only small amounts of cash - only enough to buy a drink or two, or small souvenirs.

[Jean C]

1 hour ago, colourbird said:

Some fast food restaurants added a tip and the only service was the staff member passing our items over the counter. A milkshake ended up costing A$26 after tax, tip and currency conversion.

Ouch 🙁

[OzKiwiJJ]

56 minutes ago, Jean C said:

Ouch 🙁

Tipping is getting insane in the US. We just don't want to go there any more andvthat's one of the reasons. We can't avoid it on the world cruise though.

[Jean C]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Tipping is getting insane in the US. We just don't want to go there any more andvthat's one of the reasons. We can't avoid it on the world cruise though.

We'll be in Honolulu for a few days later this year but will stay in a condo and self-cater, so that reduces costs. We'll go to the Cheesecake Factory for a meal, for old time's sake (had complimentary breads there, including chocolate bread which sounded yuk but was surprisingly good), and The Moana Surfrider Beach Bar for the best Mai Tai's, so will tip there. 

 

On one of our visits to Laihana we went to Bubba Gump's, just to say been there, done that (where I got the now well worn tee-shirt). We ordered some fried prawns or something and had the Captain's special cocktail. The waitress asked where we were from, at first I thought general chit chat, but she went on to say that they did special bills for Aussies and NZers. It turned out to include a narrative about tipping - I was a bit miffed, as we don't need reminding!  Funnily though, Keith being Keith, grabbed a random passing waitress to pay the bill.  Our lady was horrified when we got up and said we'd already settled the account - she raced off to the cash register, no doubt to claim her right to the tip 😂

[colourbird]

17 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Tipping is getting insane in the US. We just don't want to go there any more andvthat's one of the reasons. We can't avoid it on the world cruise though.

 

Another problem in America apart from tips was prices displayed on menus or in stores never showed the full price as they added tax at the time of payment.

[Jean C]

10 minutes ago, colourbird said:

 

Another problem in America apart from tips was prices displayed on menus or in stores never showed the full price as they added tax at the time of payment.

I can only imagine that state taxes vary so they don't use a uniform price, but even then it really doesn't make sense? People who use cash must end up with a wallet full of coins from presenting a guesstimate number of notes for what they think the final price will be 💰 

[Gwendy]

When I am asked to tip i arc up and generally don’t.  One tour guide in LA made a special announcement, we have Aussies on board, just letting you know you tip me and the driver.  Yeah, driver got a tip, but guide no especially after a stop in Hollywood where we were ushered into a store and I saw him receive a “thank you bonus”.

I remember a European bus tour many years ago when we had seven currencies.  No plastic then.

[Jean C]

Hahaha, I love the American quick wit. We were on a small bus tour in San Francisco. The driver/guide had to turn his vehicle around on a narrow road with a rocky bank. He asked the passenger at the back to let him know when he came close to the rocks - while manouvering the American playfully called out, just keep on backing up until you hear the sound of tinkling glass 🤣

[colourbird]

3 minutes ago, Jean C said:

I can only imagine that state taxes vary so they don't use a uniform price, but even then it really doesn't make sense? People who use cash must end up with a wallet full of coins from presenting a guesstimate number of notes for what they think the final price will be 💰 

 

Yes state taxes varied and some food items didn't attract the tax, but that seamed random and made it impossible to work out the final price. I ended up with a bag of small coins (lots of 1 cent pieces) as i'd have my coins ready to pay, but the price was often higher and I had to just hand over a note. On our last day I wanted to get rid of the coins so just got them all out and used them. It delayed the queue of people behind me till they opened another checkout. It took ages to pay as their coin denominations are not obvious and I kept getting mixed up.

 

We are going back to the USA this year. I'll use up my leftover notes and then use my credit card for all other expenses. I won't bother getting hold of more US currency before we travel.

[colourbird]

11 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

When I am asked to tip i arc up and generally don’t.  One tour guide in LA made a special announcement, we have Aussies on board, just letting you know you tip me and the driver.  Yeah, driver got a tip, but guide no especially after a stop in Hollywood where we were ushered into a store and I saw him receive a “thank you bonus”.

I remember a European bus tour many years ago when we had seven currencies.  No plastic then.

 

On most of our tours we were taken to stores where we were expected to make our purchases. The guides received their commissions at the end. At one of the larger stores, each busload was given a different number sticker to wear so the cashiers would know which guide got the commission.

[OzKiwiJJ]

57 minutes ago, colourbird said:

 

Another problem in America apart from tips was prices displayed on menus or in stores never showed the full price as they added tax at the time of payment.

Yes, that's very annoying indeed. 

[ceeceeDee]

1 hour ago, colourbird said:

 

Yes state taxes varied and some food items didn't attract the tax, but that seamed random and made it impossible to work out the final price. I ended up with a bag of small coins (lots of 1 cent pieces) as i'd have my coins ready to pay, but the price was often higher and I had to just hand over a note. On our last day I wanted to get rid of the coins so just got them all out and used them. It delayed the queue of people behind me till they opened another checkout. It took ages to pay as their coin denominations are not obvious and I kept getting mixed up.

 

We are going back to the USA this year. I'll use up my leftover notes and then use my credit card for all other expenses. I won't bother getting hold of more US currency before we travel.

Yes, the coins are really problematic. I gave up trying to figure out which is which. We were in one of the shops at Universal theme park and I just tipped all the coins on the counter (after asking if that was ok) and the assistant sorted it out. She was really happy about the small change as it saved her a trek to the park office to get change for her til.

[mr walker]

2 hours ago, colourbird said:

 

Another problem in America apart from tips was prices displayed on menus or in stores never showed the full price as they added tax at the time of payment.

From some American colleagues the story is that businesses refused to be tax collectors for the govt, or at least want people to know how much is going to the govt in the transaction. Not sure that their point is being made as they are collecting the tax, the customer is paying the tax & the govt is getting the tax 🙂 

Closer to home, well NZ. I recall a levy being placed on passengers flying out of Palmerston Nth airport. The airlines refused to collect it by adding/including in fare and so you had to line up & pay the fee and then show the receipt at the boarding gate.

It's a strange world. 

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Tipping is getting insane in the US. We just don't want to go there any more andvthat's one of the reasons. We can't avoid it on the world cruise though.

It is mainly the west coast and North which tip, the South invented cafeterias where you select your own delicious food and you don't tip.  The lady who comes around with an endless pot of coffee gets tipped.  If you don't drink their coffee, you are ahead.  The" bus boys ?" who clean your table don't get tipped which I think is very unfair.  I always talk to them, tell them what a great job they do etc and leave them beaming.  Any change left on table belongs to coffee lady. Some share.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, ceeceeDee said:

Yes, the coins are really problematic. I gave up trying to figure out which is which. We were in one of the shops at Universal theme park and I just tipped all the coins on the counter (after asking if that was ok) and the assistant sorted it out. She was really happy about the small change as it saved her a trek to the park office to get change for her til.

Yes I fined coins are always popular.  I didn't want to go over 4100 at Aldi, as I can't remember the number.  The lady on the till looked in my change purse, and found $6 which she put towards my bill bringing me under $100.  I also became expert over the holidays at getting them to split the bill, eg $150 = $75 x 2.

[MicCanberra]

????, what is the issue for being over $100? , 

[possum52]

4 hours ago, colourbird said:

 

On most of our tours we were taken to stores where we were expected to make our purchases. The guides received their commissions at the end. At one of the larger stores, each busload was given a different number sticker to wear so the cashiers would know which guide got the commission.

I'm pretty sure that happens with fundraising shopping trips too. Well, it did on the ones I went on back in the 90s. I was sort of surprised to see they still are going. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 hours ago, mr walker said:

From some American colleagues the story is that businesses refused to be tax collectors for the govt, or at least want people to know how much is going to the govt in the transaction. Not sure that their point is being made as they are collecting the tax, the customer is paying the tax & the govt is getting the tax 🙂 

Closer to home, well NZ. I recall a levy being placed on passengers flying out of Palmerston Nth airport. The airlines refused to collect it by adding/including in fare and so you had to line up & pay the fee and then show the receipt at the boarding gate.

It's a strange world. 

You had to do that at most NZ airports at one time - mid-90's I think.

[MMDown Under]

7 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

????, what is the issue for being over $100? , 

YOU HAVE TO INPUT A PIN  I NEVER NEEDED A PIN OVERSEAS  

Now THAT I SPEND OVER $100 locally i put a pin on account and cant remember it

[MicCanberra]

7 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

YOU HAVE TO INPUT A PIN  I NEVER NEEDED A PIN OVERSEAS  

Now THAT I SPEND OVER $100 locally i put a pin on account and cant remember it

Okay, that makes sense, usually you can change your pin from what was initially provided, I change it to something I can always remember.

[mr walker]

15 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You had to do that at most NZ airports at one time - mid-90's I think.

Oh, that makes sense. I visited Palmy regularly as my major customer in NZ had their plant there. Didn't get to too many other regional airports as mostly travelled thru Auck or ChCh.

[OzKiwiJJ]

11 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

YOU HAVE TO INPUT A PIN  I NEVER NEEDED A PIN OVERSEAS  

Now THAT I SPEND OVER $100 locally i put a pin on account and cant remember it

I use one of those password "safes" on my phone as I try to use a different password or pin for every account these days. That way if one is compromised hopefully they can't get into anything else of mine.

[MicCanberra]

Having a safe word is a good idea, but only if your partner knows what it is, lol.