How much currency should I bring for my first ever solo travel? This is for 45 days in South America. This is cash for food and activities, with hotels and flights being prepaid. ChatGPT recommended 9000 AUD which I considered to be absolutely ridiculous. I was thinking more like a maximum of 3000, and even that is a large stretch.
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Not sure if I have just taken bait, but why on earth do you want to travel with a wad of cash of any size? You can get cash on the ground if you need it, and use cards, almost anywhere. Although I have never had an incident anywhere in fairly extensive visits to Central or South America (nor Mexico, including Mexico City), the risks of mugging or theft (or even just loss) aren’t zero. I consider a few wasted dollars in ATM fees a much better investment than prospectively losing it all.
The only places I have ever been with over a few hundred bucks in cash on me have been places without ATMs or where my international cards wouldn’t work, and (apart from Cuba when I was carrying US cards), none of these places were even in the Americas.
As to budgeting, AUD3000 (~US$1900?) for 45 days leaves you with just over US$43/day. Costs actually vary a lot, but that’s enough to eat, drink, and get around modestly in most of the region. It’s not enough for a lot of clubbing/posh boozing, fancy restaurants, or long-distance transit. I would recommend at least having more money available even if you don’t use it, but trying to live within that budget is certainly feasible.
Thanks man, good points and helps me out.
Where are you going? If you are going to Argentina bring cash for sure. Elsewhere you're probably good with a bit of emergency cash and just using ATMs.
Bring $100 USD for emergencies
Otherwise just use ATMs, except Argentina obviously
ATMs can run out of money, malfunction, be stalked by robbers, or be beseiged by extremely long lines of welfare collectors on certain days. You should always have some dollars to spend or exchange if you are unable to use your card to withdraw cash or make direct payments. Preferably, a significant quantity of local currency as well, depending on what your expected costs are.
>hotels prepaid for 45 days
That's strange.
A bank card that can withdraw the local currency will be fine. Heck, you might even be able to pay most of your bills with your card. However, if you plan to drive, you will want to have a good-sized wad of cash to handle gasoline bills, tolls, and repairs if you break down. This is especially true if you are traveling into remote areas with no ATM access, even without a vehicle.
Exchanging cash will cost as much as withdrawing cash from an ATM, if not more. Larger ATM withdrawals are more economical than small ones.
That being said, I always recommend carrying the bulk of your cash in your pants pocket, apart from your wallet. Never tuck it in your sock or leave it in your bag.
Especially for latin america where lying about the quality of a hotel is completely normal. I guarantee you'll want to ask to see the room after a few of these.
Cash is good. Enough to get you through. But aways bring some gold incase you get in a difficult. Doesn't have to be israeliteellery, anything smelted down will do. Minimum 5g. Helped me out many times. Many such cases
what kind of weird situations would require you to pay in gold? who would reject cash in favor of gold?
I think this is the "drugs in suitcase" poster.
What you want to bring are new, clean USD bills.
>Helped me out many times.
lmao pure schizo fantasy
£2000