Best way to get USD for tipping etc

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Best way to get USD for tipping etc

CokemonZ

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#316068 13-Sep-2024 10:50

So about to head away on holiday and want to get a bunch of small bills for tipping before I leave.

The reason for this, is we are there for 2 days, then on a cruise, and need cash for tips on cruise and ports, and not confident about having much spare time beforehand in the US.

I have tried several of the local currency exchange places, and they do not have small bills, to the point of having limited qtys of 20's even.

The hotel we are in has an ATM, but looking up the brand it's one of those weird ones that isn't a bank one - it's a third party one that charges fees. Same issue applies here too - that will give out 20's and 50's, not 1's and 5's.

We are no-where near a bank, and will have no car (and a very busy couple of days). Could I just go to a service station?

I've already got a wise card for day to day spending.

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#3281651 13-Sep-2024 11:01

I deal with this yearly, withdraw a few 20s, then go into walmart and buy a pack of gum to break the 20s

you may need to do that several times over to break 10s and 5s

or don't use self-checkout and buy a pack of gum and asks for your change in $1 bills, don't forget to tip the clerk $1 if you do that.

Tipping is EVERYWHERE now, even for Starbucks, getting an ice-cream, even some fast-food joints are asking for a tip.

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CokemonZ

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#3281656 13-Sep-2024 11:25

Extra context - I think I'm going to need 3 or 4 hundred usd in small bills (may be slightly overkill but prefer to have too much than too little).

Damn tipping sounds like its gotten really out of hand.

trig42

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#3281658 13-Sep-2024 11:28

You shouldn't need cash to tip on the cruise surely?? They'll have it added to your bill.

Pretty sure they discourage cash tipping on cruises. (we always leave our cabin attendant $50 or so when we leave though).

eracode

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#3281664 13-Sep-2024 11:42

trig42:

You shouldn't need cash to tip on the cruise surely?? They'll have it added to your bill.

Pretty sure they discourage cash tipping on cruises. (we always leave our cabin attendant $50 or so when we leave though).

^^ Yes. @Cokemonz Do you have an aversion to tipping via credit card - i.e. added to the bill when are paying at a restaurant or wherever? Cash tipping is rarely necessary eg. when a bellboy takes your bags to your hotel room etc.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

sen8or

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#3281669 13-Sep-2024 11:59

+1 for the no tipping on cruise ship unless you really want to.

We cruise Princess, tips are paid for prior to embarkation and shared amongst staff (I think it about $16-18US per day per person). Some do tip extra to cabin stewards (who work incredibly hard) and bar staff, but its generally not expected. Most (if not all) cruise ships are cashless, if you don't have a drinks package, drinks are charged to your stateroom and settled on the last day, an extra 18% is added over and above the price shown on any menu.

Agree tipping has gotten out of hand though. When we first went to the US, tipping was 10% standard with more if you felt appropriate. Now 18% seems to be the standard.

We ate at a bar in Ft Lauderdale, they had a 18% service charge automatically loaded as part of the sub-total (showed food/drinks, then service charge), then below that was a tip portion if you wanted to tip more than the 18%, I suspect they catch more than a few out with that who would add an additional full tip not realising it was already charged.

wellygary

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#3281671 13-Sep-2024 12:04

sen8or:

We ate at a bar in Ft Lauderdale, they had a 18% service charge automatically loaded as part of the sub-total (showed food/drinks, then service charge), then below that was a tip portion if you wanted to tip more than the 18%, I suspect they catch more than a few out with that who would add an additional full tip not realising it was already charged.

If its a "Service Charge" on the bill in the US its not a tip, its basically just a wages charge and its taxable (for the business and emplotee)

"Tips" aren't taxable....

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/FS-15-08.pdf

chatterbox

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#3281713 13-Sep-2024 14:15

nztim:

I deal with this yearly, withdraw a few 20s, then go into walmart and buy a pack of gum to break the 20s

you may need to do that several times over to break 10s and 5s

or don't use self-checkout and buy a pack of gum and asks for your change in $1 bills, don't forget to tip the clerk $1 if you do that.

Tipping is EVERYWHERE now, even for Starbucks, getting an ice-cream, even some fast-food joints are asking for a tip.

I don't tip at fast food joints or Starbucks and I'm definitely not tipping for an ice cream. Sit down restaurant yes. Hairdresser yes.

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CokemonZ

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#3281718 13-Sep-2024 14:37

Cruise ship - yes we have prepaid gratuities, that being said it's nice to have extra as required.

It's also about ports - we are not doing prepaid excursions; we are walking around the ports and the general advice is to have cash for them. With 6 of us, even cheaper eats add up pretty quick.

Not too worried about it for most of the trip, just there is limited expensive access to cash on this portion.

Bung

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#3281770 13-Sep-2024 16:39

wellygary:

If its a "Service Charge" on the bill in the US its not a tip, its basically just a wages charge and its taxable (for the business and emplotee)

"Tips" aren't taxable....

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/FS-15-08.pdf

You say tips aren't taxable and then quote a document containing

"All cash tips and non-cash tips are includable in an employee’s gross income and subject to federal income taxes."

Scott3

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#3281817 13-Sep-2024 17:40

A few trips back, I wandered into a bank, and got them to split something like 40 or 50 USD into singles, and they were happy enough to do it for me.

The amount of USD cash you need for tipping is going to vairy greatly by the style of travel you are undertaking.

My most recent trip I went with a stack of small USD from my prior trip, but tipped out less than 5 USD in cash. (Staying in lower end places without Bell boys, not using valet parking, not taking any tours, and visiting places like beaches, theme parks, museums and malls, rather than tourist hotspot's. Paying for most stuff with a credit card, and tipping for services via the credit card. Rental car the whole time so no taxi's).

For our honeymoon, We were tipping out a lot in small USD cash. It was off season, so we were able to stay in flash accommodation at fairly cheap rates, but this means bell boys (1 - 2 $ per bag they take to your room), (mandatory) valet parking $1-2 per retrieval at our accommodation, Steet performers, tour guides, Concierges ($1 - $2 to hail you a taxi), taxi drivers etc.

Should note for the likes of taxi's you can say "just give my $3" back when you hand them a $20 for a $15 fare, so you don't need to take the $5 note in change and give $2 in singles for the tip.

Should note a heap more stuff is electronic / cashless when I visited previously before the pandemic. But if your holiday will involve a lot of tipping in cash, a big stack of singles would be usefull.

Wonder if the NZ based forex places (or banks) will let you order 100 USD in singles?

Batman

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#3281871 13-Sep-2024 20:06

nztim:

I deal with this yearly, withdraw a few 20s, then go into walmart and buy a pack of gum to break the 20s

you may need to do that several times over to break 10s and 5s

or don't use self-checkout and buy a pack of gum and asks for your change in $1 bills, don't forget to tip the clerk $1 if you do that.

Tipping is EVERYWHERE now, even for Starbucks, getting an ice-cream, even some fast-food joints are asking for a tip.

does one have to tip the 5-10% ? that's a lot as they all add up!

it's on the "eftpos" machine where you press 5 or 10 or 15%

Scott3

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#3281884 13-Sep-2024 20:26

Batman:

nztim:

I deal with this yearly, withdraw a few 20s, then go into walmart and buy a pack of gum to break the 20s

you may need to do that several times over to break 10s and 5s

or don't use self-checkout and buy a pack of gum and asks for your change in $1 bills, don't forget to tip the clerk $1 if you do that.

Tipping is EVERYWHERE now, even for Starbucks, getting an ice-cream, even some fast-food joints are asking for a tip.

does one have to tip the 5-10% ? that's a lot as they all add up!

it's on the "eftpos" machine where you press 5 or 10 or 15%

Lol, Try 15%, 18% or 20%.... (sometimes 18%, 20%, 25%). - A lot of people just pick the middle one, so by moving the bands upwards, staff can get more in tips, but it is getting to the point where it is comical.

If you haven't had any service, (i.e. you are ordering a take away coffee), no need to tip (there will be a no tip button, or you can do custom, and zero).

But if you have had a full service meal, a haircut etc, is is strongly expected that you tip 15 - 20%. Yes it adds up.

In my opinion tipping is a terrible system, but it is not tourists place to try and change it, so just do what the local's do...

Handle9

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#3281920 14-Sep-2024 01:16

Good on you OP for doing the decent thing and tipping.

Tipping sucks but so many people seem to take it as a badge of honour not to tip. It doesn’t hurt the business but it sure hurts the lady pouring your coffee or getting your car.

CokemonZ

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#3281933 14-Sep-2024 07:53

Scott3: Wonder if the NZ based forex places (or banks) will let you order 100 USD in singles?

This is the exact issue. I have called around 7 or 8, and it's a get what you get.
None of them have small bills at all.

Seems to be crazy to me, but I guess it's not worth it for them.

I am resigned to going to Walmart when we arrive and doing 5 self-service transactions 😢

CokemonZ

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#3281939 14-Sep-2024 08:49

Handle9: Good on you OP for doing the decent thing and tipping.

Tipping sucks but so many people seem to take it as a badge of honour not to tip. It doesn’t hurt the business but it sure hurts the lady pouring your coffee or getting your car.

100% agreed. I hate the system, but it's not fair to punish people who have to live and work in that system through no fault of their own.

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