Every tourist traveling abroad or traveling through the expanses of his native Russia knows what is most important in any road. Of course, it's about money. Without them, nowhere, starting from the purchase of tickets or vouchers and ending with the purchase of souvenirs, which are stocked up before leaving for everyone who wants to please themselves and their loved ones.
A few centuries ago, travelers owned bags of gold, copper or silver coins, other valuables that could be exchanged for certain things or services. Modern payments are increasingly virtual, and in order to have access to your bank account anywhere in the world, you only need to own a plastic card. Conveniently? Undoubtedly!
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Along with credit cards, paper money does not go out of use either. These two options for payment systems allow each person to choose the best option for storing funds and making payments. But what is the preferred method for tourists who go on a long journey? Let's try to figure it out.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cash
As already mentioned, "cash" is the oldest type of payment system. Therefore, we can safely call it both convenient and reliable. But to what extent is this so?
The main advantages of cash signs are the following. You can pay with paper money in absolutely any store, market or shopping center. Despite the fact that the electronic payment system is developing at a tremendous pace, today you will not be able to buy goods or pay for a service with your plastic card everywhere. Terminals have not yet become the main attribute of all establishments. But you can always buy any souvenir, even "on hand" in the underground passage, having the required size of signs in your pocket!
The second advantage of "cash" is the ease of converting into an invisible currency. All you need for this is a payment terminal or ATM. A couple of minutes and any amount from your wallet will be transferred to plastic.
Well, another positive side of using cash is the ability to take a certain amount with you on the road. But whether it is worth considering this as an advantage is up to you.
Along with this, paper funds have a number of disadvantages. In particular, you are unlikely to be able to purchase a product you like in an online store without a credit card. But it is in the network that you can find the most advantageous price offers! In addition, no one will return the lost amount to you, but a plastic card can be restored by contacting any bank branch. In addition, you can block access to your credit card in a matter of minutes if you have lost it or become a victim of robbers.
With one more important "minus" of paper signs, for sure, at least once in our lives each of us has come across. These are problems that can arise when it is necessary to exchange large bills for small ones. But these are little things.
Thus, paper money is a convenient way to carry out settlements, it allows you to make purchases, exchange, change, etc. right on the spot. This is the most popular type of payment in small shops, shops and among street vendors.
Electronic money: what are the advantages?
Virtual funds have long occupied a dominant position in the developed countries of Europe and America, but they have a weak position in the countries of Asia, Africa and Russia. Undoubtedly, you will not be able to pay with a plastic card in a remote village, mountain settlement and even in the center of the continent, in the absence of a stable Internet connection.
The main advantages of this type of payment are the ability to quickly and profitably make small and multiple payments. For example, a "credit card" will always help you out when buying tickets for transport, in a cinema or supermarket, as well as when making purchases through the network.
An important advantage of using virtual signs is that there is no need to stand in line, change bills and give change. Transactions between buyers and sellers are instantaneous.
In addition, this type of settlement includes other advantages over "cash". In particular, when going to the store for expensive purchases, you do not have to fit a considerable amount in your wallet, distribute valuable papers in your pockets, and even a case with several million can easily be replaced with a miniature piece of plastic. It is both convenient and safe! And safety is not the least important when traveling on foreign routes.
It's easier to save virtual assets. As mentioned earlier, a lost or stolen card can be instantly blocked, and to restore access to a bank account, you just need to contact a bank branch.
If you have not calculated your expenses or are faced with the need for additional expenses, any amount from anywhere in the world can be transferred to your card.
In order to control your expenses, you no longer have to create a separate notebook. In a couple of clicks you will receive a detailed printout of credit and debit transactions on the card. And the last thing: it's impossible to forge virtual signs!
With so many "pluses", plastic cards also have drawbacks. First of all, even the most reliable bank cannot guarantee the complete safety of such money and security from third-party penetration. And it is not always possible to return the amount.
And in underdeveloped countries, a credit card will generally turn out to be a useless piece of plastic.
conclusions
Going on a trip, every tourist should take a responsible approach to the choice of means. To save yourself from additional problems, it is recommended to stock up on a certain amount of cash and grab a couple of plastic cards. Cash will give you the opportunity to feel more confident and not deny yourself anything, and secure electronic signs will become an excellent alternative when shopping online, in supermarkets and on transport.
Keeping your way to France? We suggest considering an article on shopping in this country.
