General Info

[Mr Enternational]

If you would have gone to Brazil the last 10 years you would have noticed that nowadays The cartao is increasingly being used for a wider range of transactions.

The only thing I pay cash for in Brazil is pussy or maybe some little bullshit bought in the street. Otherwise it is going on my card so I can get my points. Never a problem with American Express.

[The Cane]

There was a discussion regarding using cash vs credit card in the So Paulo thread. In Brazil I only use credit card when withdrawing money from ATMs or when buying flight tickets online. Otherwise I never pay anything in Brazil using a credit card.

My reasons for using cash, besides the risk of skimming, are that cash is accepted everywhere and also because you often get a lower price using cash. When I check in at a hotel in Brazil I always negotiate the rate and almost always get a discount, specially when I offer to pay with cash. In prives I don't negotiate the price, but often they have a cheaper price when paying cash.

In Brazil they always had problems giving change. Because of this I always make sure I have between 50-100 bills of 2, 5, 10 and 20 reais bills when travelling in Brazil. You can just enter a bank and change to the bills you want. It might not be useful for those staying one week, but it's very handy if you stay for a longer time.

If Sperto says it, he's providing good advice based upon his vast knowledge and experience. But if I say the same things, I'm removed from reality? A guide a decade old is to be celebrated. But if I cite an article from the year 2022 noting that currently only a quarter of credit card transactions in Brazil are contactless, that's somehow illegitimate because one can post a photo of a street vendor who accepts credit cards (which proves exactly what anyway)?

I point out that the same article states that contactless transactions are growing exponentially in Brazil. If and when it gets to where it is in the States, then I would be willing to use credit cards in Brazil more. But from a pure practical standpoint, I will always be a heavy cash user in Brazil because mostly what I'm buying is buceta and cuzinha, and that's all about cash for gash baby! Oh, but I guess all of Nounce's tutes are accepting payment by contactless credit cards now hahahahaha!

[Spidy]

Re-Posted from the SP thread.

Contactless Payment context w/r to "no cash on hand".

Help a member get in touch with reality.

Contactless This article from February 2022 states that only 1 quarter of all payments in Brazil are contactless ...

Here I risked my phone being robbed to take picture of the street vendor credit card device near Centro. Also you should google EMV. ...

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[Golfinho]

That's news to me, I can't recall any boteco or lanchonette that doesn't accept cash. It could be that So Paulo is different from the rest of Brazil (and I do my best to avoid So Paulo). Sidenote: PIX is very popular.
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If you would have gone to Brazil the last 10 years you would have noticed that nowadays The cartao is increasingly being used for a wider range of transactions.

[Spidy]

... No cash on hand directly equates to a lower chance of being robbed. I guess it makes sense.

That's news to me, I can't recall any boteco or lanchonette that doesn't accept cash....

The guys that will mug you on the street don't know if you carry cash or not. If they find no cash they might hurt you until you give them your pin code.

I don't worry about being robbed as I use common sense and have a good luck charm....

I took this mean, the stores / restaurants with "no cash on hand" are less likely to be robbed, since the bulk of their payments are electronic / digital, thereby giving any potential bandits, nothing to steal.

Different POVs, different takes, yields different insights. I'm always learning.

[Sperto]

If you take a stroll around down rua augusta in SP, it is impossible not to to notice that many botecas, lanchonettes and other tiny food spots in consolacao do NOT take cash and only accept debit and credit cards. Indeed it can be kind of a hassle if you prefer to use cash. From my understanding, No cash on hand directly equates to a lower chance of being robbed. I guess it makes sense.

That's news to me, I can't recall any boteco or lanchonette that doesn't accept cash. It could be that São Paulo is different from the rest of Brazil (and I do my best to avoid São Paulo). Sidenote: PIX is very popular.

That's a valid point, if you are scared of getting robbed you might want to avoid cash. However, I don't agree that there is a lower risk of getting mugged if you use credit card. The guys that will mug you on the street don't know if you carry cash or not. If they find no cash they might hurt you until you give them your pin code.

I don't worry about being robbed as I use common sense and have a good luck charm. I always divide my cash in two places, large bills hidden inside my shorts / trousers and about 50 reais in small bills in a miniwallet. If I would get robbed I rather loose 50 reais than loosing my credit card.

[Spidy]

If you take a stroll around down rua augusta in SP, it is impossible not to to notice that many botecas, lanchonettes and other tiny food spots in consolacao do NOT take cash and only accept debit and credit cards. Indeed it can be kind of a hassle if you prefer to use cash. From my understanding, No cash on hand directly equates to a lower chance of being robbed. I guess it makes sense.

Very good point and it makes perfect sense. Yes, I noticed that the last time I was there in Rio/Praça Mauá. As mentioned, even paying contactless with your phone.

[Golfinho]

How I missed your posts. Depends on the bank, some banks have almost no queues. If you would have gone to Brazil the last 10 years you would have noticed that nowadays most bank customers solve their errands at the ATM machines and not at the cashiers.

Ah, so now the cash machines will change your big bills into little bills for you is it? Thanks for clearing that up.

[OJeito]

If you take a stroll around down rua augusta in SP, it is impossible not to to notice that many botecas, lanchonettes and other tiny food spots in consolacao do NOT take cash and only accept debit and credit cards. Indeed it can be kind of a hassle if you prefer to use cash. From my understanding, No cash on hand directly equates to a lower chance of being robbed. I guess it makes sense.

[Vagabundo1]

Good advice.

In Brazil they always had problems giving change. Because of this I always make sure I have between 50-100 bills of 2, 5, 10 and 20 reais bills when travelling in Brazil. You can just enter a bank and change to the bills you want. It might not be useful for those staying one week, but it's very handy if you stay for a longer time.

[Sperto]

That's right. Just enter a bank, wait an hour or three, or maybe all day, and change to the bills you want.

How I missed your posts. Depends on the bank, some banks have almost no queues. If you would have gone to Brazil the last 10 years you would have noticed that nowadays most bank customers solve their errands at the ATM machines and not at the cashiers.

[Golfinho]

In Brazil they always had problems giving change. Because of this I always make sure I have between 50-100 bills of 2, 5, 10 and 20 reais bills when travelling in Brazil. You can just enter a bank and change to the bills you want. It might not be useful for those staying one week, but it's very handy if you stay for a longer time.

That's right. Just enter a bank, wait an hour or three, or maybe all day, and change to the bills you want.

[Sperto]

There was a discussion regarding using cash vs credit card in the São Paulo thread. In Brazil I only use credit card when withdrawing money from ATMs or when buying flight tickets online. Otherwise I never pay anything in Brazil using a credit card.

My reasons for using cash, besides the risk of skimming, are that cash is accepted everywhere and also because you often get a lower price using cash. When I check in at a hotel in Brazil I always negotiate the rate and almost always get a discount, specially when I offer to pay with cash. In privées I don't negotiate the price, but often they have a cheaper price when paying cash.

In Brazil they always had problems giving change. Because of this I always make sure I have between 50-100 bills of 2, 5, 10 and 20 reais bills when travelling in Brazil. You can just enter a bank and change to the bills you want. It might not be useful for those staying one week, but it's very handy if you stay for a longer time.

[Vagabundo1]

Has anyone tried ecstasy in Brazil? It is supposed to be good for going to raves and fucking.

[Vagabundo1]

Is Brazil Dangerous?

https://youtu.be/voTK4uHkros

I find this youtube channel is awesome!