{"id":253547,"date":"2025-07-10T13:13:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T13:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/253547\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T13:13:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T13:13:20","slug":"warning-for-anyone-going-to-greece-spain-or-france-payment-may-be-declined","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/253547\/","title":{"rendered":"Warning for anyone going to Greece, Spain or France ‘payment may be declined’"},"content":{"rendered":"

A third of holidaymakers make the common mistake and disrupt their holiday plans<\/p>\n

Neil Shaw<\/strong> Assistant Editor<\/p>\n

12:52, 10 Jul 2025Updated 13:29, 10 Jul 2025<\/p>\n

\"TheThe situation is different in many countries<\/p>\n

Tesco has issued a warning to anyone heading abroad this summer as millions of holidaymakers have found themselves caught out over cash rules. While many of us are used to tapping and paying at home, cash-only payments are still very common in some countries, including Spain, Greece, Turkey, France and even the USA.<\/p>\n

According to Tesco, just a third of us research how cash-reliant a destination is before flying. A spokesman said: “Whether it\u2019s the food stalls of a Spanish market, a souvenir shop in Greece, or a taxi ride in Turkey, many everyday experiences abroad still demand physical currency. It was found that the top situations where cash is needed are shopping at local markets, tipping, and paying in smaller shops and restaurants, all of which left travellers looking for an ATM.”<\/p>\n

Tesco says people are most likely to be caught out in Spain, the USA, Turkey, Greece, France and Austria.<\/p>\n

Ban Mahsoub, Partnerships Director, at Tesco Insurance and Money Services<\/a> said: \u201cWhile we\u2019re all used to paying with our phones and cards at home, travelling abroad often means going back to basics. Being caught without cash can turn a relaxing holiday into a stressful experience, whether you\u2019re trying to buy something at a market or simply pay for a taxi.<\/p>\n

“The best approach is a \u2018hybrid wallet\u2019, bring your cards, but make sure you\u2019ve got some local currency too. A little preparation can make all the difference between a smooth trip and an unexpected hassle.\u201d<\/p>\n

To help Brits avoid those holiday cash blind spots, Ban offers her top practical tips for managing your money abroad:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Don\u2019t Leave It Until the Airport:<\/strong> Airport exchange rates are notoriously poor, and exchange bureaus abroad often come with high transaction fees. Sorting your currency in advance not only means you\u2019re likely to get a much better exchange rate, but also gives you peace of mind in case you arrive and can\u2019t immediately access an ATM or bureau. It also means you won\u2019t get caught out abroad without cash when you need it most or stung by unexpected ATM fees. Customers with a Tesco Clubcard are eligible for Clubcard Prices discount on travel money when buying their currency in a Tesco store or online. For even more convenience, Tesco Travel Money also offers home delivery.<\/li>\n
  2. Double-Check the Currency:<\/strong> It sounds so simple, but always confirm the currency used at your destination, especially if you\u2019re travelling to regions where multiple currencies are accepted or if you\u2019re crossing borders during your trip. A quick check can save you hassle later.<\/li>\n
  3. Bring a Mix of Notes and Coins:<\/strong> Local markets, taxis, and small independent shops often struggle to break large notes, especially for small purchases. Having a mix of smaller bills makes everyday transactions much easier, helps with tipping, and avoids awkward situations.<\/li>\n
  4. Withdrawing Cash:<\/strong> If you don\u2019t like the idea of carrying too much cash with you but want to avoid card fees for withdrawing cash abroad, a Multi-currency Cash Passport could be a good option. This is a prepaid travel money card that you can buy in store at Tesco\u2019s Travel Money Bureaux or online and load with up to 10 currencies before you go.<\/li>\n
  5. Any Leftover Cash: <\/strong>If you have cash left over at the end of your holiday, you could send it to one of Tesco\u2019s in-store Travel Money Bureaux and they\u2019ll buy it back \u2013 even if you bought it elsewhere -. Customers who purchase Tesco\u2019s Buy Back Promise when ordering their travel money through them can even return the currency at the rate they bought it, which may save them money.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A third of holidaymakers make the common mistake and disrupt their holiday plans Neil Shaw Assistant Editor 12:52,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":253548,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[2000,299,104,183],"class_list":{"0":"post-253547","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-eu","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-spain","11":"tag-travel"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114829119261167773","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253547\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=253547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}