To continue the saga about money. Went into 4 different bank branches, long lines it is the 1st today, none had new notes.

Went into a little savings bank, not one customer, asked for $100 new singles, no problem but they needed photo ID and took a copy of my drivers license. What can I do with $100 singles that require my picture ID, copied?

Please someone tell me.

Uhhh, NY - this is another complete waste of time. As long as your notes aren't ripped, torn and overly crumpled they'll be fine.

Surely you know that. This is just silly. Without making any advance preparation at all, over three visits to Burma, ten weeks in all, I've had crumpled dollar bills returned on only one occasion. IMHO, on a list of things to worry about, this is low priority.

Don't forget that Thai Baht is widely accepted as well.

Nywoman, it's obvious that only a terrorist would want new $1. When they figure out what nefarious scheme you have for those crisp $1 bills, they want to be able to find you again!

Dogster, in my experience, in several a number of countries, they've wanted pristine bills. They don't have to be new, but not crumpled nor dog-eared nor any ink smudges. etc. I have had bills not accepted, though sometimes the next place will accept them.

Just wait till you gals get a hold of some Myanmar currency! Saggy, smelly, rotting would be my description!

I know that Kathie. I'm suggesting that the minor inconvenience on the rare [and they are rare] occasions that this is an issue is scarcely worth:

'...Went into 4 different bank branches, long lines it is the 1st today, none had new notes. Went into a little savings bank, not one customer, asked for $100 new singles, no problem but they needed photo ID and took a copy of my drivers license...'

On the only occasion this happened to me in Myanmar, at Inle Lake, once I'd given them a note they approved of, they gave me change in a handful of 'saggy, smelly, rotting' Myanmar notes.

So I refused to accept them.

Dogster,
I like to sweat the small stuff, it makes life easier. Then I don't have to worry about the big things that may matter.

Hanuman,
Who said that money isn't dirty!!!!!

You are truly eccentric, NY. lol lol lol.

Now, just what is this pile of 100 $1 bills for?

Are you planning on leaving a $1 tipping trail through Burma so you can find your way back to the start if you get lost?

Oh, I know. The places that are choosiest about US currency they accept do give you "saggy, smelly, rotting" currency in return... Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, VN...

It was not exactly as I went out of my way to get them, it took all of 10 minutes including the teller hand counting my bills. We now have a drugstore on one corner and a bank next to them on almost every block in Manhattan.

I will use the money for tips and entrance fees, where I am unable to dodge them, or wherever I need to pay someone in greenbacks. Or maybe I just like a big wad of brand new crisp bills?

There are some sites that only take local currency and some that will take both that and $US. Nyw - you should tip in the local currency. I think we changed US$100 which was enough for the entire trip. We brought new US$100 bills to pay Santa Maria for the hotels, airfare etc. I don't think you'll spend many of those $1 bills, Nyw unless you exchange them for local currency (they prefer bigger bills though).

I went thru the "new bills" bank adventure...in my case, I had to return the next day so they could go thru their next inventory of currency to find bills that looked ok and did not have writing on them. I was going to Kenya. I returned with most of the bills since everybody wanted local currency. Never brought much $US to Asia. Did not find that much to buy in our time in Myanmar. But I find the preparation is part of the fun. You should see my meds kit.