Adam, maybe your use of the word "bring" is leading us astray. I gather you mean "deposit into my travel account for use on this trip." Is that correct?

Mimar,

I meant to have some mad money and of course have some in my account.

Should I bring some mad money? Like cash on hand?

Mad money?

>>Mad money?<<

Since I'm bilingual :) . . . Mad money = extra money that can be spent frivolously or for fun.

Some people like the security of knowing they've got a bit of local currency already to hand, in case of any problems with cards. The trouble is the hit you have to take in buying a relatively small amount of foreign currency at home, or changing some of your own on arrival - but it might be worth it for the peace of mind.

>>Mad money?<<

Since I'm bilingual . . . Mad money = extra money that can be spent frivolously or for fun.>>

surely the point of having a stash of actual cash is for emergencies when the ATMs are down or your card gets nicked.

"surely the point of having a stash of actual cash is for emergencies..."

For me what starts out as emergency money becomes mad money because there never seems to be an emergency. And I suspect for some people not having cash for shopping might be a dire emergency.

For me what starts out as emergency money becomes mad money because there never seems to be an emergency. And I suspect for some people not having cash for shopping might be a dire emergency.>>

but isn't that the point? you keep your stash of cash for emergencies, whatever that might mean to you. it's no unknown, for example, for italian restaurants in particular to announce that their credit card machine isn't working. This only happens of course when you've eaten the food and drunk the wine.

having some euros or whatever in your wallet which you don't touch unless you have too always seems to me to be a good idea. it doesn't become "mad money" until the last day of the trip, preferably when you get to duty free!