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Demonetisation has hit travellers quite hard. Many of them who were on the road when demonetisation came into effect faced a lot of trouble. It has definitely made travel a bit more difficult but that doesn’t mean you cannot travel at all. Here are a few ways in which you can reduce your dependency on cash while travelling:
International Debit Cards: Make sure your debit card can cover international transactions and use it whenever possible. Even though you will be charged a fee for transactions abroad, it will reduce your dependency on cash and make transactions easier. While travelling with cash or credit cards can be risky, your debit card can take care of transactions while you’re on the road.
Book Services Online: Try to book services like accommodation and tickets online as far as possible. Net banking is another effective cashless way to conduct transactions. Just make sure you are doing net banking transactions over a secure connection and not on a public computer.
Cashless Apps: Demonetisation has made many cash-based businesses turn to cashless methods of payment. Taxi services, rental places and small shops have turned to apps that deal with cashless transactions. Download a couple of these on your smartphones so you can reduce your cash spending.
Withdraw Small Amounts: Despite how hassle-free travel can be without cash, services like local transport will always be cash based. Its always a good idea to keep cash on you for emergency purposes. If you have no cash, withdraw small amounts at any ATMs you cross. Withdrawing a little more than necessary will keep you covered for emergencies as well.
Dealing With Emergencies: Even if demonetisation was not taking place, certain emergencies faced by digital nomads that need cash can be avoided altogether with a little preparation. For example, make sure to buy travel insurance and medical insurance. Situations like lost luggage are all too common with airlines and medical cover is essential for travellers. Insurance makes sure you don’t have to spend extra during tricky situations.
Pack Necessities: Avoid spending money on unnecessary or frivolous expenses while travelling. For instance, even small expenses like toiletries and snacks will be difficult at a time like this. Make sure you pack these essentials on your trips.
Make Full Use Of Free Offers: While most restaurants accept cards, you can reduce on your spending altogether by availing of offers or using coupons. Many restaurants have offers like birthday discounts that can be availed of, or you could check to see if the local club has a ladies’ night offer running.
Travel in the time of demonetisation does not have to be a pain if you know how to manage without cash. A slump in the travel industry means more opportunities for digital nomads, so you can have your pick of destinations. Places that would normally be swamped during holiday season will be relatively less crowded given the current situation, so it might actually be a good time to travel. With a bit of thought and sensible spending, you can keep travelling like always even in these financially uncertain times.
Happy Travel 🙂
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