If your upcoming holiday is hit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetization announcement on November 8 that Rs 500 and 1000 currencies will no longer be legal, then don’t worry! Here’s how to replan it without having to curtail your fun quotient.
- First of all if you still have a couple of Rs 500 notes with you, go to the nearest fuel pump and fill the tank of your vehicle. Since you are on a road trip a full tank always helps.
- After demonetization most ATMs are dispensing either 2000 or 100 rupee notes, although new 500 rupee notes too have started coming now. If you get a 2000 rupee note, don’t fret. Yes, you will find fewer shopkeepers who will take it for a purchase of say 100-200 rupees. So make a list of the things you will need in the near future and go shopping. Chances are you will have a couple of 100 rupee notes for the road trip.
- Go for online booking of your hotel using one of the many hotel booking websites. If you are directly booking your stay, give a cheque or transfer the money online to the owner’s account and take a receipt. The transaction charge has been waived on most credit and debit card purchases so you will not incur any extra expenses for using your card.
- Go for all-meals deals. Chances are if you are going to a small hill station, restaurants there may not have card machines. So going for an American Plan (AP) is the best to ward off the effects of demonetisation.
- Carry some ready-to-eats. If the restaurant on the way doesn’t accept cards and takes only cash, you will have something to douse your hunger pangs.
- Fill those water bottles. Buying packaged drinking water bottles on the road can be difficult if you don’t have change or lower denomination currency. So instead fill a couple of bottles at home to last one way of the trip. While returning request the hotel to fill the bottles with drinking water. No hotel will refuse that.
- Know the ATMs on the way. A couple of mobile apps like Walnut helps you to locate an ATM and also tells you if money is available in that particular ATM. Install one such app on your smartphone.
- If you really have to take some cash with you identify an ATM that has lesser people in queue. Better still, if you go late to bed, go to the ATM at about 11.45 pm. Why? Since after demonetisation, the limit to withdraw is Rs 2000 for a day, once the clock strikes midnight you can withdraw again.
I hope these tips have had helped you in your holiday after demonetisation. A last piece of advice to our readers who feel more comfortable carrying cash around, this is the best time to go on a cashless vacation. Trust me it would be more tension-free and fun – no need to worry about pickpockets, right!
