I need someplace to write down the often confusing thoughts that enter my mind, while my stories give voice to the characters that wander through periodically, this is the place for my voice. Join me if you wish, comment if you wish, all are welcomed and appreciated.
I use cash except for large purchases when I use my debit card.
The ATM machines in Thailand charge 220 baht no matter how much or how little I take out. I take out the max... 20.000 baht. The fee is therefore 1.1%.
I boycott card-only places in general and absolutely in Montana. They discriminate against the poor. Here in Udon Thani many Thais use "Line" to send or receive payment. Even many small operations have that. I still use baht. Street vendors sell produce for as little as 5 baht. It would be silly to use anything but cash. If a person refuses to carry up to 500 baht (~$14) I have no sympathy. Theft here is uncommon; assault is almost unheard of. Honesty is the rule. "Finders-keepers" is not acceptable.
I rarely see foreigners at the local market. There are many staying in the condos where I reside. I don't understand. Perhaps, I'm assuming here, it's a matter of convenience and comfort. They are used to canned food and processed food and produce that looks pretty. And... peanut butter and hazelnut spread must be bought regardless of the exorbitant price. They bring their culture of personal comfort with them.
What does that rant have to do with your blog entry? Credit is delaying the pain unless one pays it off every month. I don't buy what I can't afford. I don't go into debt. I live well by living well within my means.
Fortunately we don't have tipping here or "mandatory tipping" which I consider criminal. That would be a whole nother blog entry!
Recently I used my credit card to buy some foreign currency at a place which charges no commission. When I got my Credit Card bill, I had been charged £3.00 for the privaledge of using my credit card - not interest, mind, just for using it. So it literally cost me money to change money in to other money
I rarely see discounts for using cash, but I know they happen. I try to avoid such establishments if I can. I use a credit card for just about everything, and yet I don't pay even one cent in interest, because I treat it like a debit card, paying it off in full every cycle.
Actually, because of cash rewards, they pay me. This likely comes out of other peoples' interest payments and merchant processing fee. Thanks, people paying interest!
I usually fear the feeling of being lost.it’s so easy to do in the Australian bush. But the only time I relished the feeling was when we were in our first years of travelling in South East Asian countries. We (my husband and I) were in our sixties then, never having had the opportunity before to travel because of work and kids, would find ourselves lost in the big cities daily. It didn’t really matter because so long as we had a little money for a taxi and the address of our cheap hotel we would be able to find our back to our few belongings.
About the above...that was when I lived in Oregon near Crater Lake. Being lost in Alaska would have been different because we had no hounds or electric poles. Just stay put.
Down that is something I was taught never to do. (I was told to stay put) If I didn't come home someone would let the hounds find me. When I was lost in the forest I climbed the highest tree and looked for electric poles then followed them .
My mom was... not the best cook. My dad was old-fashioned enough to proclaim it Not His Job, but he stepped up when he had to, though he didn't have much experience.
Thus, I learned to cook in self-defense. But I enjoy doing it, most of the time.
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Credit is delaying the pain unless one pays it off every month. I don't buy what I can't afford. I don't go into debt. I live well by living well within my means. 
