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  • money in china

    Hello and thank you in advance. I am planning on going to China in September to train in one of these wushu schools in Zhengzhou. I wanted to ask about money. I have to take mostly cash, and was wondering if I could obtain some advice on where to keep it during the day when I am training. Should I keep it on me in a money belt all day? Or try and leave it buried in my bag in my room? I don't have a credit card.
    Thanks for all your help, this site has been very useful so far.

  • #2
    Look at the travel tips section of this forum, I think there's a thread in there about money, ATM's, etc.

    Don't leave anything in your room at any of these schools. The kids tend to get curious, and will rummage through your stuff. Cookies are a prime target. Money will disappear faster than you expect. Remember, a thousand dollars to any of these people, room cleaners, floor managers, students, anyone, is a retirement fund. Their average income, with a good job, is about two hundred dollars a month.

    Bring an ATM card, that is Star or Plus enabled. You can use it at the local Bank of China in Dengfeng. Keep your worthwhiles on you. If you stay at a hotel, keep it locked up in the safe, or if at the FengYuan, I usually lock a bag and keep it cabled in the bathroom. Never had a problem there.

    Trust no one, and you'll be ok.
    Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

    "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

    (more comments in my User Profile)
    russbo.com


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    • #3
      Hello all. I am currently in Deng Feng at the Feng Yuan Hotel with my 14 year old son who is training at one of the schools here. It has been a very interesting journey especially as we do not speak Mandarin. We hired a translator on the first day who accompanied us from ZZ to Dengfeng and helped us get settled at the shcool and the hotel. Dengfeng is no Bejing. I wish I had found your site and read all the info before traveling here! In any event, we are having a very good time. My son is in heaven. Please put me on your mailing list for travel here next summer. --Alyssa

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      • #4
        Call me in Thailand 66 078935977, if you have any problems. I have friends there who can help you.
        Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

        "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

        (more comments in my User Profile)
        russbo.com


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        • #5
          Regarding the ATM in Deng Feng, I know the limit is 2000 RMB/day, but how about if you withdraw from inside the bank with your mastercard? Is there a limit then?

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          • #6
            IF, you get there at the right time of the day, when the one person that does Mastercard transactions is there, lol, there wasn't a limit when I did it. If it goes through on your Mastercard cash advance wise, it shouldn't be a problem.

            The same woman cashes the AMEX traveler's cheques, another nightmare to deal with. Thank god they put an ATM in which takes foreign cards.
            Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

            "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

            (more comments in my User Profile)
            russbo.com


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            • #7
              Get a friend who can speak Chinese and English to open a savings account at the Dengfeng Bank of China. Opening and holding the account is free. They give you an ATM card, which you can use to take out your money anytime you want. Much more reliable than using an international ATM or getting a cash advance from a credit card. Daily ATM withdrawal limit is 5000 yuan (about $600 US). Close the account in Dengfeng when you leave, as you can only close the account at the branch that you opened it at, meaning you can't close your account on your stopover at Beijing.

              Hanguo Laohu

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              • #8
                The Bank of China ATM's in the large and medium cities are fairly reliable when it comes to accepting well known international bank ATM cards. The Star and the Plus system associated with these better ATM cards makes it more certain that they will work. I'd be careful when attempting to rely upon some credit union ATM cards.

                As an interesting aside, in Thailand, all ATM cards seem to work at all Thai bank ATM machines, and, very reliably so.
                Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

                "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

                (more comments in my User Profile)
                russbo.com


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                • #9
                  The thai thing doesn't surprise me. I also wouldn't be surprised if China has much improvement in the next 5 or so years as well.
                  practice wu de

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Alyssa
                    Hello all. I am currently in Deng Feng at the Feng Yuan Hotel with my 14 year old son who is training at one of the schools here. It has been a very interesting journey especially as we do not speak Mandarin. We hired a translator on the first day who accompanied us from ZZ to Dengfeng and helped us get settled at the shcool and the hotel. Dengfeng is no Bejing. I wish I had found your site and read all the info before traveling here! In any event, we are having a very good time. My son is in heaven. Please put me on your mailing list for travel here next summer. --Alyssa
                    ++

                    Good luck with it all...
                    practice wu de

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                    • #11
                      I've just returned from China myself and I found that there are alot of atms ( providing they're listed on their "cards accepted " sign with a symbol on your own card) that accept foreign cards. I think "the china agricultural bank" may have had a good withdrawal limit and also provided balance statements , which bank of china didn't. THe amount varies on your daily limit from branch to branch and bank to bank, but it's usually between 2000 Yuan and 5000 Yuan per day. I think the most I was able to draw at once was at a metro train stration , like in Guangzhou at the inter province rail center. They have a long distance train station ( Hoew cher jan ( for crude chinglish ) in Zhengzhou and you can catch a bus out there from dengfeng for no more than 15- 20 yuan ( as opposed to a taxi where you'll pay between y100 and 200 each way .............. if your cabbies honest, and btw , if you can work the sign language, insist they use the meter!!) To or from DenngFeng town to THe Kfc or chicken burger hut on the left on your way out of Zhengzhou 5-ish mins before the bridge and dirt road, it costs 90 Yuan......... just be wary , those cabbies are smooth cons and are likely to charge a gwailo ( foreigner ) many times what they're entitled to if they think you 'll let them get away with it ( and sometimes it's so hard to nepotiate language you just do it out of tiredness or frustration and urgency) .

                      Oh and shopping malls usually have a good international atm you can use as well so keep that in mind. If you have trouble, I have a few contacts nearby who would feel priviledged to help you out or interperate and or negotiate for you on the phone with cabbies / shops / schools / bus drivers or anywhere else you run into trouble or language / culture barriers or just want to know where something is or how to say it . Really!!! THe chinese are beautiful people when they're not trying to rob you blind and think foreigners are fabulous!! They'd be stoked to help you out so feel free to pm me for a few numbers.

                      enjoy your trip

                      Blooming Lotus

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                      • #12
                        Hello

                        No need to keep any money in the room just carry with you or put in bank and use ATM.... its not safe by keeping with you also...




                        Turkey visa

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                        • #13
                          I just posted an article on the main russbo site, entitled Money and ATM's. Has some useful information in it. You'll find it in the Shaolin / Shaolin FAQ / Travel FAQs section of russbo.com
                          Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

                          "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

                          (more comments in my User Profile)
                          russbo.com


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