Best Way to Spend Money in China

acinod on 14/04/2018 - 12:34
Last edited 14/04/2018 - 21:32

What's the best way to spend money in China as a tourist?

For most places I've traveled to in the past, withdrawing using ING or Citibank and paying for big purchases using Bankwest was the way to go.

However, I heard China is a bit different. Just had a friend come back and he was telling me how different it was to pay for things there. Almost everyone pays using their phone through Alipay but I heard you might need a Chinese phone number/bank account to do this.

What are your thoughts?

Is it better to stick to withdrawing or get an Alipay account somehow?

Thanks!

Poll Options

  • 1
    ING Orange Everyday
  • 1
    Citibank Plus
  • 2
    Bankwest Zero Platinum
  • 2
    Alipay
Travel

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 14/04/2018 - 12:46

    Cash

  • chumlee on 14/04/2018 - 13:36
    +3

    Take some baby formula tins with you and just trade your way thru China

  • lbsyc on 14/04/2018 - 13:43

    Alipay all the way. 99% of the vendors would have Alipay/Wechat pay available whilst only 50% (statistics out of my arse) of them have POS machine. Also I found some vendors get annoyed if you have to pay with cash because they don't deal with cash transactions anymore, which means they sometimes don't have enough change to give you back.

    Just note that there is a recent regulation introuduced by the government limiting a 500 RMB per day Static QR code transaction, that means if you have to scan QR code to pay for something, you only can do it for 500 RMB daily, however if the shop scans QR code on your phone for payment, you don't have a limit on that.

  • geek001 on 14/04/2018 - 16:31
    +1

    Been to China during Easter holidays, paid cash all the way apart from accommodation, all the locals use an app called WeChat/WePay to pay, but you will need a local bank account to do that, so that's a no go for tourists. Apparently, I have heard WeChat has recently changed the rules to allow tourists to use WePay, but you will need a local to send you some money to you WeChat account to activate the feature in the app, even 1RMB will do, and then you can attach your credit card to the account and pay like a local. Not sure if this is true though, I haven't tried it myself.

  • jjjaar on 14/04/2018 - 18:06

    WeChat but only f you have a local bank account.

    I struggled with Citibank in China. Using the card for transactions, that is. Most places took cash, wechat or alipay only. Located an ATM near my hotel and withdrew enough for each day.

  • garffi on 15/04/2018 - 00:30

    I highly doubt they’ll reject a sale because you’re paying cash.
    I’d say cash is fine.

  • myusername on 21/04/2018 - 08:27

    you can pay via wechat app also. but you have to download it when you're in hong kong or china

    i did it on my recent holiday and found it great.

    i found people look at you strange when you break out cash, most people their make payment via their phone apps

    • acinod on 22/04/2018 - 10:38

      How do you get money onto the wechat app?

  • peuwayaqdq on 29/05/2018 - 10:42

    I am also looking at this information. Can't we attach Australian Credit Card to Alipay?

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