HI, i am worried that there are few/no ATMs and not sure how best to keep my cash safe, any suggestions?
Reply to this It depends on where you're going. In major cities, you shouldn't have much trouble finding ATMs (though there's no guarantee they'll be in working order!) It's a good idea to have your ATM card be a Visa (MasterCard isn't accepted everywhere). The best way that I found to keep cash safe is to keep in on you, i.e. in a money belt. I also took some travelers cheques with me, but they were a pain to cash, and the exchange rate and commission took a chunk out of the value.
Reply to this Travellers Cheques, although you lose money processing them, are the safest emergency option. Bring some cash too (US$ for East/Southern Africa, for West). ATMs are in pretty much every city i reckon. Where are you going?
Reply to this Also, however you decide to get your cash, it would probalby be a good idea to get the smallest denominations possible. In Dakar, it was nearly impossible to break a 10,000cfa bill (which is what the ATM gives out, worth a bit more than $20USD), and we had a hard time getting change even for 2,000cfa bills in Mali. We resorted to begging and pleading with the bank tellers to give us smaller denomination bills, and it was really worth the extra effort.
Reply to this Hello Victoria 😊
I havent been in Africa for 10 years but when I was there the only easy places to change money were in big cities. Often in other places I could not do it at all.
I dont know much about availability of ATMs but they may not be too frequent outside cities. I would take plenty of local currency cash and keep it in a moneybelt that goes everywhere with you, including the shower and wear it in bed too. Also make sure you have some small denomination notes because sometimes the locals wont be able to give you change for big ones.
Mel
Reply to this thanks so much everyone, just hope i dont get things stolen! V
Reply to this 
