350 dollars for 14 days?

Lea

i'm thinking of taking $350 in $50 us dollar increments of cash for my 2 week trip. i will be staying in budget hotels in Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. is that enough/too much/not enough money? i'm omiting traveler's checks because don't they charge heaps of commission if you try to exchange with those? also, how popular are credit cards used? is there an extra charge if you use those? i'll probably bring a credit card and atm card for emergency use.
any input?

shanthi

$350 for 14 days? If budget hotels means you will spend about $10 a night on a room, that's about 500/- give or take, then I don't see why it shouldn't be enough - most people I've known have had that amount for sometimes a month!! On top of that you have train fares (not too expensive, if you are not going everywhere first class A/C) bus fares are not expensive either. Food is cheap. If you're a drinker then slip that into the equation also - then you have personal effects, including Mosquito cream, emergency medical aid perhaps for one thing or another (you'll hardly ever be charged the same price for a doctor's visit - even in the same town - but I normally pay about $1 for consulting him/her, then you take the script to any local pharmacy and pay for the items - again, not expensive.On top of that you'll have Auto fares (could work out dear if you take them regularly) If you're a smoker, add that into the equation too - I pay about 80cents (euro cents) for a pack of 20. Litres of soft drinks....coca cola(ooops) , 7UP Mirinda etc work out at less than 80cents. Think about all you'll want/need. Plus taxi from/to airport if that's your choice.....the ocassional getting ripped off etc..

Credit cards are widely in use - that's my main man! I'll never carry much cash around with me for obvious purposes(I work with kids, so....). Yes the $ talks in India as in many other countries, but I wouldn't personally carry very much at all in the way of foreign currency around all the time unless it's close to your skin - as in any country there are robbers about!.....my street kids have been known to come back with what they call "funny money" that they've expertly relieved a passing-through-tourist of.

So, it's up to you, make sure to go through all the forums here with a fine tooth comb - you'll find so much information it's unbelievable..that way, you'll probably find out how much everything you think you'll want/need costs and be able to budget correctly.

ananda2193

Noooo Prrrrooobbbblllleeeemmm!!!!!!! !!

wonderwomanusa

I only used cash one time in India -- the one place where I couldn't find an ATM and needed some money for dinner. I changed $20 and that was it.

I used my ATM card everywhere else; the bank it draws on charged me only $1 per use, and I took out the maximum number of rupees each time -- maybe I used the machines three times a month for the three months I was there. Now I have an account with Citibank, who will not charge me for using their ATMs in India.

Travellers' checks have to be changed at a bank and can take an hour or more -- a better reason to not take them than the commissions. they charge!