Exact change

A rich person living in a poor country should always remember to carry small change. Here in Ukraine, someone with only a 100 UAH note (about $20) might as well be penniless, or hrivna-less. It's impossible to buy a bottle of water at a kiosk, or a few pieces of fruit at the market. You'll be met with aggrieved shocked stares. So I've learned to keep several 1, 2, and 5 UAH notes on me all the time.

It's important to carry coins as well. Vendors ALWAYS ask for exact change. After a few weeks here, I knew what clerks were asking after I handed them money: "do you have 50 kopeks? or 20 kopeks? or two hrivna?" I tried to buy water at a kiosk and was refused; the water cost 4 UAH 40 kop., I gave the clerk a 10, she asked for 40 kop., I didn't have it so she wouldn't sell me the water.

It's understandable at kiosks, but this happens even at big stores. I bought some CD's at "Mega Makc" which is something like Best Buy. The price was 29 UAH; I gave the clerk two 20 UAH notes and he asked me for a 10. Since I didn't have it, I was the cause of much consternation as the clerk ran to a couple of different cash registers to get change for the equivalent of a $4 bill.

If you try to pay for something with 50 UAH, hoping to hang onto those 20 UAH notes for a taxi ride or something, salesclerks have been known to peer into your wallet, point to the 20 UAH, and try to get you to pay with that instead of the 50.

Right now I'm visiting Patty in Germany, a rich country, where you can give anyone a 20 euro note for a 1 euro purchase, no problem.