Do They Still Use Cash in Italy?

[@mvp019]

The convenience of not using cash is offset by the privacy issues digital commerce raises. Looking forward to your moving to Italy video - I hope to in the next year or 2.

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

This is true and it’s a valid concern. Best of luck on your move next year How exciting and I remember the feeling!

[@PaulFromCHGO]

It is nice to know that Italy is using card payment more and more. With all the pick pocketing stories I hear, I feel a little vulnerable holding too much cash. I am looking very forward to your upcoming videos for people looking to live in Italy. Getting the citizenship was a challenge but I think it's easier than figuring out all the logistics on actually moving there! I have a family of 4 with 2 husky dogs and I have to sell my house in the US! I shudder to think about it. Since I can't afford 2 houses, I will probably need to sell the first one before buying the other, but during that period I would be temporarily homeless so I need a short term rental, which I hear is difficult in Italy, while I purchase the new home and get the utilities going. It's a lot to wrap my head around. Then, if I sell my house, how do I get $250K+ wired to Italy to buy a house without both governments wondering why I am moving so much money internationally and probably triggering some investigation. A little paranoid perhaps, but I have unknown unknowns about all this stuff. All this and trying not to lose access to healthcare while I try to register as a resident and get on the Italian system.

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Hi Paul. I greatly admired your courage for making such a huge jump. With patience and perseverance in finding out the right information, I think you’ll be fine in the end. That’s actually a very valid question as to how you can move $250,000 to an Italian account I am not sure what to suggest, as I have never been involved with that much money in my life, but there must be a way. My gut tells me that if you were to ever be investigated, it could be resolved by simply showing the bill of sale from your house. In regards to short term rentals here in Italy I don’t think it’s as difficult as you think Before I got married and moved in with my wife short term rentals were my life. I made a video on this about a year ago, but the basic idea is to rent a hotel room or simply a room at somebody’s house, and from there dedicate every working hour to finding places to live. In other words, treat it like full-time job hunting. Best of luck to you!

[@robertrosini762]

GnR in Rome! Jealous! I'm visiting Italy this fall for my first time! Very excited! Thanks for all the tips!

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

It was a once in a lifetime show. Fall is a great season to come and see Italy because the temperature is not as hot as the summer

[@steveperkins4560]

Hi I am also visiting Italy this year for my first time I am visiting in June

[@22Jeffreyb]

Another great informative video. Hope all is well.

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Thank you Jeff as always!

[@DragonKingGaav]

I went to Italy in 2019, and cash was king!

[@nicolettastrada5976]

You can pay with cards everywhere

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Yes you can

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Yup I believe it

[@hubieheathertoes]

Great and informative ❤

[@ramawatar9423]

Good

[@tsiliwolf6063]

Traveling to a small town in the south of Italy for 1 week from the US. No other stops. How much cash should we bring if we plan to use card wherever is accepted. Thank you!

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

I would bring cash to a small town in southern Italy because even though the whole country is pretty much on par with POS payments, you may still get the occasional merchant who prefers cash. To start off maybe bring a couple hundred and then do an ATM withdrawal as needed.

[@norma8686]

I haven't used cash in years, and now by law every establishment has to accept card.

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Hi Norma. Interesting. I didn’t know this. Thanks , hope you’re doing well!

[@michelevendramin3345]

I try to use my card as much as I can. I've had to put my foot down a few times. I want these people to pay taxes as well! Tax evasion is a plague in Italy.

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

@michelevendramin3345 that is a great reason to keep using cards. My wife found some coins the other day and she told me to try and spend them. Objectively speaking that is a good idea, however, it is extremely tedious. It’s annoying to look for the right coins and then count them out while you are there at the register.

[@OKuusava]

Covid surely made a big difference as with card there is no changing touches of things. And even more so with phone. Those paying gimmicks, machinery, they surely cost, but as I know here cash costs plenty too, when going to bank a try to put in you account. Nowadays seems that there in banks there is nobody working and sure they do not want you there either.. at least here in Finland...

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

hey! no one in banks? in what sense? Yeah, covid sure did change things, this area included.

[@OKuusava]

@@DavidsDoseofItaly Banksa are diminishing, they are rare and smaller that ever. I mean the offices. There is no people: no workers seen or customers, as you have to make an appointment, or you have to wait loooong. And if you want to pay a bill -that is expensive "service", or for example you want foreign cash, then you have to come again, as those you have to order. Modern times are really strange. But I'm glad I rarely need to go to bank. Last time we had some coins to put on own accout, our bank did not have the opportunity. So we went to supermarket, there was a bank automat, with coin install option!

[@Firespirit233]

is that true that you can't buy anything expensive above 2k euro by cash? you can even get fines for this?

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

, I’m not sure. But I wouldn’t be surprised if that was true, because if you except so much in cash, it could raise suspicion. So I think a card method is preferred because it is traceable.

[@ilprogamer]

It used to be 2k, now it's 5k. If I remember correctly, but I am not sure, a limit like this exists also in your bank account, meaning that if you put more than x money in a shot, you might be asked where all that money comes from (I'm 100% sure of this) and maybe even get a fine (I'm almost sure about this). Getting to the previous point, there is actually an exception for foreign people who come in Italy to visit it: they can buy up to 15.000 euros by paying in cash. Hope my english was good😉

[@mvp019]

Anywhere where they prefer to do business "senza fattua."

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Exactly.

[@josephcovino9697]

You keep saying "cash" you mean American dollars? Last time I was in Italy it was "lira" , if it's now some different kind of euro cash I was hoping you would show what it looks like and break it down cash bills even down to the coins 😢.

[@DoreenNJ]

In Italy, One would use Euro. Not American cash. Can't use Euro in USA...

[@PaulFromCHGO]

It has for sure been a while for you! Italy switched from Lira to Euros many years ago! Google says until 1 January 1999.

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

Correct. Cash as in the euro 💶

[@DavidsDoseofItaly]

I think it was from 2002 that the euro has been used.