In Reply to: VOA - would never pay in $Oz again!!!!! posted by billsmith on Friday, 1. May 2009 at 20:55 Bali Time:
Did you work out your exchange rates before going? If so, did you question the amount of change you received? If you had known what to expect back in change, and asked where the rest was, you probably would have got it. It's no different to watching your change at a money changer, or the markets or anywhere else in Bali.
Having said that, I always pay in AUD$, and never had a problem. I work out the night before I go, what the rate from US - AUD should be, then my change from a $50 and it's never been more than a couple of dollars out.
Last year, I paid for 3 of us in one go. Back then our dollar was pretty close to the US dollar. I handed over AUD$100 and the change was only about Rp20K different to what I'd expected - less than $3 for 3 of us.
Definitely cheaper and easier than driving to the post office, ordering more US currency than we needed, at a terrible rate (to cover for their 'no fees' policy) - or the terrible rates you get from Thomas Cook etc.