Living In USA

You should have a minimum of one to two hundred dollars in American currency (in small bills) upon arrival at a U.S. airport, for tips to porters and for transportation into the city. There are money exchanges in all international airports, but it is a bother to stop at the moment of arrival when you also have to cope with immigration, customs, luggage, crowds, and fatigue. It is better to convert an adequate supply of money before departing. Taxi fares are rising rapidly in this country, and airports are generally several miles outside the city. Airport buses are much less expensive and are recommended unless you have a large number of people in your group or considerable luggage. A bus will take you to a central point in the city from which you can hire a cab to your final destination at far lower cost. Ask about them at the information desk at the airport. Many large hotels provide their own transportation (shuttle) to and from the airport; in some cases hotel guests may ride free of charge, and others may ride for a reasonable fee. A few cities have light rail service to their major airports.

Coins and Bills
American money can be quite confusing — one observer has concluded that our coinage was designed deliberately to confuse foreigners! After many years of circulation, the "greenback" look of U.S. currency is changing. The ten-, twenty-, and fifty-dollar bills have been updated in recent years with larger type, more colors, and greater security features. U.S coins, none of which has a numerical representation of their value, are as follows: 1 cent (penny), 5 cents (nickel), 10 cents (dime), 25 cents (quarter), and occasionally one-dollar coins. You may occasionally find a fifty-cent coin (half dollar), but there are very few still in circulation. All coins are silvercolored except for the penny, which is copper-colored, and the Sacagawea dollar, which is a gold color. You may also occasionally find a Susan B. Anthony dollar coin, which is slightly larger than a quarter, with smooth edges. Although the coins can be confusing, they are still considerably easier to understand than are our weights and measures!

You often need to keep considerable change on hand, especially in cities, where exact change for buses is often required. Bus drivers are not allowed to make change in many cities. You may have to buy tokens or fare cards for bus travel. Ask where to do this, as it varies by city. Sales tax requires small coins, although stores will make change if needed. One confusing practice is that the list price of most items almost never includes the sales tax, which varies from state to state and even from city to city. Certain items in some localities are not taxed — food taken out, for example, or clothing up to a certain amount. Sales tax rates vary from 0 percent in some places to 8 percent or more in others!

Bills, or paper money, are all similar in color and size. You will have to look carefully to be sure you are using a $1 bill and not a $10 bill, for example. Bills that you are likely to use come in the following denominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. The $50 and $100 bills are not carried by many people. You would be wise to carry only small-value bills ($20 bills or lower) with you. Taxi drivers, subway attendants, and some store clerks will not change anything larger than a twenty-dollar bill; most supermarkets and large department stores will, however.

It is a good idea to get a selection of American coins and bills from your bank before leaving home and practice with them so that you can recognize them easily. If you do this with children, too, they can also become comfortable with the currency before they even arrive.

There is no limit to the dollars you may bring into or take out of the United States; however, large cash sums must be declared at customs; in addition, your own country may restrict the amount you are allowed to take with you. You will need to check on that before leaving home.