In the US, I pay for just about everything with a debit card. I use very few checks and hardly any cash. I pay most bills electronically.
How do you pay for things there?

Regular bills like internet service/whatever TV you have
Taxi rides
School lunches
Restaurants

Anything else to consider, let me know.

ALSO, is it really true that I shouldn't bring any of my kitchen gadgets (mixers, bread machine). They will be ruined even if I use a step down voltage converter?
Do you generally buy TVs there and not bring what you have?

Motherof2boys wrote:In the US, I pay for just about everything with a debit card. I use very few checks and hardly any cash. I pay most bills electronically.
How do you pay for things there?

Regular bills like internet service/whatever TV you have
Taxi rides
School lunches
Restaurants

Anything else to consider, let me know.

ALSO, is it really true that I shouldn't bring any of my kitchen gadgets (mixers, bread machine). They will be ruined even if I use a step down voltage converter?
Do you generally buy TVs there and not bring what you have?

-Net/TV/Phone via Bank account drawn automatically, or pay the bills at any local convenience store alldays/lawsons/etc.
-Taxi/Subway/Bus can all be taken and paid for by 1 card which you pre pay and credit most of the larger stops on the subway system, ala Metro Card.
-School Lunches - depending on what kind of school, either by RMB, or a "lunch card" that can also be pre paid, some companies give employees a "lunch card" with cash in them. if you goto a food court like "republic/Mega-Bite" which can be found in some dept stores, Metro City @ XJH, Raffles City/Lai Fu Shi @ PSQ.
-Bistros - Cash is accepted anywhere and everywhere, getting a UnionPay (equivalent of a debit card) is a pita for foreigners, best to use cash, if you use your own Visa/Master/Etc here be prepared for a fee everytime you use it in China.

About cash, make sure you have a decent sized wallet that can carry pink maos, 100rmb denomination, as they are a bit larger then Euro/USD bill size. Cash is accepted anywhere. Don't bring your Bank of America Checks, they dont honor those. Some accept Travelers Checks, ie banks/etc.

-China operates on 220V, not 115, bringing your own hardware will be useless, a converter is huge and also a pita if its like a blender, microwave, cheaper to buy one here. Shavers are generally 110-240v, check your small appliances on their voltage, some can be used worldwide. TV's are best to be bought here, and larger appliances.

Hope this helps. Also do a search and find other questions answered.

When are you moving to SH?
Suggest you scroll through the specific forums/posts as many questions have been answered already, use the search function.
You would most likely get a furnished apartment (which includes TV's) and can buy common small kitchen appliancess here (coffee pot, breadmaker, steamer, oven, toaster, etc.).
Pots & pans, dinnerware/silverware and glassware are cheap here.
China is a cash society, some places take CC, or you can use a bank card.
Some bills can be paid online through bank transfer (mobile phones, Cable TV, internet, etc.).
I'm sure you will have more questions later.

Did you actually consider bringing your TV??

Ahem. Slight correction needed here. Getting a Bank debit card with Union Pay "privileges" requires 5 items.

1. Passport
2. Legs to walk to *any* bank (I prefer Bank of China)
3. Mouth to explain your requirement (yes, in English)
4. Hand needed to fill in and sign the application form
5. 10 RMB as initial deposit.

You get the card on the spot, and you enter your own PIN 3 times to access the account.

NOT a PITA, takes about 30 minutes including waiting time.

Any questions ?

Debit cards are becoming increasingly widely used to the point of being annoying. Almost every day the person in front of me at Starbucks is paying for his / her 15 rmb coffee with a Unionpay debit or credit card. I think it might be related to the rewards points that banks offer that has changed the perception.

Another helpful post for beginners. Bookmarking for future reference.

Chingis, do banks gives reward points for use of the card? I didn't know this - does the BOC do this? If so, I'll become one of those annoying sods as well!

Why do you use a debit card in US? if any fraudulent transactions occur, debit cards offer little protection, credit cards you can dispute anything.

What I do in China:
--- Amex centurion, for hotels, fancy restaurants, everything international.
--- chase freedom, for places that do not take amex.
--- Discover, its affiliated with china unionpay, so it can be used everywhere that only accept domestic cards.
--- cash, taxi, small purchases, tips, and everything else.

In most of places in China, foreign debit and credit cards are not accepted. Except ATM, banks (charge 3%), 5* hotels, silk carpets shops. Anywhere else, please correct me ?

i usually use mastercard. works fine at supermarkets and 90% of the restaurants.

trousers wrote:Chingis, do banks gives reward points for use of the card? I didn't know this - does the BOC do this? If so, I'll become one of those annoying sods as well!

Credit cards yes, debit cards no. But it does mean less trips to the ATM which is a reward in itself.

root wrote:In most of places in China, foreign debit and credit cards are not accepted. Except ATM, banks (charge 3%), 5* hotels, silk carpets shops. Anywhere else, please correct me ?

hmm i think more places accepts foreign cards than u think.
especially in big city like shanghai.

even in 2nd or 3rd tier like xian, big establishments accept foreign cards. the shacks of coz do not, but they do not any cards at all.

fWerrF wrote:

root wrote:In most of places in China, foreign debit and credit cards are not accepted. Except ATM, banks (charge 3%), 5* hotels, silk carpets shops. Anywhere else, please correct me ?

hmm i think more places accepts foreign cards than u think.
especially in big city like shanghai.

even in 2nd or 3rd tier like xian, big establishments accept foreign cards. the shacks of coz do not, but they do not any cards at all.

Can you post a names of this *big establishments*, please ? Or that is just your guessing ?

Do Starbuck, Carrefur, Metro, Jusco, Ikea, Ctrip, PizzaHut accept foreign cards ? Are its a shacks ?

fWerrF wrote:hmm i think more places accepts foreign cards than u think.
especially in big city like shanghai.

Did you mean TongRenLu, my friend ?

root wrote:Can you post a names of this *big establishments*, please ? Or that is just your guessing ?

Do Starbuck, Carrefur, Metro, Jusco, Ikea, Ctrip, PizzaHut accept foreign cards ? Are its a shacks ?

yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes
they are its not a shacks.

if a place here accepts credit cards they usually accept visa and mastercard, at least my experience.

root wrote: Did you mean TongRenLu, my friend ?

You are kidding right?

Don't most of good restaurants (xiaonanguo, south beauty, mr&mrs bund and dozens more) take foreign cards?
Don't most of clubs (muse 1,2,3, bar rouge, sky, m1nt, g+...) take foreign cards?
Don't most shopping mall (plaza 66, isetan, raffle city, super brand...) take foreign cards?

I honestly have not had surprise or problems using foreign creditcards in shanghai. of course when i go to a local shack for bowl of wonton i do not try to use a card.

root wrote: Can you post a names of this *big establishments*, please ? Or that is just your guessing ?

personal experience.
in xian, right?
the restaurant called "Ai Yi bao Yu" (#1 abalone) took cards.
also went to this culture show/dinner, took cards too.

i can name you places in every china city i visited (over 2 dozens) that accept foreign cards, and i am not talking about hotels, with pictures related to the place too

root wrote: Do Starbuck, Carrefur, Metro, Jusco, Ikea, Ctrip, PizzaHut accept foreign cards ? Are its a shacks ?

Out of your list, i have only been to starbucks. and i used cash, i don't think its necessary to pay for coffee on creditcard, not in shanghai, not anywhere else.

fWerrF wrote:"Don't most of good restaurants (xiaonanguo, south beauty, mr&mrs bundand dozens more) take foreign cards?
Don't most of clubs (muse 1,2,3, bar rouge, sky, m1nt, g+...)take foreign cards?
Don't most shopping mall (plaza 66, isetan, raffle city, super brand...) take foreign cards?"

I'm never heard about this *big establishments* , sorry.

fWerrF wrote:"plaza 66, isetan, raffle city, super brand...) take foreign cards?"

Any proof ? Google it ?

root wrote: "plaza 66, isetan, raffle city, super brand...) take foreign cards?" Any proof ?

ugh yes i shopped there?
you can go shop and see for yourself?

and i am not even talking about Dior at the plaza 66 likes.
even at local department stores on nanjing road walking zone i was able to use foreign cards.

fWerrF wrote:

root wrote: "plaza 66, isetan, raffle city, super brand...) take foreign cards?" Any proof ?

ugh yes i shopped there?
you can go shop and see for yourself?

I can't check for that because i'm not in Shanghai, so i asked you for any other proof, except your word (from an time i do not trust Newyorkers).

oh yeah dood i even paid for my hair cut at the mall on creditcard :lol:
its "wang lei hair salon" at the isetan mall, 6th floor, below the usa consulate.

root wrote: I can't check for that because i'm not in Shanghai, so i asked you for any other proof, except your word (from an time i do not trust Newyorkers).

no offense taken, thats the price we pay being NYers :lol:
i am sure someone else here can tell you the malls take foreign cards.

fWerrF wrote:

root wrote: "plaza 66, isetan, raffle city, super brand...) take foreign cards?" Any proof ?

ugh yes i shopped there?
you can go shop and see for yourself?

and i am not even talking about Dior at the plaza 66 likes.
even at local department stores on nanjing road walking zone i was able to use foreign cards.

Posting of names of this stores maybe very helpful for foreign visitors. By my experience, they requested cash or union pay cards.

root you're making yourself look very stupid.
fwerrf is absolutely right about everything he said abt credit cards in shanghai actually it can be used in even smaller and less "high up" places., that includes all major supermarkets, watsons etc.

im guessing that either u dont have a credit card or u dont know how the hell to use it... at any rate since u have NO idea what ure talking about why post your assumptions here?

bottom line. foreign credit cards in shanghai are absolutely fine. u can use them almost everywhere and for the few occasions where you cant keep a couple of chairman maos with you

fWerrF wrote:

root wrote: I can't check for that because i'm not in Shanghai, so i asked you for any other proof, except your word (from an time i do not trust Newyorkers).

no offense taken, thats the price we pay being NYers :lol:
i am sure someone else here can tell you the malls take foreign cards

Can you ? Or you just spending my time ?

Hydro wrote:root you're making yourself look very stupid.
fwerrf is absolutely right about everything he said abt credit cards in shanghai actually it can be used in even smaller and less "high up" places., that includes all major supermarkets, watsons etc.

im guessing that either u dont have a credit card or u dont know how the hell to use it... at any rate since u have NO idea what ure talking about why post your assumptions here?

bottom line. foreign credit cards in shanghai are absolutely fine. u can use them almost everywhere and for the few occasions where you cant keep a couple of chairman maos with you

Post a pic of your credit card (without number) and i'm will agreed what i'm stupid, ok ? Oops ?

root wrote: Posting of names of this stores maybe very helpful for foreign visitors. By my experience, they requested cash or union pay cards.

i can do better. here is a picture of the place.
on the right, it says "世茂plaza".

matter of fact, most of stores in in that picture, in nanjing road pedestrian zone, take foreign cards. even coffee shops where you spend 150 rmb only.

i can do better. here is a picture of the place.
on the right, it says "世茂plaza".

matter of fact, most of stores in in that picture, in nanjing road pedestrian zone, take foreign cards. even coffee shops where you spend 150 rmb only.

I believe in that. But in block right or left from Nanjing Road ?
Do they accept ? I just called to Watson and they confirmed
acception of foreign cards. That is a fact, not empty words.

Can you resize your pics (btw,you have there grass burning?)

hahahaha roots you're pretty cool actually

hahahaha Hydro,

where is your ha-ha-ha-credit card ?

Hydro wrote:hahahaha roots you're pretty cool actually

haha true that, with that moving arrow to boot too!