Money on the Camino

[JenCook]

Hi, this might be a strange question but just wandering how much cash should you bring with you on the Camino?? Thanks

 

[Anamiri]

It depends on which Camino (eg will there be ATM's), how long you will be walking, how many people, and what other options you have.
I found that many places don't take credit cards on purchases less than 10 euros. I was travelling on my own and often found my purchases less than 10 euros so cash was used for breakfasts etc.

 

[JenCook]

So what would you spend in cash on an average day, I'm also travelling on my own from Sarria, thanks

 

[Anamiri]

I like 2 small breakfasts a few hours apart (usually 5 euros or so). I may buy a piece of fruit, maybe 1 euro. Then I have dinner later in the day, more than 10 euros so you could put it on a card if the place allows for that.
If I need something from a pharmacy I pay cash if its a small item, card if its large - I dont think I ever spent more than 10 euro in a Pharmacy.
If you send a pack ahead 5 or 6 euros for that. You can book and pay that online ahead if you have booked accommodation, but if not - cash in an envelope each day.
Then accommodation, that will depend on whether you book (and pay) ahead, or pay as you go. Albergues less than 20 euros, private rooms more than 20 euros.
Unless you have super expensive tastes I cant see that you would need more than a couple of hundred euros at most.

 

[J Willhaus]

Where are you staying? Xunta albergues take cash only. 10 euros. Some stores abd coffee stops take only cash for smaller purchases. If you are on the budget trip, 25 euros cash per day. Hotels, grocery stores, and more expensive restaurants will take a card.

 

[JenCook]

I like 2 small breakfasts a few hours apart (usually 5 euros or so). I may buy a piece of fruit, maybe 1 euro. Then I have dinner later in the day, more than 10 euros so you could put it on a card if the place allows for that.
If I need something from a pharmacy I pay cash if its a small item, card if its large - I dont think I ever spent more than 10 euro in a Pharmacy.
If you send a pack ahead 5 or 6 euros for that. You can book and pay that online ahead if you have booked accommodation, but if not - cash in an envelope each day.
Then accommodation, that will depend on whether you book (and pay) ahead, or pay as you go. Albergues less than 20 euros, private rooms more than 20 euros.
Unless you have super expensive tastes I cant see that you would need more than a couple of hundred euros at most.

Ok great thank you for that, can I ask if you have any names for the luggage transfers, thanks

 

[JenCook]

Where are you staying? Xunta albergues take cash only. 10 euros. Some stores abd coffee stops take only cash for smaller purchases. If you are on the budget trip, 25 euros cash per day. Hotels, grocery stores, and more expensive restaurants will take a card.

Thanks, I've booked most in advance just a few I can't book but didn't want to use my card if I could help so a ballpark figure has been helpful

 

[J Willhaus]

If you are prebooked, most will take a card. Budget places and donativos, not so much...small shops often appreciate not paying the upcharge from the card companies.

 

[CWBuff]

Re luggage transfers: JacoTrans, Corresponding, NCA to name a few
Money I say hit ATM for about €200 and just roll with it until you get low. Repeat.
I stated it plenty of times here that I use CCs all the time I can and there are many more places on Frances that accept them now than before... IMHO it's safer than to worry about cash but that's just my opinion and preference.

 

[J Willhaus]

Having my card hacked a couple of times on the Camino has made me more cautious to always carry some cash. I hope it happens less now, but cash and card combo gives some options.

 

[JenCook]

Re luggage transfers: JacoTrans, Corresponding, NCA to name a few
Money I say hit ATM for about €200 and just roll with it until you get low. Repeat.
I stated it plenty of times here that I use CCs all the time I can and there are many more places on Frances that accept them now than before... IMHO it's safer than to worry about cash but that's just my opinion and preference.

Thank you everyone for your help much appreciated

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Hi, this might be a strange question but just wandering how much cash should you bring with you on the Camino?? Thanks

Jen, not a strange question at all, it's been asked on numerous occasions

I'm with @CWBuff, €200. Especially as you have already pre-booked some of your accommodation. By the time that is gone you'll have a much better idea as to your daily spending habits.

The main reason I posted is to give you a quick tip.

Searching on the forum isn't the easiest, but questions like yours come up frequently.

What I do is tap on the search function (magnifying glass top right) choose advanced search, enter a couple of keywords and then tap on 'titles and first posts only'. Search.

You can always limit it further still by choosing 'search title only '

If at first you don't succeed try a couple of minor wording variants, 50% of this forum are American's!

Doing so for your cash question immediately bought up several relevant threads.

Ditto with the luggage transfer question. Simply by putting in 'luggage transfer' I came up with a swag of info.

You might find this one particularly helpful:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ansport-companies-on-the-camino-a-list.80252/

Edited to add: the first two posts on this thread are very well worth while reading as a newcomer:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/forum-tips-how-to-start-browsing-and-posting.78919/

Buen Camino!

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hi, this might be a strange question but just wandering how much cash should you bring with you on the Camino?? Thanks

probbaly good to have at least 50 euros on you. that would get you to the next ATM if necessary. there are ATMs in every small town (not village) in Spain some cafés/bars won't accept cards for small amounts, sometimes your card simply doesn't work (Amex is not always accepted), sometimes...

 

[JenCook]

Jen, not a strange question at all, it's been asked on numerous occasions

I'm with @CWBuff, €200. Especially as you have already pre-booked some of your accommodation. By the time that is gone you'll have a much better idea as to your daily spending habits.

The main reason I posted is to give you a quick tip.

Searching on the forum isn't the easiest, but questions like yours come up frequently.

What I do is tap on the search function (magnifying glass top right) choose advanced search, enter a couple of keywords and then tap on 'titles and first posts only'. Search.

You can always limit it further still by choosing 'search title only '

If at first you don't succeed try a couple of minor wording variants, 50% of this forum are American's!

Doing so for your cash question immediately bought up several relevant threads.

Ditto with the luggage transfer question. Simply by putting in 'luggage transfer' I came up with a swag of info.

You might find this one particularly helpful:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ansport-companies-on-the-camino-a-list.80252/

Edited to add: the first two posts on this thread are very well worth while reading as a newcomer:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/forum-tips-how-to-start-browsing-and-posting.78919/

Buen Camino!

Thanks for that

 

[Grousedoctor]

As you have already pre-booked many of your accommodations, you know the cost of your bed or room. That aside, whether you intend to pay cash or use a card, I would then figure, on the average, having a budget of €25/day to cover food, drinks, and other incidentals. As I looked for what JacoTrans charges to transport a pack for a stage, it looks like their rate is now €7/ bag/day. Personally, I would add this cost on to my daily budget just so as not to leave myself on the light side cash wise. Therefore, a daily budget of €30 should be plenty for your expenses minus accommodations. If you are primarily booking at private albergues, as others above have mentioned, I think that today you’ll find a budget of €10-15/night will cover your expenses although the municipal albergues will be a bit cheaper.

When I walked the Francés, I carried about €200 on me at any given time. That was plenty for my expenses for a number of days until I got to an ATM. Although I never had a problem finding ATMs, I didn’t find that all ATMs took my card particularly smaller regional banks. Therefore, I used ATMs at banks like Santander when I got to larger towns or cities. It all worked out quite nicely. Buen Camino!

 

[t2andreo]

Mirroring much of what has already been written above, my approach, developed over ten years, is to start off with about €200 on me, and two debit cards.

Read the last paragraph for how I always come to have about €200 to start with on each trip. One is a European bank debit card. The other is my US bank debit card. I also carry one or two credit cards. For example, my Euro pocket wallet still contains €220 in Euros, plus some €`5 in loose change.

I use cash while out on the Camino almost exclusively. I stop at an ATM every 3-4 days to top up my €200 pocket stash. This is enough for meals, albergues, farmacia purchases, taxis or buses, donations and some hostales.

Pre-booked accommodation is almost always through Booking.com, so a credit card is used - behind the scenes.

When I leave Spain to return home, I keep the € I have, to start off the next time - loop to my second paragraph, above. I've learned that there is ALWAYS a next time for traveling to Europe. Plus, if my next trip is to another EU country, not for a Camino or volunteering, the Euros are good there too. So, I have a head start upon landing. Airport ATMs have the WORST conversion rates and fees.

Hope this helps.

P.S. I just thought of a helpful tip - ALWAYS use a tap payment with your debit or credit cards, to the maximum extent possible. Inserting your card to any reader, or swiping it through a reader is the usual method for thieves to illicitly record your card numbers and details and then scamming you. Conversely, a tap (contactless) transaction is far safer in this regard.

Also, the European banking system is at least 10 yeas ahead of North America in this regard. In fact, I recall seeing my European friends using tap payments in the early 2000s.

In the US, we have tap or contactless payments. But the method is slowly expanding as retailers, restraints and other providers of goods and services upgrade their readers and software.

Tom

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I used to get €300 from ATM's along the Camino when I stayed mostly in albergues. Now that more and more lodgings and restaurants accept credit cards, I have lowered it to €200, especially since I now mostly stay in private accomodations. There are still some exceptions even when using booking.com, where the proprietors of smaller pensions, etc. want to be paid only in cash.

 

[dfox]

I carried 300 euro 30 x 10 euro, and a bank debit card. 50 euro is in my fanny bag. The rest is hidden somewhere. (Rationale for carrying a lot of cash is to avoid to withdraw many times so to save "various charges".)

When drawing fund from ATM, I made sure that I was using a debit card, and not to convert the currency, meaning the withdrawal was in euro, not US$.

I make sure that I withdrew fund in a bank and during their open hours to avoid the ATM ate my card.

 

[dkiser]

Having my card hacked a couple of times on the Camino has made me more cautious to always carry some cash. I hope it happens less now, but cash and card combo gives some options.

How did you have your card hacked? We are leaving for Spain 9/8. It would be helpful to know.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

So what would you spend in cash on an average day, I'm also travelling on my own from Sarria, thanks

Go to Youtube. Find a guy named Efren Gonzalez. All he has been doing of about 10 years now is walking caminos and trails around the world. In his videos, he has been adding a detailed list of what he purchases and for how much, every day. Depending on the Camino you will be walking, you may have to adjust for inflation.

 

[Nelle]

In addition to what’s written above, I always try to carry a few 1 euro coins in Europe, becuase —while I have yet to run into this in Spain - 1 euro is often the cost of entry to public restrooms at train stations and similar spots, especially in France.

 

[Marbe2]

When are you traveling? Most companies operate from beginning of April to the end of October. Correos has pack mochilla all year from Sarria to SdC.

Paq Mochila para hacer el Camino de Santiago| Correos.es

Guarda cada experiencia del Camino de Santiago en tu mochila, sin necesidad de cargar con ella. Transporte de mochilas a lo largo del Camino de Santiago

www.correos.es

Excellent company.

Regarding CC use…. Some private Albergues, and other accommodations serve meals and snacks. Ask when you arrive if you can run a tab and pay for everything at one time. This way you can use your CC for small snacks as well.

 

[J Willhaus]

How did you have your card hacked? We are leaving for Spain 9/8. It would be helpful to know.

Not sure exactly, but last time in 2022, I was at a remote albergue without much cell coverage and someone was using my card in Paris at H&M and then to buy a bus fare in Italy. When I discovered and reported this the next day the company shut off my card. It would have been difficult to get a replacement quickly since I wasn't sure where I would be day to day, I was glad I had a back up card on another account.

I use my cards seldom in Spain and rely more on cash. I seldom reserve beds ahead and also carry my own bag so prefer a simpler Camino without a lot of reservstions to keep track of on my phone. (I've never been without a bed.) Now I have my cards set up so I am notified when and if I make a purchase and I can lock the card until my next purchase.

It is also possible to get a virtual credit card so you don't have to use your real card for online purchases. Both Visa and Mastercard offer this as well as some specific card vendors. When traveling now, I also have a Schwab debit card which refunds any transaction fees from the ATM process.

What Is a Virtual Credit Card? Guide for 2024

What Is a Virtual Credit Card? Guide for 2024

wallethub.com

Charles Schwab

 

[FrJimKingcsc]

Hi, this might be a strange question but just wandering how much cash should you bring with you on the Camino?? Thanks

I was on the Frances for one week and Invierno for two last month and usually stay in albergues if I can. Used 60% credit; 40% cash. Probably could have used credit a few more times than I did though don't bother asking with purchases of less than 10 euros. I'd carry at least enough cash to pay for eating and sleeping if you do end up in a small hamlet for a night w/o ATMs or card readers.

 

[Pilgrim Patricia]

. . . and I recommend getting small denominations of Euros, nothing larger than E20. Smaller shops and cafes might not have change for a E20 bill let alone a E50.

Buen camino!

 

[Hans-Georg Goebel]

Hi, this might be a strange question but just wandering how much cash should you bring with you on the Camino?? Thanks

On this year's Camino, Astorga - Santiago, I again paid a good 75% by credit card. However, I never paid with the card itself, but with my mobile phone. This is safer, as I have to legitimise myself with my fingerprint before paying and my real credit card details are not transmitted when I pay.
As far as cash is concerned, everyone has to decide for themselves, especially as withdrawing cash from ATMs often incurs considerable costs. I had more than enough cash with me, it was relatively well secured, even in the shower or in bed, sleeping bag always at hand.

 

[Joe.Iozzi]

If you are asking the average amount of cash you will likely spend each day for the entire trip in Spain then I don't agree that 25 euros a day is correct. Costs at either end of the camino will likely be more than in the towns between Sarria and Santiago. Even on the actual route, if you stay in albergues that only take cash then I would say 40 to 50 would be more realistic. I base this on my May 2024 camino. You would easily exceed that estimate if you are fond of beer/wine and restaurant meals.

 

[J Willhaus]

If you are asking the average amount of cash you will likely spend each day for the entire trip in Spain then I don't agree that 25 euros a day is correct. Costs at either end of the camino will likely be more than in the towns between Sarria and Santiago. Even on the actual route, if you stay in albergues that only take cash then I would say 40 to 50 would be more realistic. I base this on my May 2024 camino. You would easily exceed that estimate if you are fond of beer/wine and restaurant meals.

Yes, I was going on strictly a budget Camino with 25 euros cash daily. I took my university students this winter and it was our daily budget outside of Santiago. You can certainly spend more with a card as the extender, but I'd want that much cash with me at a minimum daily.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I spent €25 per day on my first Camino Frances in 2015, staying exclusively in albergues (minus only a few exceptions) and eating only pilgrim meals or del dias.
Every year since then the cost has gone up, as I now stay in a majority of private lodgings and I have branched out quite a bit on meal options. Prices have increased each year since, due to both inflation and post covid. I have never calculated a budget since then as "it is what it is" and I like to enjoy myself.

 

[Anamiri]

As you have already pre-booked many of your accommodations, you know the cost of your bed or room. That aside, whether you intend to pay cash or use a card, I would then figure, on the average, having a budget of €25/day to cover food, drinks, and other incidentals. As I looked for what JacoTrans charges to transport a pack for a stage, it looks like their rate is now €7/ bag/day. Personally, I would add this cost on to my daily budget just so as not to leave myself on the light side cash wise. Therefore, a daily budget of €30 should be plenty for your expenses minus accommodations. If you are primarily booking at private albergues, as others above have mentioned, I think that today you’ll find a budget of €10-15/night will cover your expenses although the municipal albergues will be a bit cheaper.

When I walked the Francés, I carried about €200 on me at any given time. That was plenty for my expenses for a number of days until I got to an ATM. Although I never had a problem finding ATMs, I didn’t find that all ATMs took my card particularly smaller regional banks. Therefore, I used ATMs at banks like Santander when I got to larger towns or cities. It all worked out quite nicely. Buen Camino!

I've just been back from Camino Frances 2 weeks now, and 6 euros is the price for the region she is walking. The first stages (Navarra) are 7euro, with a discount to 6 euros if you pay in advance.

This is of course if the bag is less than 15kg.

 

[Anamiri]

If you are asking the average amount of cash you will likely spend each day for the entire trip in Spain then I don't agree that 25 euros a day is correct. Costs at either end of the camino will likely be more than in the towns between Sarria and Santiago. Even on the actual route, if you stay in albergues that only take cash then I would say 40 to 50 would be more realistic. I base this on my May 2024 camino. You would easily exceed that estimate if you are fond of beer/wine and restaurant meals.

She does have a card as well, so doesn't need all her expenses to be covered by cash, and has already booked accommodation.

 

[Anamiri]

In addition to what’s written above, I always try to carry a few 1 euro coins in Europe, becuase —while I have yet to run into this in Spain - 1 euro is often the cost of entry to public restrooms at train stations and similar spots, especially in France.

Plus they are useful if you have coin operated washer/driers

 

[JenCook]

Jen, not a strange question at all, it's been asked on numerous occasions

I'm with @CWBuff, €200. Especially as you have already pre-booked some of your accommodation. By the time that is gone you'll have a much better idea as to your daily spending habits.

The main reason I posted is to give you a quick tip.

Searching on the forum isn't the easiest, but questions like yours come up frequently.

What I do is tap on the search function (magnifying glass top right) choose advanced search, enter a couple of keywords and then tap on 'titles and first posts only'. Search.

You can always limit it further still by choosing 'search title only '

If at first you don't succeed try a couple of minor wording variants, 50% of this forum are American's!

Doing so for your cash question immediately bought up several relevant threads.

Ditto with the luggage transfer question. Simply by putting in 'luggage transfer' I came up with a swag of info.

You might find this one particularly helpful:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ansport-companies-on-the-camino-a-list.80252/

Edited to add: the first two posts on this thread are very well worth while reading as a newcomer:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/forum-tips-how-to-start-browsing-and-posting.78919/

Buen Camino!

Thank you

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Hi, this might be a strange question but just wandering how much cash should you bring with you on the Camino?? Thanks

I also withdrew about 200 Euros at a time. I got more cash when I went down to about €40. Also try to only use ATMs at banks that are open. That way if for some reason the machine eats your card, you have someone you can talk to.

But mostly I used my credit card. Hardly any stores seemed to mind.

If you have not already, try to get an ATM debit card and a credit card that doesn't that doesn't charge fees for international use or ATM withdrawals. These small charges can really add up.

I don't think there is a big security risk, but I also set up an alert on my card so that I get an email everytime the card is used so I would know If I got hacked. And brought an extra card along.

 

[dbeatriceb]

Ok great thank you for that, can I ask if you have any names for the luggage transfers, thanks

Luggage transfers: someone at your place of lodging can help arrange this each day as needed. Correos does luggage transfer and Jacotrans also has luggage transfer services. You might want to check to see if there are size restrictions. It is also my understanding there have been recent changes in the rules where some services don’t transfer suitcases, only backpacks. Same applies to lodging, where some places do not accept suitcases shipped ahead. But if all your stuff is in a backpack, you should be ok.