a commonly asked question, for visitors travelling to rio de janeiro, is when is it appropriate to use cash versus cards - if individuals are deciding between using cash or card, they might consider the value of their purchase and the establishment they are buying from - most purchases, such as food, souvenirs and clothes, can be purchased with cash for efficiency.

when deciding to use credit cards, or debit cards, being discreet is always a good idea - covering one's pin when using the keypad, limiting small transactions and using the card at credible institutions is always advisable.

for individuals concerned with credit cards getting lost, stolen or cloned, an alternative to consider, is pre paid credit cards - the cards normally have a maximum balance and can be used freely at a variety of establishments, such as street vendors and independent atms, with complete peace of mind.