Money Backup
Estimate a practical RMB cash reserve for payment outages, phone problems and unexpected transportation.
China is close to cashless — even street vendors take QR payments — but going 100% digital leaves you exposed. If your phone dies, a payment app gets flagged, or you end up somewhere with no signal, a small RMB reserve turns a crisis into an inconvenience. This planner estimates a practical emergency reserve for your trip: it takes the higher of two days of essential spending or 15% of your estimated on-the-ground costs, so short and long trips both get a sensible number. The result is a reserve, not a spending budget — it sits untouched unless something goes wrong. Get your yuan before departure from your bank or a currency exchange (airport counters have the worst rates), keep it separate from your daily wallet, and let a travel companion know where it is. Revisit the figure if your itinerary changes: more remote stops or extra domestic flights mean a bigger cushion is wise.
The recommendation uses the higher of two days of essentials or 15% of estimated ground spending.