Torn Bills Troubles in Tico Transactions

The author, who prefers cash transactions, has encountered difficulties when trying to spend US dollars in Costa Rica. While digital transactions are becoming increasingly common worldwide, only around thirty percent of transactions in Costa Rica still involve cash.

In the author's experience, even slight imperfections on US dollar bills can lead to rejection by businesses and banks. For example, a twenty-dollar bill with a tiny tear along the bottom center was refused multiple times for payment, despite being dispensed from an ATM.

Costa Rica's modern banknotes are made of a polymer substrate, making them harder to counterfeit and more durable in tropical environments. However, it appears that these new bills are also more difficult to accept as payment if they show any signs of damage or alteration.