With the lunar new year approaching, the scramble for low-denomination currency notes has begun.
Peoplearound the country want the bills, crisp and new if possible, to give"lucky money" to children and older people, a traditional custom duringTet just like visiting someone's home on the first day of the new year,worshipping ancestors, and others.
There are two places for people to get them — banks and the market.
But this year it is not easy for most people to get access to change at the banks.
Representativeof a commercial bank in District 1 said volumes of new change ofdifferent kinds particularly 1,000 VND, 2,000 VND and 10,000 VND wereless than last year.
Many banks even have no plan to help customers to change, he added.
HoangThuy Ha, a resident of Tan Binh District in HCM City said: "To getchange, I deposited money in a bank, and withdrew it after one or twodays."
Shops selling these small bills are usually located near pagodas.
They have new bills of all value but demand 10-50 percent commission for the money, according to Tran Quynh Nga of District 3.
This year websites selling low-value currency notes have sprung up making it easy for people to buy it.
PhanThuc Tran of Binh Thanh District said: "Perhaps because of the fiercecompetition internet sellers demand between 3 and 5 percent[commission]."
Nguyen Thi Minh Huong, who sells change online, said she was getting more orders compared to last year.
"Atthis time people are busy. Buying online can help people save time andmoney, so this method is preferred by more and more people."
Somepeople want local authorities to set up points that sell small bills ata reasonable commission to ensure people are not fleeced./.
Peoplearound the country want the bills, crisp and new if possible, to give"lucky money" to children and older people, a traditional custom duringTet just like visiting someone's home on the first day of the new year,worshipping ancestors, and others.
There are two places for people to get them — banks and the market.
But this year it is not easy for most people to get access to change at the banks.
Representativeof a commercial bank in District 1 said volumes of new change ofdifferent kinds particularly 1,000 VND, 2,000 VND and 10,000 VND wereless than last year.
Many banks even have no plan to help customers to change, he added.
HoangThuy Ha, a resident of Tan Binh District in HCM City said: "To getchange, I deposited money in a bank, and withdrew it after one or twodays."
Shops selling these small bills are usually located near pagodas.
They have new bills of all value but demand 10-50 percent commission for the money, according to Tran Quynh Nga of District 3.
This year websites selling low-value currency notes have sprung up making it easy for people to buy it.
PhanThuc Tran of Binh Thanh District said: "Perhaps because of the fiercecompetition internet sellers demand between 3 and 5 percent[commission]."
Nguyen Thi Minh Huong, who sells change online, said she was getting more orders compared to last year.
"Atthis time people are busy. Buying online can help people save time andmoney, so this method is preferred by more and more people."
Somepeople want local authorities to set up points that sell small bills ata reasonable commission to ensure people are not fleeced./.
