Money - what to take and money changers

Money and what to take  
Most people take cash. All major currencies are easy to exchange, Au$, US$, UK sterling, Euros, Yen. The place I ALWAYS use is P T Kuta Central. They have red and blue signs. The head office, more like a bank, is about 400m from Bemo Corner, going away from the beach. They have agencies in many Kodak shops. Large amounts of cash can be exchanged. The main office has a computer display of the latest exchange rates. They give a print out of each transaction. You can count your money as many times as you like before you leave. I have NEVER known them to be wrong.
Over the past few years a number of other reliable changers have opened up. They all have well signed frontages and good displays of the rate of the day. Shonky money changers usually have hand written signs.

NEVER go to money changers at the back of small shops or stalls or to those offering rates above any one else. There is always a trick. The money changers are quicker than magicians and you will find several notes have fallen into their laps or back into the cash drawer. I even experienced one who "doctored" the calculator so when he showed the amount he intended to give it was always lower than it should have been. When I pointed out his calculator was wrong he suddenly decided he did not have enough cash to complete the transaction.

Indonesian bank notes
Indonesian money has many 0000s which can be very confusing. Some notes are of a similar colour, especially the 10 000Rp note a reddish purple colour and the 100 000Rp note a red colour. Take time to check when you are paying or receiving money.

I keep large denomination notes in one pocket and smaller denomination notes in another. I also never bring out wads of notes so that the sellers can see.
I try to take out just what I need.
Many people make little conversion tables for themselves. At the moment with the exchnge rate close to $1 = 10 000Rp it is quite simple.