When traveling abroad I have noticed that usually the exchange rate is more favourable if I withdraw the cash from ATM at the destination. But getting money this way has always caused me some trouble since ATMs usually provide the cash in form of large bank notes.
Those large bank notes are usually not accepted by automatic vending machines (e.g. ticket machine) and small shops. It is possible but not always practical to ask locals for change, sometimes people just don't carry that much cash with them. I know that large shops will most likely accept the large bank notes but I will have to make some unnecessary purchase of overpriced goods. And personally, I think that carrying many small bank notes is safer than a few large bank notes.
Are there any good ways to change the large bank notes I get from the ATM to the smaller bank notes?