How much cash? Where do you hide it?

[ladyluckireland]

For us it is cash and hotel safe.we are from ireland and getting it from the ATM is very expensive,with all the charges.

[frankk]

Do not recommend travelers checks. Someone in our group brought some to Ja a couple years ago only to find no place took them except inside the bank for an additional fee.

[Mike_D]

Some of the ATM troubles reported here make me nervous about running out and introducing stress to the trip.

What kind ATM troubles have been reported here?

ATM (ABM) is my preferred method of obtaining cash while in JA. I find that you get the best exchange rate and the fees are relatively low. Aside from that, I always keep my valuables in the room safe. Never had any problem with items disappearing from our room. Then again, we usually stay at places that have a staff of no more than 5 people, so if something is amiss in the room we have a good idea of who was in there.

Again, never had any issue with the ATMs in Negril. If security is a concern, then use the one inside Time Square. It's about as secure as an ATM inside any North American shopping mall. I also like the standalone one that is next to gas station by Rutland Point. The ATM at the ScotiaBank downtown can be annoying with the occasional beggar and random idlers watching you walk in and out, but often times they have a security guard standing outside the door. If not, you can ask your taxi driver to walk you to the machine and stand outside the doors.

[noproblem]

I bury mine in the sand outside my room and put fake cat poop over it.

[hille141]

Only problem I had was at sea splash one year,there policy was clearly stated,loose the safe key and it's a $250 charge as they have to have the lock drilled out,yep lost the dang key in the ocean and 250 later,yuk yuk

That's actually a pretty good policy. If they can open the safe what's the point in having the safe? Electronic safes just limit the number of people who have access, but there are still plenty of other people who can open the safe. That's why there are additional locks you can buy that fit on room safes.

[bostonguy823]

My style is bit less conventional...I bring one running sneaker from home...1....and put the cash in the sock under the sole of the shoe and keep my shoe in the bag....if someone were to still sneakers, surely they wouldn't take just one...lol...It's worked for years and kept my mind at ease Remember, theres always another key(s) to that safe!!!

[Homebrewer]

Do not recommend travelers checks. Someone in our group brought some to Ja a couple years ago only to find no place took them except inside the bank for an additional fee.

I have always used travelers checks and cashed them at the FX Trader @ Bourbon Beach but after trying that last week I will now bring cash and leave it in the room safe. That FX Traders was closed the 1st two days we tried to get $ and the 3rd day they informed me that they had stopped accepting travelers checks in October. It turns out that the FX Trader @ Sunshine Plaza still accepts travelers checks but for how long? My bank, Chase, charges $5 plus a 3% fee on all ATM transactions so ATM use is not in the cards for me.

[Rambo]

I have rolled my cash up and used the insides of the shower curtain rod, in a water proofed baggie inside the water tank of the toilet, inside the front grill of the wall a/c, tapped in the back of a drawer, taped inside the oven at the top, and the list goes on.............and sometimes the best place is in plain sight in something absolutly worthless

[Rumghoul]

I have heard that only banks accept tcs any more, so they are not that useful. I second the pacsafe - I always take a pacsafe - wherever I travel. I have a small one and a mid size and love them. Great to keep stuff locked up

[Jamerican71]

Thankfully I trust the housekeepers at Negril Beach Club Condos - Dwight and Alicia.

I used to travel with travellers checks but found the smaller places are not to quick to accept them.