took a bunch of money off a buddy in a golf match about a month ago. He owed me 50 bucks. Only had 40. asked if he could pay me in 10 GBP. I said sure. He asked "Seriously?" I said "Yup. can exchange for like 1500 JA my next trip"
took a bunch of money off a buddy in a golf match about a month ago. He owed me 50 bucks. Only had 40. asked if he could pay me in 10 GBP. I said sure. He asked "Seriously?" I said "Yup. can exchange for like 1500 JA my next trip"
Very easy to eliminate this issue completely. A simple call to your credit card BEFORE you leave on your trip. Tell them what days you will be in a foreign location and to not accept any foreign charges after your date of departure.Originally Posted by wrtiii
Last edited by Captain Oil; 07-31-2016 at 06:32 AM.
Yep
Re: Exchange rates and saving money
Well said Accompong. What? You visit Jamaica, you spend a grand on airfare, some $ on transport, $ on a nice room, and you want to stiff a restaurateur or a vendor. Its the "I got it over on him" mentality...very immature in my opinion.
Jeez, do some research, start with the exchange rate ( 1US$ = 126JA$). Get some Monopoly money, pretend its Jamaican $. Do some transactions with your partner. Pretty soon you'll do rough conversions in your head. Heck, this isn't rocket surgery!
When I visit, I pay attention to enjoying the sun, sand, food, and the people. Oh, and the rum. Not fluctuations in the currency conversion.
Well said by you too...we're there not to worry about a ting! Put it in perspective. We go back and forth with USD an JAs. Whatever the menu is printed in....and then add a very generous tip. People work hard. I'm not rich but like to share with those not as fortunate as me.
I'm with you 100%. Accompong is spot on as usual.
Being schizophrenic helps a lot
The Jamaican and the American in my head have many a discussion about money
Cap!
Last edited by captaind; 07-31-2016 at 07:01 PM.
Linston's Zion Hill Taxi
Captain Dave
the interbank rate is just that: between banks. Are you sure your credit card actually gives you the interbank rate?
My CC issuer is Chase and this year they told me they would most likely block any transactions I attempted while in Jamaica. In past years they did put a note on my account to block transactions after the date I advised them I would return.
Homebrewer, no, I said that when I use the ATM I get the interbank rate and pay an additional flat fee, so as long as I withdraw the daily maximum I do better at an ATM than I would exchanging the same amount of US $ at a cambio. My credit cards charge an international transaction fee and don't state that they exchange at the interbank rate. So I don't use them when I travel foreign except in an emergency.
Oh, and telling your bank not to accept charges outside your travel dates works up to a point, but if someone is trying to run charges against your card your bank will still cancel that number and issue you a new card. This is a PITA that I prefer to avoid.
Papa Georgie - I agree with you completely. When you visit another country why would you expect not to use their currency? When visitors come here (Canada) or the USA, they have to use our dollars. Whether or not the rate is based on the US dollar shouldn't make any difference. Try to use the dollar in, say, England and they would tell you to get it exchanged.
I always use Ja$ when I am there. After a day or so it comes naturally - no problems. Oh, and I rarely convert - the price is the price.
Last edited by SLP; 08-01-2016 at 04:07 PM.
Irie Sue
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