Advice Needed Again

Not Sure How I've Gone So Many Times With Not Knowing Somethings.
This Time It's A Money Question.
In The Past, I Would Just Bring $X Amount (usd)(cash)
and Love Changing It To J's Through-Out The Trip & Hope It Lasts.
(using credit cards very little)

I Was Thinking of Using a Pre-Paid Credit Card and Not Carry All That Cash.
Will A Cambio Change Into Js? (Though out the week)

I Have Used ATMs But That Gets Pricey (foreign trans fee ect.)

Bottom Line, How Do You, Do The Cash Thing When You Home (Jamaicca)

Scotia Bank Account People You Sure Are lucky :)

Thanks

I do cash, so few places I deal with even have a cc machine that a card would be useless for me.

AAA wanted to sell me a prepaid international debit card, but the fees were high; like $3 + 3% per transaction. I ended up bringing cash and changing $500 on my first day, stashing it in the hotel safe and then carrying less than $7500 J with me when I went out.

~Moose

I don't think the Cambio would have anything to do with a credit card...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CosmicMoose

AAA wanted to sell me a prepaid international debit card, but the fees were high; like $3 + 3% per transaction. I ended up bringing cash and changing $500 on my first day, stashing it in the hotel safe and then carrying less than $7500 J with me when I went out.

~Moose

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This is pretty much what I do. I try not to have more than 7500J with me at any time. I usually take 3000J out for breakfast, then reload for the beach and then about 7000J or so for the night.

It's my experience that you can only use the prepaid Visas at ATMs. You cannot use them for a cash advance option like a credit card.

I have a "premier" checking account with TD Bank. I can use my debit card anywhere in the world and they not only charge $0 foreign transaction fees, they refund any and all ATM fees charged anywhere in the world. So I can take $JA out of the ATM and receive the exact Visa conversion rate for that day and at the end of the month they credit me any fees charged at the ATM. The VISA conversion rate should beat any and all cambios.

I still bring some $USD, just in case the ATM is empty.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarryS

I have a "premier" checking account with TD Bank. I can use my debit card anywhere in the world and they not only charge $0 foreign transaction fees, they refund any and all ATM fees charged anywhere in the world. So I can take $JA out of the ATM and receive the exact Visa conversion rate for that day and at the end of the month they credit me any fees charged at the ATM. The VISA conversion rate should beat any and all cambios.

I still bring some $USD, just in case the ATM is empty.

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Just be aware that there have been quite a lot of reports of compromised ATMs in and around Negril.

Check your balance daily!

~Moose

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CosmicMoose

Just be aware that there have been quite a lot of reports of compromised ATMs in and around Negril.

Check your balance daily!

~Moose

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Yup, you just can't beat good ole cash when it comes to Jamaica!

15 trips to Jamaica so far. Never used anything but cash. Never had a problem.