Does anybody have any suggestions on the best place to exchange money for Jamaican or what the rate is approximately?
Thanks
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Does anybody have any suggestions on the best place to exchange money for Jamaican or what the rate is approximately?
Thanks
There is no best place on the beach. If you're still in Canada, get a basic Scotia Bank checking account with debit card and withdraw Jamaican money from the times square ATM across from Bourbon Beach
Obviously that's what you do Stoners6 but I'm confused. When I went to the Scotia bank in Canada, they said that Scotia Bank Canada and Scotia Bank Jamaica are two completely different entities. If you use your Scotia Canada debit card here in Jamaica you are subject to international fee's. Do you pay fee's Stoners6??Quote:
Originally Posted by Stoners6
Before we had a JA bank account we used our TD card which works at most ATM.s Tell the bank (in canada) what you intend to do and they will set you up with a plan which will avoid Canadian service charges. You cannot avoid the JA services however.You get charged per transaction so take out as much as the card will allow.The machines which dispense $5000.00 dollar bills will allow you to take out at least $50,000.00 JA at a time. Hope this helps
brownsd54 was correct about the Scotia bank It does not help you in JA with a Canadian Scotia bank account.We have done the legwork than became members of the Jamaica National
I got my scotia card and account two weeks ago, the week before I left for Jamaica. From the Scotia bank on portage avenue and vimy road in Winnipeg. There are no atm fees and the excange is around 95 J for a Canada buck. It's a perfect way to operate without a safe
Does the JA Scotia bank add fees?
No fees. Scotia bank Negril and Scotia Bank Canada, same bank.
Interesting Stoners, as I was told in Canada and here in Jamaica the same thing as Brownsd...Scotia Bank Jamaica and Scotia Bank Canada are different entities.
There is an account that you can sign up for at Scotia that doesn't charge ATM/ABM fees...but I think most banks have this option.
The woman I spoke with at the scotia bank in Canada was originally from Jamaica and told me that they had a Scotia bank in Negril and that they were the same entity and I wouldn't be charged fees. I told her that was why I was opening the account. Go figure
I take my little local credit union debit/atm card to scotia bank atm at the roundabout ... I don't pay fees from my CU but do pay a small fee from SB. I think it adds up to about .50 usd.
I usually change at the cambio by bourbon beach, but I've heard of other places with better rates. For the amount of time and money I am spending, those few cents don't add up enough for me to go searching out the very best rate in town. I average about 1 usd to 120 jad.... not sure about the Canadian exchange, sorry.
I'd checked about 11 years ago...so maybe they've changed the way they work together. :encouragement:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stoners6
http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,8093,00.html
While I have no idea whether the two bank entities are the "same", the ScotiaBank is part of a Global Alliance which allows users fee-free access in about 130 countries... Jamaica included
This is a very interesting topic. It might belong on another thread but that's OK. The only way to conclude this about Scotia Canada and Scotia Jamaica is to ask Stoners6 if he would mind checking back in a few weeks after he gets his first monthly statement from Scotia Canada and report what, if any international fee's were attached to his account. Stoners6, would you mind doing that??
Also Tangerine Banking which is an online only bank is a subsidiary of scotia bank, they have no fees at all for setting up account and the debit card does not charge extra fees well in Ja if using scotia atm ,very easy to set up an account and transfer money from your main bank. worked great for us.
Will do
I'm a scotiabank customer in Canada with a "Scotia One" account. I used scotiabank ATMs exclusively during our trip in march. I just checked my statement and can confirm I was not charged any surcharges.
http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,8093,00.html
Hope that helps
BS
I us my atm card from my little credit union. I think I get charged $1.30 a transaction from my bank when I take out $30,000J, but I don't recall any charges from the JAH bank end.
I am a Bank of America customer in the States. Probably 5 years ago I called BofA to ask about using the ATM's in Jamaica. The rep told me that Scotia and BofA are "sister companies"... not really sure what that means, but she explained to me that since there are no BofA branches in JA, I could use the Scotia ATM free of charge. Over the course of many trips, I have never been charged an ATM fee nor international fee to withdraw cash at a Scotia ATM.
I wish that was still the case. I only made one transaction on my BofA card last trip, as I was hit with a $6.94 charge using a Scotia ATM. I believe this changed over a year ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam I Am
been using Scotia Bank card for 5 years never been charged a fee.Quote:
Originally Posted by BuffaloSoldier
Finally figured out a way to get more than $30000 Ja out at one time. My wife got her own card and we split the money into two accounts now when we go to the ATM I take out $30000 on each card.
Good to know Booger.... I don't think I used an ATM in August, so didn't have an issue. Used it the previous May without fees. I will have to do a "test-run" in April to see if there is a fee.Quote:
Originally Posted by booger
Received my bank statement and can verify that I was not charged any fees for my ATM withdrawals at times square and Scotia Bank downtown.
Some bank machines give $5000 bills so its possible to withdraw more than $30,000 at a time(if your bank allows this)
NCB ATM's have a j$30,000 limit...
You can get 30K several times until you reach your card's daily withdrawal limit.
Cap
I have tried that with my Scotia debit card and been denied and my limit is unlimited. My wife's Scotia card debit/visa can withdraw 30000 at a time but we can get multiple withdrawals. It must have something to do with the /visa addition to her card.Quote:
Originally Posted by captaind