Lol.....to quote the OP "When we arrived at Negril, I asked our driver to stop by the grocery/chinamon store so I could exchange my Us$ to Jamaican money. My friend didn't bring cash so she had to go to the Scotia bank. She totally got ripped off as the bank fee was high (I think around $5?), and she couldn't get more than $150 US dollars per transaction! Crazy. At the chinamon, the exchange rate was very favorable J$113 to US$1. We also got water, rum, and other miscellaneous things at the shop."

Either you are bull$hitting about only 2 trips, are the opposite of clueless, the daughter of Smith 744 (research his travels)....marry me....kidding but if this is your second trip...WOW...off to a great start. I gotta ask since I'm a fan of buying everything possible from the chinaman.....what/who clued you in that you can exchange money there? The rates are great, no need for passport, open longer hours.....but nobody openly talks about them/dem.