Blake... another option IF & only IF you bank w/ BOA. They are a partner - for lack of a better term - w/ Scotia Bank. You can use your ATM card to w/draw J$. I just got my bank statement & checked the rate because I did get some extra $$$ this trip. The exchange rate was $1US = $87.60J. Beats the cambio rates.
popular question on here for years and years..........
mi basically bring a roll of $1US and some 100's US and one or two ATM cards.........
the exchange rate is great at the NCB and Scotia Bank........
the highest Cambio rate 2 weeks ago was 86.60 at the Cambio by ValueMaster across from Burger King Strip Mall......
the Cambio at Bourbon Beach was payig 86 and yes there is one there in the front by the road........
never made it to the Cambio at HiLo as this guy was a beach bum........sand gravity is wicked der.......
all our spending habits are different......if you Masta Smith you only need $20 a day........
and if you are a party animal...you need about $150-$200US a day to enjoy life in paradise.......lol
Cool Runnings, Marko
Americana Ocho Rios 82~HedoII 84,91~T-Water 85~Wexford Court Mobay 85~Miss Mary’s 86,87~Barry’s 88~Seawinds Mobay 89~LTU 91~Charela Inn 92~Negril Inn 92~SamSara 93,94~Ocean Edge 95,96~Singles 95,96~Thrills 95~Hilltop 96,99~Pee Wees 97~Kool Browns/Bentley's 97~Cottage 99-03~Roots Bamboo 03~Merrill’s I&II 04,05~Corals Seas Cliffs & Beach 06~Catcha Falling Star 07~Blue Cave Castle 08~SeaStar 10,12~(4x)Bourbon Beach 12~T&J Cottages on Ella Dr 12-18~PeWee Cottages 18~Lynch Cottages 19,20
I always bring cigars with me to Jamaica
whatever happened to the Royal Jamaican and Mario Palomino brands anyway? I haven't seen those in a few years.
Gone are the days when you used to get an advantage paying with foreign currency when Jamaica started to allow her citizens to readily access foreign currency in their own bank account. In the early days (in my case early 80s), everyday Jamaicans were told by their government that "changing money" from Jamaican to a foreign currency was "unpatriotic".
In fact, in those days the Jamaican Dollar was actually stronger than the US dollar but you needed US dollars to go to Miami to buy goods to bring back to sell to make a living. Hence, the "higgler" in auto parts etc. was born. As the Jamaican Dollar started to lose its value against the US dollar, speculators would offer more Jamaican Dollars than the actual value of the US Dollar (and I am sure other currencies but I don't have first hand knowledge about those) because it was not possible for them to get US dollars at a bank and it was illegal to take Jamaican Dollars out of Jamaica.
Now a guy who changes money outside a bank or cambio has no real reason to give you more for your foreign currency because he can get it himself anytime he wants it. His only angle now is to either shortchange you or to slip in a few counterfeit bills to make his money.
My advice is to just deal in Jamaican Dollars and get used to the exchange rate. It is true that tipping in US dollars lets the person who gets the foreign money save it for a later trip to the US but it also becomes a hassle for them to change it to Jamaican Money for everyday transactions.
If you go into a small business and pay for a $800 Jamaican meal with a $10 US bill, I would bet that you would not get any change in return and thus lose @ $.80 cents on the transaction. Multiply that by several purchases over several days and you are just throwing money away. In fact, when is the last time you got any coin currency back? Anything less than $50 Jamaican will usually just be rounded off anyways.
Everything is priced in Jamaican Dollars anyways (except at resorts or other fancy-dancy places) so just pay the price posted and be done with it. If it is a service you want, then pick a price you will pay and negotiate from there. It really isn't all that difficult it just takes practice and that means you will just have to come back to Jamaica more times to practice!
Peace and Guidance
Free Opinions Offered. No tipping required. Hours: Open when I feel like it.
I have quite a few of the hand made wooden Mario Palomino boxes upstairs, back in the day anybody could find find a way to bring a Cuban (real or counterfeit) home to friends but friends at home could not find a Jamaican Mario Palomino at home, hence a good gift.Originally Posted by Homebrewer
The story I heard was that Mario escaped Cuba with his seeds ahead of Castro and relocated to Jamaica, his next generation of decendants did not want to dedicate the time and hard work it took to keep the brand going, the brand migrated to Dominica for a short period.. That said I have heard that there is now a trademarked Nicauraga Mario Palomino.
I will light a fire here. I agree ATM is the best 0 to J conversion, I drive so I am out of car into ATM and back on road in a flash, I like to run through in Lucy at Scotia or the one up by the airport Shell station, secure, but I have sat in front of the China Man's store and watched people hit the ATM and walk off down the road and wondered at the security of the street. I do keep quite a few Benjamen's in the safe that I convert during the week and I do use the exchangers in the parking lot, reason is it is quick and I do not mind giving up a 100j tax on a 100 U.S. exchange to avoid the hassle of getting out of the car and standing in a line at a Cambio. That said I have been to Negril over 40 times and have very specific guys I deal with that I have known for years, I do not do more than 1 or 200 at a time and follow a very consistent standard of exchange. I would not recommend this for all, agree to the rate ahead of time, exchange in $100.00 U.S. increments, keep your money in your pocket, watch him count, take the J and recount (newbies might get double folded bills spread the bills like a card hand then pat back together for count - most guys use the same rules that I do when I'm running a lot of cash in the states - all bills are faced the same way), hand him the U.S. ------- Me – wappen’, Him – how much mon, Me-$100 U.S. what’s the rate, Him - 84, Me – hell I might as well go to the cambio 85?, Him – Yah Mon 85 (he counts out 8.5 grand) Me – (I recount 8500) respect mon (hand him my $100.00 U.S.) later dawg,,,,,,,, I do it 5 or 6 times a week, before cambio's open after they close on my time schedule. Once again that is me and I am not reccomending this practice to anyone.
I have won many awards in a lifetime of competition and service. But the highest was offered without plaque or fanfare on a hilltop in post Ivan Jamaica. A true Rasta and a dear friend observed "Chet you are like a father of men, you see need and fulfill that need without being asked". Let us be travelers and not tourist.
Sadly the Jamaican cigar industry has suffered extreme losses from past hurricane seasons.
Oh for the days of a real all Jamaican Macanudo.
Buyer beware many of what are sold as Cuban are fugazys...
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. KJV Psalm 68:4
Limo Mon tip would be take 10's 20's spend them on your meals and drink , but always ask how much in J's and pay with whats best. My last trip i exchanged my us for J's and they beat me up on exchange of there own money. Save large bills to exchange for J's. Some will give back us change for big bill but ask.
1 last tip bring more money you can never have enough.
A good rule of thumb is to estimate how much you think you will need, then double that. The expenses add up faster than you think: cab fares, midnight jerk chicken runs, excursions, cycle rentals, tips, rum punches, gifts, etc, etc. Also, there always seems to be someone hanging around the cambios who are willing to give you a slightly better exchange rate. I have exchanged money with them, but beware if you go through them, as some will attempt to short change you. Do your math, and know exactly how much you have coming before you give them your cash. it can get confusing when you are dealing with a high exchange rate. I take my credit card size calculator with me everywhere.
NEVER change money with someone hanging around a cambio. They are only there for one sole purpose; to rip you off!
Posting Permissions
