Cash, Traveler's checks, debit card?

[poolguywindsor]

I used to always bring travellors checks, but in the last year or so, it became not worth it. Now I bring some cash to get started, then use the ATM,s

[Bnewb]

There are still coins here...none have been discontinued since you were here last but the shape of the 10J coin changed.
Also, newly added was a 5000J bill.

[poolguywindsor]

I "remember when" lol, those $5000 dollar bills were almost impossible to spend!, Change anyway, but now that's like $50 US, not really a big deal now.

That was like a Bob Marley lyric thing for those that didn't get it,lol

[Mr B]

I went in every couple days to cash travellers checks. one day they said they were not cashing checks today, another day I had to come back later only to get half what I wanted cashed. Another day they said they had no money yet but took another person with cash to exchange. that one really got me going

[suzengrace]

debit cards/credit-2 different ones-that way if one gets "eaten" by the atm -and I've seen it happen(and its a huge hassle getting it back) I will have a back-up .....

I always carry some emergency cash too.....one main reason is-if the electricity goes out (and it does) you cant access ATMs...or (and this happens alot too) if the ATMS run-out of $$$....

[St. Anthony's Kitchen]

I was at NCB (National Commercial Bank) recently when a German tourist came in to cash American Express travelers checks. The bank would not cash them. I told her to go the nearby FX Traders (exchange) but do not know what happened. Don't bring travelers checks. --Fadder Jimaica

[Rob]

The ATM at HiLo is on a back up generator and always runs... I will be checking on the others at Scotia...

[booger]

I had one night where every single ATM was down. Scotia, NCB, Scotia at Times Square, ATM at the airport. So glad I had some backup stash.

[suzengrace]

not only down but many times out of cash too(esp on sundays-after the weekend)

[Hussyband]

I can get $JA from my bank... I asked about it before our last trip and found that their rates were worse than at MBJ. I bring a debit card and take $JA as needed (usually from the Times Square ATM), and find that since my bank refunds ATM fees I get a better exchange rate than at the cambios.

I also bring a credit card that stays in the safe for emergencies... thankfully we've never needed it.

For our trip last year, there was a 12% variance in the banks favor for converting us to JA here in the states. The rate was substantially worse than what you get at the airport (which is bad enough itself). I was really surprised at just how bad the rates were.

I don't think we've used travelers checks in a number of years though. We used to get them free, either from American Express or the bank, but the last time I looked into it, the hassle and expense was too much to bother with.