- Thread starter Ballzy
- Start date
Cash ????
ATM will cost you
Travellers checks are fine and so is cash. Change money only at banks or "Casas de Cambio. NEVER on the street!
Do not change more than you need. If making a purchase at some store, ask if they take dollars, and if so, at what rate. Compare that to what the bank is giving and go from there.
Have fun
HB
Spanish phrase: At what rate? "A ke tasa"? or "a komo?"
Travellers checks are fine and so is cash. Change money only at banks or "Casas de Cambio. NEVER on the street!
Do not change more than you need. If making a purchase at some store, ask if they take dollars, and if so, at what rate. Compare that to what the bank is giving and go from there.
Have fun
HB
Spanish phrase: At what rate? "A ke tasa"? or "a komo?"
And try to avoid..............
the cambios inside hotels, e.g. the all-inclusive ones are rarely the best deal, and outside the gates the rates are likely to be a lot better, worth the walk, plus you get to go out and about in the town.
Hillbilly said:
the cambios inside hotels, e.g. the all-inclusive ones are rarely the best deal, and outside the gates the rates are likely to be a lot better, worth the walk, plus you get to go out and about in the town.
Phonetic I think
To help them out saying it vs. "a que tasa? or a como?"
I haven't heard the latter one used but the first one, sure.
Ken said:
To help them out saying it vs. "a que tasa? or a como?"
I haven't heard the latter one used but the first one, sure.
Not being too experienced with exchange rates in D.R., but having gone three times since July of '03, I must say that the all-inclusive hotel rates are way below anything else you see.
And I went to a few Casas de Cambios, and they all told me a lot less than even the bank was giving. Actually the rate right at the airport I found to be pretty nice.
What I did find was that by using my ATM card to retrieve cash (pesos), upon my return home and checking my bank statement, that my exchange rate was extremely favorable. I never actually calculated it, but if I thought I took out the equivalent of $60 USD, I ended up seeing maybe $52 or something like that on my bank statement, as an example.
Also taking small dollars for tips and the like is a lesson I have learned. It's easier to give someone the exact USD amount, and not have to deal with the exchange rate when getting your change. Or to give the bellman $3 or $4 USD.. Personally I get confused all the time as to how much I'm actually giving him. Sometimes we think, oh I have him 50, but 50 pesos is not the same as $50 USD... so we end up short-changing those who labor so hard for our comfort.
And I went to a few Casas de Cambios, and they all told me a lot less than even the bank was giving. Actually the rate right at the airport I found to be pretty nice.
What I did find was that by using my ATM card to retrieve cash (pesos), upon my return home and checking my bank statement, that my exchange rate was extremely favorable. I never actually calculated it, but if I thought I took out the equivalent of $60 USD, I ended up seeing maybe $52 or something like that on my bank statement, as an example.
Also taking small dollars for tips and the like is a lesson I have learned. It's easier to give someone the exact USD amount, and not have to deal with the exchange rate when getting your change. Or to give the bellman $3 or $4 USD.. Personally I get confused all the time as to how much I'm actually giving him. Sometimes we think, oh I have him 50, but 50 pesos is not the same as $50 USD... so we end up short-changing those who labor so hard for our comfort.