Cash(US), Traveler's Cheques , or Credit Cards...

[farmaholic]

Fj.... ya that was kinda hard to believe.... won two trips in three years from the same lotto.

I support some lotteries... I would sure like to win the big lotto Max...wishful thinking... but it would make things easier for those coming behind me.... nothing like laying gold bricks for those to walk on instead of making it on their own(pure unadulterated sarcasm) so they can have their "entitlement" with a big dose of "lack of appreciation".

I truly am lucky in MANY ways. I do suffer from a bit of "Silver Platter Farm" disease.... but I made it into something bigger and better as well and didn't **** it away. I got to wonder what the future of it holds though! No Successor can truly afford to pay the full value of what the farm business is worth!

[SASKFARMER3]

Les is right use your bank card and get out peso. Remember when buying stuff the Mexicans are so good at the exchange rate that some times they get you confused and instead of spending 20 USA you spent 35 but they made you laugh and you feel good even if you realize later you over paid. Life lesson get off the resort in any country. Drive or bus in most places it's amazing what you find. Some times you stumble on a spot that no tourist company even knows about.

We're in Cabo next Christmas Visa card and Scotia bank is right their in big mall down town.

[newguy]

we never go on tourist excursions any more.Have a taxi driver friend that sets up our private excursion.he never fails and we see what most people would not in half the time.Holidays you are not suppose to be sleeping in a bus waiting to be dropped off at your resort

[AllisWD45]

We are going for 3 weeks in Jan to Cuba. Enough of the all inclusive resorts. They are not what they used to be. Flying to Varadero and going to stay in a private home about an hour from there and 45 minutes from Havana. Owners have 4 rooms for rent and will provide all meals cheap or only some. Family has a Cuban style car available with driver to take you where you want to go.They speak very limited English we speak very very limited Spanish Its on the ocean in a village of 2500. Apparently a small exclusive resort there with a bar and food place available to us. A couple bars and grocery store in town and a highway side open air tourist bar. $900 Cdn. for 2. Pay when you get there.
Told the supervisor either we have the time of our lives or we are bored shitless but it will be warm.They accept Canadian$ or Cuc's there. Plan to see a bit of the country this time.

[Flatlander]

Seems like if we go on an excursion, like fishing, and the boats owner is American, they want USD. If you are using locals or tipping locals they tell me they like peso. If they get CAD or USD or whatever, and they work six days a week they have to go to bank on the only day off and the bank really hoses them on forex.

[sawfly1]

just got back from cancun.
always like to use my debit card, always worked before,
this time it did not work anywhere.
not sure what the problem was
bt we did not tell the bank we were going there this time.

maybe that was it.
good thing my daughter was along with her credit card and pin.
she was my banker..

another thing , you never know when you will run into an outfit that only wants cash.
then all of a sudden you are short on cash.
so tell the bank where your going , take your debit .
take credit cards with pin #s and some US cash
exchange rates at the hotels are horrid.

[newguy]

if you book fishing trip just use credit card.exchange on that not too bad.My taxi driver would take canadian as his wife would just spend it at Walmart and get the best exchange anywhere.But most would not shop there.They laugh at the prices in playa del carmen .They can buy better vanilla at a third of the price if you know where to go.I find best to take lots of canadian cash.I never used any card this year down there.just kept exchanging and buying more pesos as needed.And no exchange on canadian that is not used.

[lesm]

Rockpile, I live in the very south end of PV( Romantica Zone) near the newly built wharf and across from the park, about half a block from the ocean on the Malecon. I rent a studio from the hotel on a monthly basis, however thinking of buying a condo this winter near where I stay. Torn about that decision!

[Guest]

Atm,s all the way .have used them in cuba ,all over eastern caribean , all over mexico ,jamaica . Never has a problem .local bank will charge a little more than atm

[Jay-mo]

I'm surprised so many are recommending using ATM's. My wife and I were in the Mayan Riviera and Cancun area last January. The ATM's were taking $6-7USD per transaction. Maybe that's not normal, I thought it was way too much.
I would take as much US cash and pesos as you feel comfortable carrying. Use your CC where possible.

[Casered]

tweety.... i am "encouraging" them to get off the resort and go see some stuff(hence the question about how to handle the money), guided group tours for safety reasons. Keep your nose clean attitude. And you know, for someone who has never done a lot of the hot destination thing maybe staying on the resort is a good place to start. Confidence...? Caution...? The last one I won to Jamaica I gave to them as well.... they did the group tour thing off resort and had a blast.

To each their own...

I think people are way too afraid of the danger in many foreign countries. Especially in the tourist areas. I have walked the 7 mile beach alone in Negril, Jamaica many times at night. I have never been seriously threatened. However, I wouldn't walk through north central Regina at night. So it's all in knowing where you can and can't go. A little danger keeps things interesting. Kind of like farming.