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PostPosted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:53 am 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:46 am
Posts: 1784
Location: Los Angeles
If you have a Charles Schwab account my understanding is that even while outside the country they will still reimburse you for all ATM transaction fees and I also understand they do not charge foreign exchange fees eiither. That should unquestionably be the best deal in town if that is indeed the case.


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:22 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!

Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:33 pm
Posts: 1447
Location: Tampa / St. Pete
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Paying for the hotel in dollars is a good idea. The majority of hotels endorsed by CRT'ers take a bank exchange rate, so there would be a small bank "fee" hidden in the colones rate. The girls are kind of a wild card -- they tend to like hard currency (dollars) but I have seen a girl crying in the HDR because she only had a $100 bill and no one would break or exchange it for her (until I did).

Most girls and taxis use a nominal $1 to 500 colones exchange rate (it's easy to figure in your head), so theoretically you can save a little using colones. However, the rate is so close to 1/500 right now that any savings would probably be eaten up by the exchange fee.

There are SOME mp's and restaurants/bars that will gouge you on the exchange rate to pay in dollars. Using colones or a credit card (charged in colones) is the way to go.

SR


A couple of points and as always, this is just my opinion, but.....

1) I would never, ever change a high denomination bill for a "love contractor" or anyone else for the matter. It is too easy and much lower risk to pass counterfeit U.S. currency in a foreign country. And apparently, CR is awash with counterfeit bills.
2) I would also limit my use of a cc / debit card in CR (as a recent lesson taught me) to just a transaction at a trusted hotel or inside ATM at a trusted location. :D

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:41 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:20 pm
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Yes, to be more secure, only use real bank ATM's, not the ones found in stores, bars, etc. There's a lot of cloning going on.


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