www.CostaRicaTicas.com

HolaB · **Joined:** Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:32 pm **Posts:** 1418

Pierre, cash is king. Women are not quite setup for CC's yet :arrow:

Many visitors find the use of ATM cards to be sufficient for daily expenses. Atm's are widely available in SJO and throughout CR.

Depending where you stay you may get a discount for paying in cash ask up front. Some CRT sponsors offer discounts for cash. Review the VIP area for info. Consider joining as a VIP and take advantage of the information and discounts offered.

Orange · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:20 pm **Posts:** 12644

HolaB wrote:

Women are not quite setup for CC's yet :arrow:

Are you sure? I remember somebody once wrote that they swiped their card in between a chica's ass cheeks.

Pierre,
I bring cash. I pay my hotel by credit card, and cash for everything else. I try to not use the ATM's at all, for various reasons. If you use an ATM, use Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) ATM's only. Do not use ATM's in stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc. I have heard stories about these ATM's being rigged to copy cards and then clean out your account.

Squirrel88 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:35 pm

Orange wrote:

HolaB wrote:

I bring cash. I pay my hotel by credit card, and cash for everything else. I try to not use the ATM's at all, for various reasons. If you use an ATM, use Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) ATM's only. Do not use ATM's in stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc. I have heard stories about these ATM's being rigged to copy cards and then clean out your account.

I have to agree. The only ATM that I ever use in CR is the little set of ATM's when you walk out of the president and half of a block down there is a little mall on the left. Right past the farmaica and DOTS ice cream. Go inside of there and its on the right. Mostly I bring evelopes with cash divided into days on them.

Pacifica55 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:40 pm

There are two ATMs in the Del Rey. The one at the end of the Lobby bar dispenses US $20s and the one at the south end of the reservation desk dispenses colones. There is no ATM charge but I don't know what exchange rate they use because I always take the $20s.

Chi_trekker · **Joined:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:54 pm **Posts:** 1693

Orange wrote:

HolaB wrote:

Women are not quite setup for CC's yet :arrow:

Are you sure? I remember somebody once wrote that they swiped their card in between a chica's ass cheeks.

Pierre,
I bring cash. I pay my hotel by credit card, and cash for everything else. I try to not use the ATM's at all, for various reasons. If you use an ATM, use Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) ATM's only. Do not use ATM's in stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc. I have heard stories about these ATM's being rigged to copy cards and then clean out your account.

Orange,

Within the vicinity of the gulch, I would mostly recommend using the DR cash machines. The weirdos that hang around the gulch are likely to have planted the devices. Outside of the gulch, the banks and ATMs are fine. I've been using various ATMs in Escazu for over 2 years now, almost daily, and have never had a problem. I also have been all over the suburbs and outlying areas of SJ and never had a problem.

The one time I used an ATM at the ICE building in Parque Marazon, it ate my card, didn't give me money and charged me for the transaction. Go figure... it was proximate to where the filth hangs out.

Irish Drifter · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:05 pm

Orange wrote:

If you use an ATM, use Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) ATM's only. Do not use ATM's in stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc. I have heard stories about these ATM's being rigged to copy cards and then clean out your account.

Stories are exactly that stories. You can use your ATM card at any bank machine, casino ATM machines, super markets ATM's, etc without any problem.

I have lived here for over 4 years and have used my debit card hundreds of times at ATM machines, super markets, gas stations, department stores, restaurants, etc. without a problem.

BangBang57 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:30 am

I do not understand sometimes why some guys come here with all the fear, misunderstanding, and outright falsehoods they have and believe about this country. Businesses here are NO more dishonest than in the USA, probably less. ATMs are owned and controlled by national banks and other Costa Rican fianical corperations. Just as in the US or any other country, ATMs will on occasion mal-fuction, but it is not an attempt to take your money nor CC infomation by some sinestar group. Ticos ARE basically a very honest group of people. As mongers, spending most of our time in the gulch, we see the worst of the people here. The average tico is disgusted by the "gulch" and tries to avoid the area. And if you wanted to rob or cheat someone in CR where would you go? "Where the 'rich' and many times 'drunk' gringos are"

You can use any ATM here with just as much confidance as in the USA, just expect to pay a fee and if you get colones, you will most likely be charged an additional fee by your bank. My bank in the States charges me $2 for every transation here and if I get colones, they charge me $5. I us BCR machines, get $$s and then go inside the bank and exchange the $$s for colones. I did have a problem one time here when the machine mal-functioned (at a National Bank machine). I reported the problem to the bank here and to my bank and was credited for the total amount of the error.

I also would recomend using cash when making purchases if possible. Most stores will charge extra for using a CC or will give you a discount for cash. Many times they will not honor their sale price if you are using a CC.

Orange · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:20 pm **Posts:** 12644

Ok, here is real evidence to back up my stories of gringo paranoia.

First, my novia was a victim of the card copy scam. She used a card in a small convenience store near her neighborhood, on the outskirts of San Jose. About a week later she went to the bank and tried to get money out. Her account was cleaned out. :shock:

Of course, her bank (Bank of CR) tried to screw her saying she did not pay "insurance" on her savings account and they would not credit anything back. Who knew you had to pay for insurance on your bank account? WTF! I told her that was crap. So she found a lawyer and he got her about 75% of the money back, but after his fee, she got about half.

Second, I have used an ATM that is called ATH twice. The first time I used it, it said "Transaction declined by your bank". But there was no reason why it should have gotten declined. So I got money at a different ATM no problem. I was curious why it was declined. The next day I tried it again at ATH (different place). Again, declined. So I just didn't use them again. When I got home and checked my account, I had 2 withdrawals for $9.76 each. I told my bank that I didn't get any money out both times, it said "transaction declined". So they gave me a provisional credit and started an investigation. They came back a week later and reversed my credit saying that the bank told them I received money both times. That's some CR business honesty for ya.

BangBang57 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:04 pm

Like I said, "IF IT IS SO BAD HERE WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO COME HERE"??? Why subject yourself to ALL the crime, thievery, dishonesty, danger, filth, and scum just for a few plucks each trip???

Could it be that ALL these problems exist where you live (some probable more so)??? Funny how we can overlook the problems next door, but blow the same problems in another country out of proportion.

Granted I spent the last 18 years before moving here in an area of the USA that many consider very backward--actually a very hi-tech, progressive area in the bible belt. The # of murders, other violent crimes, and white collar crime was higher there (population of 250,000( than in San Jose (pop. over 1,000,000)

Sorry, but I just get very tired of guys that can't wait to get back here continually running the place down :roll:

Pacifica55 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:13 pm

BB57, I don't see warning people to check their account balance and use known and trusted ATM machines as being paranoid. It is the saem advice I would give someone who was traveling in the USA. There have been several instances where people have gotten their hands on a machine that copies cc mag strip data. abroad and domestically. It just makes sense to use trusted ATM machines.

I was surprised that I could hand my card to the Mas Menos clerk and pay for groceries. Slick! :lol:

Cleaner567287 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 18, 2007 4:03 am **Posts:** 88

Pierre6242483 wrote:

Hi, I am going to San Jose in a couple of days. How should I pay the women? Should I pay with USA Dollars or do a currency exchange. Also when I pay for my hotel should I use a credit card or should I pay cash? Also when I purchase food should I pay Cash or Credit Card? Any help would be greatly appriciated, THANKS!

WHAT ABOUT THE EXHANGE...SHOULD I PAY WITH USA DOLLARS, OR THERE CURRENCY?

BangBang57 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:21 pm

Pac, you are exactly right on. What I was complaining about is people making CR out to be SOOOOO bad and making it sound like the same problems here don't exist in the States and in every other country. IMHO

Pacifica55 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:25 pm

When I left in October, they all accepted $10,000c notes or a US $20s. Some said they preferred the US $20 because of the slightly better exchange rate but it was never an issue with the girls. With colones, just remember to drop three zeros and double what remains and you will be fine.

I know, BB57, but if you read your post tomorrow I bet it is worded more strongly than you intended. Its a Sunday morning thing.

BangBang57 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:26 pm

In places like the REY, dollars are ok, thou I am not sure about the exchange rate compaired to the Bank. With most other business, it is best to use colones.

Actually the best place I know of to exchange $$s for Colones is the Colonial casino next to the REY. A couple of days ago the rate was about c3 above the bank rate.

www.CostaRicaTicas.com

1

Who is online