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Everyone takes dollars. I dont even bother changing into colones any more. Over the course of my trip, I might lose $15 by not changing, but I dont care. The main reason I dont change is because I dont want to have any left over and have to change back to dollars when I leave, then I get hit twice by exchanging.

I just bring a wad of 20, 10, 5, and singles, and never had any issues.

I have done a lot of searching, and perhaps I just missed it but I am curious about changing money. Not how or where, but sort of what the mix should be between Colons and US$.

It seems that most of the chicas take US$ and I should plan on taking lower denominations (5, 10, 20 and 50) for them and tips. Colons for taxi's, walk-up bars and meals. It seems that this could easily be available from ATMs. Credit cards for hotels and sit-down meals.

Am I missing something?

Good Money Tip...and I learned this from BangBang...

If you are headed over to HDR or SL and NOT staying there...only take enough money to drink/ eat with and cab fare. No need to take your session money with you since you will be headed back to your room anyways :idea:

Sounds basic, but for newbies, which I was when he told me, I went "oh yea DUH".

1. Dollars are fine in the HDR/SL/HLH, however as noted, using dollars only will mark you as a tourist.

El Ciego wrote:

1. Dollars are fine in the HDR/SL/HLH, however as noted, using dollars only will mark you as a tourist.

So, if I use colones they'll think my 6'1, 250lb, white guy w/ white sneakers self is a local?

BTW do most low end mp's take US dollars. I've always used colones when visiting them.

Author:	Nickster53 [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:	Money
I have done a lot of searching, and perhaps I just missed it but I am curious about changing money. Not how or where, but sort of what the mix should be between Colons and US$. It seems that most of the chicas take US$ and I should plan on taking lower denominations (5, 10, 20 and 50) for them and tips. Colons for taxi's, walk-up bars and meals. It seems that this could easily be available from ATMs. Credit cards for hotels and sit-down meals. Am I missing something?

Author:	CLN20 [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:53 pm ]
Post subject:
Everyone takes dollars. I dont even bother changing into colones any more. Over the course of my trip, I might lose $15 by not changing, but I dont care. The main reason I dont change is because I dont want to have any left over and have to change back to dollars when I leave, then I get hit twice by exchanging. I just bring a wad of 20, 10, 5, and singles, and never had any issues.

Author:	Cujo's [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:
CLN20 wrote: Everyone takes dollars. I dont even bother changing into colones any more. Over the course of my trip, I might lose $15 by not changing, but I dont care. The main reason I dont change is because I dont want to have any left over and have to change back to dollars when I leave, then I get hit twice by exchanging. I just bring a wad of 20, 10, 5, and singles, and never had any issues. I agree. My first trip I brought 5k with me in a rubber band. I never realized I'd be bringing 3k back. Just exchange a hundo daily if you have to, otherwise no big deal. Cujo

Author:	Nickster53 [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:
That's what I figured but I appreciate you confirming.

Author:	Professor [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:01 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Money
Nickster53 wrote: I have done a lot of searching, and perhaps I just missed it but I am curious about changing money. Not how or where, but sort of what the mix should be between Colons and US$. It seems that most of the chicas take US$ and I should plan on taking lower denominations (5, 10, 20 and 50) for them and tips. Colons for taxi's, walk-up bars and meals. It seems that this could easily be available from ATMs. Credit cards for hotels and sit-down meals. Am I missing something? I tend to change between US$50 and US$75 at a time when visiting other countries. This works for me. As a general rule, I deal in the local currency, since I tell the chicas that I am there for a few months as opposed to being a visitor. I rarely bring more than a few dollars back, and I give this to my little cousins. They like getting the "strange money" from the countries that I visit.

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Author:	Pacifica55 [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:55 pm ]
Post subject:
If you are going to be spending more than a weekend in CR once in awhile, it is very helpful to learn to deal and think in the local currency. I also think negotiations go smoother in colones (then you both know that "30" means $30,000c not $30) and you don't appear as if you just fell off the gringo bus (even if you did).

Author:	SlimJohnson [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:19 pm ]
Post subject:
If your not going outside of the gultch, then US dollars will do. But I have noticed that most people seem to want newer crisp bills. On both trips I've taken I've come home with a crap load of 100 colones coins. I like to get local currency since I often go outside the gultch. BTW do most low end mp's take US dollars. I've always used colones when visiting them.

Author:	BangBang57 [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:21 am ]
Post subject:
I never use Dollars here so i am not 100% sure of this but from what I have seen I would say that some of the low end MPs will grugingly take $$$s and some will not take $$$s at all or will give you a very low exchange rate. Also I agree with Pac55; using $$$s here especially when dealing with the chicas, labels one as a newbie ripe for the picking. Many chicas are masters at confusing the guy when he is talking in $$$s and she will be talking in colones. Many business will really hit you with a very low exchange rate. I was in a store just a couple days ago and heard them tell a gringo the rate was c480 to 1. I had just changed $$$s at the bank and the rate was c553 to 1 That is an almost 25% loss!!!

Author:	Tstef527 [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:13 am ]
Post subject:
Good Money Tip...and I learned this from BangBang... If you are headed over to HDR or SL and NOT staying there...only take enough money to drink/ eat with and cab fare. No need to take your session money with you since you will be headed back to your room anyways Sounds basic, but for newbies, which I was when he told me, I went "oh yea DUH".

Author:	CLN20 [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:52 pm ]
Post subject:
Tstef527 wrote: Good Money Tip...and I learned this from BangBang... If you are headed over to HDR or SL and NOT staying there...only take enough money to drink/ eat with and cab fare. No need to take your session money with you since you will be headed back to your room anyways Sounds basic, but for newbies, which I was when he told me, I went "oh yea DUH". Yea, thats solid advice. I only take like $20 with me, just enough for a drink or two and the cab back. I dont even take my wallet, just the copy of my passport. Gotta play it safe.

Author:	El Ciego [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:54 pm ]
Post subject:
It's also about respect. Costa Ricans are proud of their country. 1. Dollars are fine in the HDR/SL/HLH, however as noted, using dollars only will mark you as a tourist. 2. You can pay in dollars almost anywhere...but you'll get your change in colones, and as noted you will not get a good rate. 3. I think that part of the travel experience is found in conducting commerce as the locals do, which means using local currency. 4. As BB57 notes above, outside the Gulch, it's better to use the local currency. What I do: I bring a certain amount of cash in U.S. dollars and my ATM card. Like Cujo, I exchange maybe a hundred bucks at a shot; I get excellent exchange rates at the banks and casinos, less so at the hotels. Some hotels, like the Castillo will not change currency at all. I do pay for everything in colones if possible. By changing only the amount I'm actuallhy planning to spend during a given day, I rarely come home with currency. Hint: You can settle up part of your hotel bill with any leftover colones you have, spend them at the duty free shop on your way out of the country, use colones to pay your taxi to the airport, etc. There's seldom a need to re-exchange the money.

Author:	Zebra [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:30 pm ]
Post subject:
Yeah.....All good advice here. I dislike carrying all the Costa Rican coins that accumulate. I leave them for the hotel maids as tips, but try to keep enough on me to cover a cab fare back to the hotel with a chica. Not having the right amount to pay a cab driver will often lead to you being ripped off.

Author:	CLN20 [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:29 pm ]
Post subject:
El Ciego wrote: 1. Dollars are fine in the HDR/SL/HLH, however as noted, using dollars only will mark you as a tourist. So, if I use colones they'll think my 6'1, 250lb, white guy w/ white sneakers self is a local?

Author:	Irish Drifter [ Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:
CLN20 wrote: El Ciego wrote: 1. Dollars are fine in the HDR/SL/HLH, however as noted, using dollars only will mark you as a tourist. So, if I use colones they'll think my 6'1, 250lb, white guy w/ white sneakers self is a local? Huge difference between being marked as a tourist as opposed to a local. A tourist is perceived to be visiting CR and clueless about colones and ripe for being cheated. A local is perceived as living in CR and having sufficient knowledge of colones to know the exchange rate. Neither is perceived as being a Tico.

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Author:	Professor [ Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:
SlimJohnson wrote: BTW do most low end mp's take US dollars. I've always used colones when visiting them. I made the mistake of using U.S. dollars at 747 once. First, I got killed on the exchange. Of course, I received my change in colones.