www.CostaRicaTicas.com

What I got from Bro Rac's link (and other vids associated) is that safes even gun safes are mostly about fire protection, not security of valuables. Did I miss something? But realistically, how many Bros have reported thefts even when they forgot to lock it? Not many. In my mind, it's a concern but not a major one.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Thank you Brother.

I personally never had a problem in my travels, but then again many here have pointed out that I am a CR Newbie.

I never bring in more $ than what I'll need to get home from the airport when I return to the US and maybe get some food.

As soon as I arrive in CR, I go to one of the ATM's in the baggage claim area and take out about ¢200,000 colones (~$360 at today's rate) that will last me for the first couple of days. Then as needed, I just hit the ATM and take out local currency.

Why?
1. Like mentioned before, the lines to exchange money at the banks are not usually long but slow as Phuck. Plus, I don't like to be frisked and wanded like a friggin criminal each time I enter a bank and have to remove my sunglasses and cap.
2. I don't trust the hotel safes. And more importantly, I don't trust the hotel employees. To be fair, I have stayed in probably 80% of the hotels in the gulch, and have never experienced theft by any hotel staff. But I still wouldn't want to give them a chance to steal much cash from me.
3. I don't like carrying much cash on me. You can lose it or you can be robbed (although chances are slim you will be robbed on the way from airport to your hotel in a taxi; I said slim, I didn't say zero. Remember the taxis that were being stopped and robbed on the highway from the airport a few years ago. The cops put a stop to that quickly after the info started appearing on travel boards.)
4. If you exchange somewhere other than a bank, you are gonna take a hit. 2 weeks ago, Del Rey was paying 515 when the rate was 552. That's 7%. Expect 5-10% hit. 2-3% is a convenience charge, but 7% is high.

If you do exchange at your bank at home, ask and compare the rate ahead of time. I have NEVER heard of a US bank giving a fair exchange rate. What they waive in the fee, they more thna make up for in the rate.

National Bank website has the "official" rate in the upper right corner: http://www.bncr.fi.cr/BNCR/Default.aspx

Today, they are paying 541 colones per dollar. When you are leaving, they will sell you back dollars at 556 colones per dollar. The spread is usually about 10-15 colones, so you are losing 2-3% if you try to exchange colones back to dollars, so don't exchange too many dollars or take out too many colones that you have to convert back into dollars.

Another tip: DON'T FORGET YOUR phucking ATM CARD WHEN DONE WITHDRAWING MONEY. After a thousand withdrawals, I finally left my ATM card in the machine and walked out. I blame my friend, he kept talking to me. Nothing happened. It's a travel account so I keep a few hundred in there and ATM's in CR make you re-enter the PIN for another transaction. They take ATM security seriously there. BTW- ATM's shut down each night at 10pm and don't come back on until the next morning, so plan accordingly if you plan to pick up, or have, a "date" late.

You will find an exchange fee embedded in your transaction. To find out how much it is check the difference between buy and sell rates. Divide that in half and this will be approximately what you are being charged.

A typical charge is around 2.5 %.....

The rates quoted by folks on these threads include that....the only difference being that the banks in CR often give you a better rate than banks in any foreign countries will give you, including the US. That is probably because they have a lot more business in US dollars than any US bank would have in CR colones.

Thank you for the great Info .. A lot to consider. Are the rates the same in the Casinos or Hotels?

No......

Casinos and hotels use their own exchange rates.....often very different (and worse for you) than what the banks use.

But remember that one colone is equal to about 1/5 of a penny.

Rac is correct in that one colon is only worth 1/5 of a penny! But remember that "with every grain of sand the beach gets bigger"!! If over the course of a week you change say $1000 the difference in changing at most hotels here and changing at BCR or Banco National, or other major bank here will be enough to pay for the taxi to a MP, a session with a chica, and a tip for her!!

It has been stated several times that most ATMs here give both dollars and colones--not true!! Yes many of those in the hotels and places in the gulch do, but most bank ATMs now only give colones. For example none of the BAC nor BNat ATMs give dollars. BCR almost always has multiple machines in each locations but seldom more than one that gives dollars in each location.

The Colonial casina right behind the REY almost always gives very close to the best bank rate, sometimes even better than BCR or BNat. Also they do not ask for an ID and there is never more than one person in line. If changing 100 dollar bills they will usually only change one and it has to be checked by the pit boss . If changing $20 bills they will almost always change up to $300, maybe more. One other thing, if coming in the AVE 1 entrance, the first caja on the left will see you coming in and often will refuse to change your money (exchanging is really for "players" only). Just keep walking to the back and on your left will be another caja which has never refused to exchange money for me.

Actually one of the best places to change money if you can stand in line for 5-10, maybe 15 minutes is the SERVIMAX cajas located in all MasxMenos, Walmart, and most Pali grocery stores (all stores owned by Walmart/Mexico). These places are connected to ScotiaBank and give the same rate as the bank which often gives a better rate than any of the National Banks. I know they will exchange as much as $500 and only once (changing $500) have I ever been told I needed my passport. They always have accepted just a copy (Banks require a passport for any transaction)!!!

One final thing, Orange mentioned not to forget your card when you finish. Actually once the machine releases your card you only have 3 seconds to take it out of the machine or it will take it back. If this happens at one of the banks during open hours all you have to do is go in, present your passport, and they will retrieve your card ( a lot of wasted time). If the bank is closed you will have to wait till the next day to get your card. So don't forget your card and don't wait more than 3 seconds to retrieve it! Just remember as soon as it releases your card, grab it!! I stress this because almost everyone I know who lives here and uses the machines a lot, have had their cards swallowed by the machines !!!

By the way current rates (14/04/14) are :

BCR-543
BNat- 541
BAC- 542
Scotia- 542

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

[quote="BangBang57"]
But remember that "with every grain of sand the beach gets bigger"!!

I knew that there was a reason that we are always advised to avoid taking sand to the beach.

There are ATMs where you insert and remove your card immediately. These are the safest to use especially during non banking hours and on weekends.
I thought the Del Rey ATMs were like that but cannot remember now.
The kind that swallow your card always make me nervous till my card pops back out.
I did not know about the 3 seconds time limit you have to grab your card. good info.

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Softbob

There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
HAMLET

Thanks to all for your insightful feedback ... it is giving me a lot to think about before my adventure to CR.

There may be ATMs here that give you your card right back (like in the States) but I am not aware of any. All I have ever encountered here are the old kind that swallow the card and hold it till you are finished with your transaction.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Sorry Bang Bang. Here are not "the old kind". Here it is cultural vs USA. Here always swallow, US spit out.

I do not know one machine from the other, nor if they are the same, just set to operate differently. My commit was based on what I was told by a Tico friend who is a head teller for BCR. And a banker friend from the States also said the machines here were the "old type"!! Machines I used when I lived in the States did not spit them out, now the machines I used when visiting there the last time did!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Another thing to consider: 85-95 % of ATMs worldwide are powered by the Microsoft XP operating system. MS has just announced they no longer support this OS, which means no more security fixes. I don't know what this means going forward and it's a robust OS that's had a ton of work done on it in the last 13 years but still...

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Correct - and while a colonie or 3 is not significant, seldom at the places mentioned will you get the bank rate.

The answer to your original question is, I think, an easy one - simply go on line and check the exchange rate, and if your bank is very close - its a good deal, and you could use them if you don't want to use ATM's - while you likely know this, for an ATM to dispense outside the USA, your PIN needs to be no more than 4 digits.