Foreign Currency

[Astockjoc]

I will be making my first trip by moto to Central America crossing the Texas boarder in June. I plan to travel through several countries. Is it best to get a few hundred dollars of each country's currency before i leave the US or just exchange money at each boarder? Of course, i will have US cash and credit cards.

[markharf]

Change money at borders (small amounts), not in the States. After that use debit cards, not credit. Don't get stuck holding excess of any currency after leaving that country or you may own it forever (except El Salvador and Panama, for obvious reasons). Carry a reserve of US dollars for emergencies.

Same wherever you go in the world.

Mark

[Sjoerd Bakker]

+1 on Mark
Bring your BANK cards, have a number with different logos of services for delivering money to cover in the event one or another service is temporarily off line.
Most border fees will be accepted in US dollars or the national currency, Moneda Nacional. A few fees can be paid only in that MN. For those you can exchange some dollars at any of the itinerant money exchangers or if available at a Casa de cambio.
Getting all types of money from your home bank is not advised, it would be far too cumbersome and costly with long lead time as they have to order it in.
For the same reason do not expect to exchange leftover amounts of foreign currencies at your home bank. Use it up and / or exchange it as you exit a country which you do not plan to revisit on the trip.
Now, get on your computer and alongside your Spelling Checker app install a program to watch for and alert you for incorrect use of homophones and homonyms. Too many people arenot paying attention to what they write and like you write " boarder" when they really mean BORDER.
There is a big difference between the two

[Astockjoc]

Why use debit a card instead of credit?

[markharf]

Originally Posted by Astockjoc

Why use debit a card instead of credit?

Read the terms on your cards. For starters, cash advances on credit cards are ridiculously expensive.

[Astockjoc]

Hey Sjoerd,

"Now, get on your computer and alongside your Spelling Checker app install a program to watch for and alert you for incorrect use of homophones and homonyms. Too many people arenot paying attention to what they write and like you write " boarder" when they really mean BORDER."

Thank you for the spelling and grammar lesson. Oh, by the way, should the words "arenot" be be separated into two words: are not. Or alternatively could one use the contraction aren't.

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Touché , but my failure to space the words was strictly a typo from hasty work on the small key pad of my iPhone.I should have caught that before submitting. Boarder on the other hand is repeatedly used by many orher writers of posts and it is obvious that they are not aware of the wrong spelling. Meanwhile " spell check" ( spell Czech ?) allows it to go because it is a correctly spelled word - but the wrong word.I mentioned it not as a " lesson" but only as an alert, in the belief that we all have some interest in correct spelling and syntax.

As for credit cards , it is recommended to use a CC to simplify payment of the Mexican TVIP and the associated mandatory Security Deposit and the Tourist Card may also be paid thus at the same time.
But if you wish you could fulfill all these payments in cash , where the Security Deposit would then require strictly US DOLLARS. The refund for same in that case would also be made in US DOLLARS.
A CC might be handy for big expenditures like tires and bike repairs but in the daily run of small purchases at the small restaurants and shops a CC
is next to useless .You are in for a heap of paper slips to check against when your CC bill finally comes around and if you are late you get to pay 28% or more( not ghetto pay!)
in interest.

[Astockjoc]

Thanks Sjoerd,

Just having some fun with you. Of course, you are right. Border and boarder are two completely different words. However, in the context of this website, i think most people will understand what was meant. Anyway, thanks for your advise on credit card/cash use. You have a wealth of knowledge on Central American travel and it is much appreciated.

[markharf]

Sjoerd, I have tremendous respect for your contributions here.

However, if you're going to find fault with the spelling of others, you might as well get adjusted to others critiquing the faults in your posts. From my perspective, confusing "borders" with "boarders" is no more or less awkward than failing to leave spaces between words....or after the ends of sentences. Best bet: either get it right yourself, refrain from criticizing others, or (ideally) both.

(Insert your choice of mis-spelled, ungrammatical, auto-completed mish-mash here.)

Mark

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Hi Mark , I get your point and I take no offense if somebody points out errors I make. Astockjoc also is proving he is not over-sensitive and can handle remarks like mine with humor ( humour in Canada ))

Back to topic, Astockjoc, you mention the choice between debit card and credit card. I hope you are not thinking that in place of a CC that you will be able to whip out the debit card to pay for those same items .
Note that when I refer to bank cards I mean that their ONLY function will be to
access your bank account funds by way of ATM withdrawals.
I do not know about US bank cards, but with my Canadian bank cards I have never ever been able to do a payment anywhere in Mexico or Central America and not in the USA by using the debit function or the direct payment function.
Maybe the US banks are different, I don't know.
The big stores and hotels and restaurants can do CC payments
but for the vast majority of purchases cash is the fastest and most practical.
So just get a suitable zippered baggy wallet to hold the daily usage paper money and coins. Keep a supply of coins and USE them .Don't hand over a big bill every time and then complain that all the change weighs too much.
Remember the working phrase in every shop is " no tengo cambio" so if you have the monedas you can pay exactly .

[Astockjoc]

In the US, most places take debit or credit cards. However, in Central America i would prefer to use a credit card. I can pay off the card balance frequently by online transfer. I feel the debit card has more risk since it is tied to a checking account and, therefore, if lost or stolen the thief would potentially have access to the checking account.

[markharf]

In Central America (and lots of other areas of the world), most places I go do not even accept credit cards. Unless you favor high-end travel, you're going to get some blank looks when you try to pay by credit card. What then?

[Astockjoc]

Markharf,

I get your point. I plan to have plenty of daily cash. However, I plan to be on the road for at least several months and i don't want to carry too much cash at any one time. Do most people just get their cash from a bank ATM in whatever country they are in?

[markharf]

Been that way since the eclipse of travelers checks. It's true in most--but not quite all--countries in the world, and of most--but again not all--travelers, with or without motorcycles.

If you really didn't know this, your work is cut out for you. Everyone starts somewhere, but if you're really leaving next month you probably want to think about what else you haven't thought of. A look at the guidebook of your choice might be helpful--Lonely Planet, Bradt or Rough Guide, or Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

Mark

[Astockjoc]

Hey Mark,

Quite the contrary. I am a fairly seasoned traveler. Have been to Europe, South Africa and to Central America (Belize, Guatemala and Costa Rica) several times. It's just that i have never done it for an extended period with all my stuff on a motorcycle. I was just in Costa Rica last fall and had no problem using my credit card. However, that was mostly tourist type locations. This time i will be on my bike and visiting many small towns throughout Central America for a much more extended period.