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Posted By: BobW Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/14/05 03:45 AM
We're heading down to Belize (first timers) in November. What is the best ways to pay for stuff along the way? How universal are credit cards? I have read that ATM's connected back to Canada were pretty rare.. is that still the case?

Any help on this is appreciated..
Posted By: Hon Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/14/05 01:10 PM
We used our Bank of Montreal debit card at Belize Bank both in Belize City and San Pedro.

On the advice of our hosts, we brought Belize cash and US dollar travellers cheques to use in San Ignatio and Benque Viejo del Carmen. We didn't need to use the travellers cheques so I don't know how or if they are accepted on the mainland. They were accepted everywhere we shopped/ate/drank in Belize City and on Ambergris Caye.

We used our credit card sparingly for larger purchases as it seemed that most businesses charged a fee for processing.

So all that said, a combination of all three with a few dollars in US cash for when you arrive, and you should be all set to spend every cent you have laugh
Posted By: Otteralum Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/14/05 02:22 PM
I just contacted our Visa company on the advice of many on this board. Total conversion fee is 3% on all transactions. I hear some are higher. Visa gets 1% and the card issuing companies can set their own additional fee. Having worked for a CC company, there is no additional liability for an overseas transaction, so this is totally bogus. Beware!
Posted By: WhiteWater Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/14/05 04:10 PM
I plan on using AmEx USD travelers cheques. They're almost like cash, they were free, and if the phone/electricity is down I'm not stuck holding a useless card. Plus, the merchants seem to appreciate this method of payment over CCs, and maybe over debit cards (not sure how the merchant is charged for those).
Posted By: Dizi-B Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/14/05 04:21 PM
We just got back and everyone takes master card and visa, cash, travelers checks.
However, our resort accepted no cash, I guess to protect the guests and their employees, but it was a pain in the a........ when you wanted a drink or pay for a meal. Instead we had to keep up with how much our room would be charged for the weeks stay.
However in town, they took any kind of monetary $
Posted By: spl Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/14/05 06:02 PM
I think travelers checks are easiest and they are excepted everywhere you go here, even large amounts. Your credit card does charge 2-3%
Posted By: CarribeanSunSeeker Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 01:19 AM
While we found that mostly everyone took Visa some merchants did so reluctantly and some charged a 5% to 9% fee. Or maybe it was a 9% tax that only got collected when it was on a charge card. Add that to the 3% Bank of America charged me and that seems a good reason to take travelers checks.
Posted By: Placidguy Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 01:00 PM
Next question... are $50.00 and $100.00 (US) Amex Travelers checks easy to cash and use or is it better to have $20.00's ?
Posted By: Hon Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 02:51 PM
$100's are too big. We brought about half $50's (they were refused twice for purchases of less than $20) and half in $20's (which were 100% accepted)
Posted By: Skyliner Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 07:28 PM
Is Milo out of the exchange business? It used to be easy changing travelers checks with him, and rather than charging a fee, he'd generally pay 2-3% on the deal.
Posted By: SimonB Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 07:35 PM
Money exchanges are now illegal. You need to go to the bank and they charge you for the service where the exchanges used to reward you for the service.
Posted By: GBZ39 Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 10:34 PM
Obviously there is a parallel market.....what is the current exchange rate? Big or small bills?
Posted By: klcman Re: Visa/ATM/Traveller's Checks? - 09/15/05 10:39 PM
official fixed rate 2:1
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