A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part XIV

September 10, 2010

In the last post in this series on living and working in Jamaica as a freelance writer, I talked about how I prepared myself financially to live abroad. Here, I want to stay on the money topic, specifically discussing the ways to pay for things in Jamaica.

Visiting/Vacationing Negril, Jamaica: Should You Pay in American or Jamaican Dollars?

In Jamaica, you can pay using both. But, I advise using Jamaican currency at all times because the exchange rate varies not only from day to day, but from one establishment to another. Really!

For example, you may get a rate of 83:1 (Jamaican to American) at a bank, and a rate of 87:1 at a hotel bar on the beach. At 83:1, you’d be paying roughly 96 cents; at 87:1, you’d be paying  $1.05. When you start getting into larger amounts, eg, $20, $30 and $100, you can see how this matters.

And not for nothing, it can be hard to keep straight how much you’re actually paying if you have to constantly convert from American to Jamaican dollrs. This was the most frustrating part for me (my brain does not process numbers very well), until I bought a Jamaican cell phone, which has a currency converter on it.

So my advice is to just convert your money at the airport (where you usually get the best rates in my opinion) before you enter the country. This is, if you’re going to be on vacation. Of course, if you plan to be here for an extended time, you can also go to Scotia Bank in “the roundabout” (the shopping complex area) to exchange money if you run out while you’re in Negril.

jamaican-moneyTourist Places & Money: Small Denominations (in Jamaican & American Dollars) Work Best

Of course, establishments that cater to tourists usually cost more; so again, having the local currency can save you some money. And, please, please, please get as many small bills (J$100 or J$500) as you can, especially if you take the local taxis.

Many have problems changing larger bills, like $20 (American). If you elect not to use Jamaica dollars, get a lot of singles to avoid the hassle of paying more and/or having to hunt down a store to get change.

If I were going to be on vacation in Negril for a week, for example, I’d get at least $100 in singles (if you use American dollars) and the same amount in J$100. It’ll make everything from buying lunch (eg, a Juicy Patty or chicken on the side of the road), to taking a taxi so much easier.

As an aside, doesn’t Jamaica have pretty money? Our (American) currency makers could take note. I’m always surprised by how pretty money is in some other countries (eg, Argentina, Spain). How can we as a country be so creative in some things and completely miss the “pretty boat” on something like our national currency. Pero, c’est la vie, no?

Should You Use a Cambio to Change Your Money in Negril, Jamaica?

There are a few cambios in Negril. One is in the aforementioned roundabout; another is further up in the cliffs area. A friend of mine got a fake J$1,000 (about $13) bill from one one day – and she wasn’t able to change it. So, she’s stuck with it.

So just be careful. I use the ATM and always use Jamaican dollrs, so have no need to exchange money. But the few times I’ve done it, I always went to the bank.

Just my take.

Note: The limit you can takeout at one time (at the time of this writing) is J$15,000 (which is about $175). But, you can take out this denomination once, then tun right around at take out another J$15,000. So, there’s no “daily limit ” as far as dollar amount is concerned, just a limit on the amout you can take out during one turn at the ATM. Understand? Good.

Why You Should Save Your Receipt If You Exchange Money at Your Local Airport Before Arriving in Jamaica

Oh, one more thing: Be sure to save your receipt if you exchange money at the airport before you leave home. This way, you won’t have to pay conversion rates on any Jamaican money you want to exchange when you get ready to go back home.

Have a great weekend!

Yuwanda

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Related Posts

A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part XV
A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part XI
A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part V
A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part II
A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Negril, Jamaica for a Year, Part I

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