money

[Mick Gee]

This may seem very naive, but we are just not sure how much money to take with us for our 2wk break in Feb 09.
We are doing 2 lots of self-catering and 1 b/b. We may hire a car for the odd day, but no more than that and may go on the odd trip. We have USD, which we bought some time ago at a good rate! So do we get some TTD to go out with, then use the USD whilst there, or buy travellers cheques as well as cash and how much? As you can probably gather, this is our first time to Tobago. Any rough ideas of how much to budget and whats best would be helpful.
Cheers, Mick & Di

[Paul Tallet]

Hi Mick

I have just come back and I budgeted for 400TT a day for the first week and 800TT a day for the 2nd week. Just managed it and the first week was madness having to cook one meal a day. 2nd week was great.

Me and my son, James so that's just 2 of us. We already had breakfasts, car and accomodation paid for.

I express it in TT because the currencies can change.

If you eat out you can do it for as little as $TT40 per person depending where you go but most meals would average about $TT80.

Drinks ... Carib (bottle of beer) about $TT8 - 18 depending where and Rum Punches about $TT25 - 40.

We paid for one trip ... $TT450 per person ... includes snorkelling, fishing, bbq, booze, lot's of fun.

I will leave you to do your maths based on the above.

Hope this helps.

Regards

[David Watkins]

Hello Mick,I would definitely take TT$1500-2000 for the initial days.Don't take TC's unless you are prepared to spend hours in the bank to get them changed.I would say Paul's budgeting is about right
David

[Mick Gee]

cheers paul and dave, thanks for the advise.The travellers cheques were purely as a back up to cash. How about a debit or credit card instead? Would it not be better to take the USD we have and bought at around 2 USD to the GBP and exchange for TTD over there, than buy TTD over here and use sterling?

[Paul Tallet]

Using Debit and Credit Cards can be hit and miss.

My son, James, drew some money out and it transpires that he got a better deal than me exchanging hard cash, but it can go the other way.

Spreading all the options is probably a good idea with all forms of cash access.

Regards

[SandraK]

If you have time do take a Nationwide debit card or if you have one already, use it. No nasty charges added.

[David Watkins]

Or Nationwide credit card,you also get a better exchange rate
David

[Mick Gee]

If you have time do take a Nationwide debit card or if you have one already, use it. No nasty charges added.

hi sandra, we have less than 2wks before we go, would we have enough time to get one?

[David Watkins]

Mick,yup do by internet,if approved it will be with you in days
David

[Guy Burrow]

[quote="Paul Tallet"]


''We paid for one trip ... $TT450 per person ... includes snorkelling, fishing, bbq, booze, lot's of fun.'''


Hi Paul,

Could you recommend the tour?? if so please let me know which tour operator you used!!

many thanks!

[Paul Tallet]

I used Duck Tours ... he is based in Castara but he has not got a website or email.

There are others there too ... Alibaba and King David who are both on websites and email ... I have used King David and you will see plenty of positive posts about Alibaba too ... they are all very good.

Wait til you get there and meet them all and then decide.

Regards

[Guy Burrow]

many thanks Paul,

i have seen the Alibaba website so may contact them!!

cheers

[Chris Runciman]

Duck has an email though. [email protected]
As Paul says meet them first, they are all good guys.
Didn't you look in your Castara calendar Paul?
If you did not get one from Ancle George I have them here! $5US with the money going to the Castara Awards Committee for local projects.

We found the rate of exchange better there than in the UK. It's all in the 2nd and 3rd decimal point! Only change to $TT what you need as the $USD is quite good to hang onto at the moment! Most places will take USD at a flat rate $6TT to $1US.
If you are going into the 'bush' i.e. anywhere north of Black Rock there is now the ATM in Castara and Charlotteville but do they have cash in them yet Brian?

[Paul Tallet]

Yes I got one Chris ... about $TT30.

Duck doesn't have a PC so I guess he does not get access to his emails that much ... as far as I know.

Regards

[Chris Runciman]

Agreed. Duck goes to his sister I think ?
So does anyone want a calendar as Paul has his from Ancle already? I have some of them here in the UK so how about £4 including postage, anyone?
Money goes to local charity events in Castara......................Hope this does not break any website rules Steve?

[Gill O]

Hi Chris

I'd love a calender seeing as I haven't actually got a 2009 calender yet, and we are not going to Tobago this year and I'm getting withdrawal symptoms already!

How do I go about getting one?

Gill