Money exchange

Sally · Post by **Sally** » Mon May 17, 2004 2:23 am

What percentage of our cash should we change into TT dollars? Will the ATM take our local bank ATM cards? Should we have some TT dollars on us before we arrive at the airport? We're leaving in 2 weeks, and we still have questions!!

Marc Jones · Post by **Marc Jones** » Mon May 17, 2004 4:45 am

I'm taking £200 cashed into tt$ and using my cards at the ATMs. Make sure you warn the bank you'll be using them in Tobago before you go.

Enjoy, I'm off right now to the airport!

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon May 17, 2004 7:38 am

Sally

There's tons of views and opinion about currency within the forum, so a bit of legwork should help you make up your mind. It's so difficult to answer direct because it depends so much upon what type of resort/place you're staying at and what you intend to do while on the island.

I'm a little concerned when you ask whether the ATMs will take your "local bank" cards. If they are stamped with the VISA or MasterCard logos, then you should have no problem, but I wouldn't be confident about anything else. The best thing is to ask your bank if you're unsure.

David Watkins · Post by **David Watkins** » Mon May 17, 2004 10:31 am

Sally

If I remember correctly the ATM in !st bank was also a L

ink machine,Idon't know about RTTB though
David

Dave Guest · Post by **Dave Guest** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:10 pm

Having just returned from Tobago at the weekend I'd personally advise you to take no more than £50 worth of TT$ with you. You'll get a better exchange rate over there for your travellers cheques or when using the ATMs.

For example, I changed £200 here to take with us and got something like 1900TT$ for that. That lasted us a week and we only spent it because I did a "deal" with a beach vendor and took "one of everything he had" for TT$500. He definitely got the better side of the deal but we were determined to spend our money on something out there

On the last day I changed £200 of travellers cheques at the RTTB bank in Scarborough and I got TT$2147 for them. We spent all that at the airport in Trinidad and came home with the other £600 of travellers cheques that we'd taken with us.

Dave

Thomas Riemer · Post by **Thomas Riemer** » Mon May 17, 2004 6:06 pm

Hi Sally !!

As Steve said...it depends very much where you go and what your needs will be. When guests come up to Castara and they have a flight coming in late i ask my Chauffeuse to stop at a supermarket. When u arrive late
the most shops in Castara could be closed. So you will be happy to have some little cash (US/GBP) on you. Some of the supermarkets accept credit-cards as well.
The ATM/Lynx machine also accept a European EC-card (make sure to have a PIN-CODE for any card you would like to use.
I used to travel with 100USD for 1st needs and got the rest down here.
If your credit-card does not have a Pin-code you could still check with
1st Citizen Bank in Scarborough for cash.
Happy spending, Thomas

David Watkins · Post by **David Watkins** » Tue May 18, 2004 8:47 am

Sally
I agree about exchanging your TC's in the banks in Scarborough you get a far better rate than in UK or via ATM.Another advantage is the commission is about 10TT's(£1) regardless of the amount exchanged.
David

Andreas A. · Post by **Andreas A.** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:08 am

We have changed to US dollars for the trip, how about them?

Is it common that resturants and tour-agencies accept US dollars?

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:26 am

Hi Andreas

Most restaurants, tour firms and restaurants, etc., will accept US dollars, but they will obviously convert them to TT$ - and at a rate more in their favour than yours. Most places use a standard conversion rate of US$1=TT$6. Changing from local currency to US$ and then from US$ to TT$ means being hit twice on exchange rates/commission.

Andreas A. · Post by **Andreas A.** » Wed May 19, 2004 8:27 am

OK, Thanks!

Trish · Post by **Trish** » Wed May 19, 2004 4:29 pm

Hi Sally--
We were just in Tobago in March and didn't bother getting any TT until we landed at POS airport waiting for our Tobago flight. We just used our ATM card there. They also have a money exchange counter at the airport, but the rate was better with the ATM. We used our ATM card in Tobago as well without a problem. We mostly used our credit card to buy groceries and at restaurants...a lot of places take them, but not all. Just make sure that you save $100 TT (I think that's what it was) per person when you depart for home for the departure tax...we apparently overlooked that information and only had $100TT for the two of us but the guy behind us was nice enough to lend us another $100 TT! Otherwise we might still be in the Trinidad airport!

Joe King · Post by **Joe King** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:58 pm

How Bad?? Stuck in Tobago because you couldn't afford the tax... Now why didn't I think of that

You can just picture it:

'Here honey you go, I'll stay behind in this god forsaken place until we can afford the tax to get me home!!!'

I can't see herself going for it though

Trish · Post by **Trish** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:24 pm

Yes, it would make for a funny scenario! I forgot to add that we only had 10 minutes to make it to our flight, which is why it stressed us out so badly...otherwise going to the ATM wouldn't have been a big deal!

Of course, after borrowing the money from the guy behind us and rushing to our gate, we found our flight was delayed...for 2 hours! Ah...Tobago time!