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Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

You should see what Cuba is like for trying to use bank or credit cards...bartering is more common than their use.

MELEE · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:46 pm Post subject:

On the debit card note, in Mexico, a town has to be pretty damm small not to have an ATM or two that will take cards on the Cirus, Plus, or Visa networks.

My small city has about 12 ATMs and four shops that will accept debit cards as a form of payment.

I do think delacosta's town is an ATM free zone, it was last time I was there, which was a long time ago. But its a REALLY small town. Smile

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

I don't know so much about South America. I have only been to Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia but if you go to China be prepared with cash. Only in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing can you use foreigh cards. Other cities have ATMs but only for Chinese cards. I also can't use my American card in my current Korean town of 60,000.

Cdaniels · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: This list is not complete!

I don't beleive no one has mentioned alcohol!!! Twisted Evil

Seriously, you should set aside money for pasttimes, wether its hiking, shopping, sports or the ever convenient and popular socializing at the local bar. A little keep-you-from-going-insane money!
Also, the "share expenses with a boyfriend/girlfriend" is probably not the wisest approach- I know, you may be thinking you're relationship is rock-solid, but in the best of situations, it still puts unecessary strain on a relationship.

What about worst-case serious emergency accidents with no insurance? Is there an amount which might be good to have so you can get to a better-than-average emergancy care? (Although this is probably country-specific, I thought I might bring up the subject)

heading4somewhere · Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

Hmm...does anyone know about the debit card/atm situation in Cuenca? Do ATMs take foreign visa or mastercard debit cards there? Seems that it should be a large enough city...

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 5:43 pm Post subject:

Cuenca should have machines for Banco de Pichincha, Banco de Guayaquil, and Produbanco- Ecuador's 3 largest banks. Most people I know have been able to use foreign cards in at least one of the three.

I'd do a google search for banks in Cuenca that accept whatever your specific brand of card is- that's how I found machines to use mine in.

Saludos,
Justin

quinbot · Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 4 Location: NS, Canada

Just to follow up, I've been in Quito for nearly a month. I'm staying at a hostel until my Spanish is good enough to go apartment hunting. I brought $100 in ones and $500 in travellers cheques with me. I have about $200 of that left. No phone yet. So, $190 in rent and no real start up costs, but hanging out with friends who like to eat pretty well, chewed up about $200 in less than a month.

I cash the travellers cheques at Banco Del Pacifico. They charge a $5 commission no matter the amount I cash. All I need is my passport and sometimes an address and phone number.