Exchange currency?

[Jasper99]

Is there even a need to exchange currency for SA or if I had credit cards and US cash/traveler's cheques would it be sufficient? Thanks!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Depends on how long you are in country.
Are you touring on your own?
Gas in more remote places may require Rand in Cash.
Cash is required for shopping Curios etc.

Bank machine in OR Tambo or Windhoek will provide you with some cash.
I take out mine there. (Cheaper)
If I am stopping in an country in the way to or from I have some local cash Pounds, Euro, etc.

 

[JimP]

I'm going through almost the same thing that you are right now.

I talked to a friend that went over to SA a couple of years ago and he suggested for me to have around 700 Rand in a money belt when I landed.

I have also talked to some that say to just use ATM's to get what I need as I need it. They did tell me to be aware of where I was using the ATM at and recommended the airports and banks only.

So what I think that I am planning on doing is to take some good old US dollars and use the airport ATM's for the rest of it when I get there.

 

[spike.t]

best to let your credit card people know you are going to be using the card out of your own country. let them know which country you will be visiting and for how long, as it can happen where when you use your card out of your normal country spending pattern it flags up as a security warning on the credit card company computers and they shut the use of your card off, and it can take days sometimes to get them to reactivate it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

best to let your credit card people know you are going to be using the card out of your own country. let them know which country you will be visiting and for how long, as it can happen where when you use your card out of your normal country spending pattern it flags up as a security warning on the credit card company computers and they shut the use of your card off, and it can take days sometimes to get them to reactivate it.

Good advice there. On my last trip my route home was through Munich. We had a long layover so left the airport and went to the old town cathedral area. Used my ATM card to get some Euro, it worked fine. But, it flagged at my bank and they shutdown the card. It was a week or so before I got a new card, very annoying.

 

[BRICKBURN]

............ But, it flagged at my bank and they shutdown the card. It was a week or so before I got a new card, very annoying.

Man that would suck!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I didn't even know for a day or two after I got back. Got a letter in the mail, I hadn't used the card in that time. It was annoying, but I understood. I hadn't planned to use it at all so I hadn't called the bank on it. Still had U.S. dollars in my pocket, but needed a few Euro's to buy breakfast and I didn't want to be bothered going into the bank. The ATM had one of my logos on it, so I thought what the heck I'll give it a go and it worked. Never thought of my bank getting wigged out over what was probably $25 in equivalent Euros.

 

[JimP]

A few years ago when I took a hunting trip into Canada I called all my CC companies except for one and told them that I was headed up there and I even put a max amount that could be charged while I was out of the country.

On my trip home I didn't even think about it but I pulled into a service station to get some fuel and used the one card that I hadn't informed that I was leaving the country. About 200 miles later I crossed back over into the US and a short ways later I got a call on my cell phone. It was the bank checking on weather or not I had made that purchase and that the fraud alert was triggered by the charge. I told them all was OK but they still had shut down that card and they told me not to use it anymore and that they were sending out a new one.

I learned a lot on that trip and will call all the card companies that I take with me on any trip out of the US and let them know of my exact travel plans, even any possible side trips.

 

[Areaonereal]

Anyone know what the exxchange rate is in SA for converting dollars to rand

 

[spike.t]

approx 11.39 rand to 1 usd http://www.absa.co.za/Absacoza/Indices/Absa-Exchange-Rates

 

[Hank2211]

Good advice there. On my last trip my route home was through Munich. We had a long layover so left the airport and went to the old town cathedral area. Used my ATM card to get some Euro, it worked fine. But, it flagged at my bank and they shutdown the card. It was a week or so before I got a new card, very annoying.

Almost every card issuer and bank (for debit cards) can set up a "vacation notice" or something similar that lets the card issuer or bank know where you will be and where the card will be used. Not only does this increase the odds (no guarantee though) that your card won't get cancelled, but it protects you if the card is used somewhere after you've left. Banks are particularly concerned about destinations in Africa and Asia because of the potential for fraud (good thing there isn't much in the way of hunting in Nigeria!), so this kind of notice can go a long way to keeping your cards available for when you need them.

Usually this can be done online but if not a phone call to the bank or card issuer can accomplish the same thing.

 

[BRICKBURN]

...... Banks are particularly concerned about destinations in Africa and Asia because of the potential for fraud (good thing there isn't much in the way of hunting in Nigeria!), ...........

You don't want to fund a Nigerian Princess on your CC? It's an opportunity of a lifetime!

 

[Hank2211]

And once you've funded her, you can marry her! Or him!!!

 

[K-man]

+1 on the credit card notice but also remember to tell them about places you are traveling through - like joberg, london, etc.

 

[bluey]

The card is the way to ,instead of cash
Or pay in advance ,which is even better(thats what we did)
Last july the day before we flew out , i paid for 11,000 litres of deisel on my credit card , not thinking about it being near maxxed out , jumped in the ute and drove to melbourne ,used it for the motel and dinner
Then flew out at 1/4 past 5 the next morning
Come the end of the hunt , owing 4 grand and an empty card
And on top of that in sydney l converted 5,000 aussie into a cash passport
(Which is suppossed to like a direct debit card, only in international currencies)
But didnt .
My wife did the same thing with a couple of grand aswell
Only her card worked like a zurtec, no problem what so ever
Once i got my card back , the bank started to work on getting my cion back
Which took four months
Long story short , luckily the wormalds are great and understanding people

If your doing a package hunt and know what extra animals and activities your wanting
Pay up front

 

[Areaonereal]

If you are wanting to buy Rands in the US where have you found to be the best exchange rates, the local banks in my area are taking a 14 per cent spread, which I believe to be excessive, as in a $140, for a $1000.00 purchase, a spread fromt the current exchange , 8.5 cents quote to a 9.6 cent to buy rand with dollars.

 

[greyfox]

I went over last summer, traded $700 US for Rand at the airport in Atlanta. save your receipt because when you get back you can convert rand back to US dollars at the same rate, I went to a money exchanger in Port Elizabeth on the boardwalk, I had what should have been almost $500 US in Rand, they offered short of $200, I said that's not right so she recounted and offered about $250, I said never mind kept some to travel on and left the rest as part of the tip. Got back to ATL and exchanged most (kept a little for souveiners, and got the same rate.
$700 US was way more than I needed, but having rand 50 or 100 is great for tips to locals, etc....

Also, there's an app for a smart phone that converts money, or you can google money exchange rates.

 

[sierraone]

https://buy.travelex.com/us/Purchas...Cash&amount=5,037.15&event=Purchase&Currency=

Anyone in the U.S. (not sure about other countries ordering from this link) can change their money at a major airport before departing or can go to the above link and have it sent to your house before departure. When ordering over the internet you will save considerable money when compared to going to your bank to order foreign money. I used Bank of America one time. They acted like they were the only ones who could obtain Euros for me! Before most of Europe went to the Euro, it was not uncommon for me to carry 4 or5 currencies in my wallet on a daily basis, but that pretty much ended in 2002 when the Euro became the dominant currency in Europe.

 

[greyfox]

Agree with Sierraone, also the bank charges for exchange and overnights the money to the bank, all stuff you'll pay for.

 

[bluey]

thjeres no way in this world , id go for a travelex cashpassport ever again , nothing but a pain in the ass.
both me and my bride got one each as we were leaving Sydney on july 17 last year , seemed really good , and came with 2 cards each
hers worked like a charm , everywhere she went ,atms , resturarnts, and the bloody jewellers in hout bay .
mine wouldn't work anywhere .
ended up leaving the country owing the wormalds 4k
left them the card to be sent home to us after we fixed them up with a bank transfer
every where I stuyck the bloody card , told me l had a stack of cash in it .
but wouldn't let me get to it .
the next aussie hunters that came home 3 weeks after we did posted it back to me .
tried ringing telex , no bloody help .
tried emailing , no bloody reply .
the good people at the local ANZ bank asked if they could try and see they could get the money back for me .this was around the first week in october
feburary 19 ,BINGO.
the bank finally got the dough put back in my account .

they never answered on question ,me or the bank asked .
one other thing was that everytime ,joysie used her cashpassport . it cost her 23 aussie dollars .