best way to have money in Tanzania
Jul 18th, 2010, 06:31 AM
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Yes, only $600 for 22 days. We put everything we could on the credit card, pre-paid everything possible and calculated and recalculated the cash we would need. We always have a loaded ATM card along for emergencies or if the cash calculation isn't enough. This time, we were just about perfect. Once outside Dar and on to safari, there just wasn't anything to spend cash on.
Keep in mind we had our entrance visas prior to arrival, the camps we used had no extra charge for laundry, our bar bills could be settled on credit cards at each camp, driver in Dar was added to our hotel billing on cc, meals in Dar were on the hotel billing or on a credit card, our departure tax was included in the price of our airline ticket. These are all things one should know prior to making the trip if you want to take the minumum amount of cash along.
Have a look here for cc conversion fee comparisons:
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/cred...on-fees-2.aspx
Very good article with explanation of credit card usage outside the U.S.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20050624a2.asp
Keep in mind we had our entrance visas prior to arrival, the camps we used had no extra charge for laundry, our bar bills could be settled on credit cards at each camp, driver in Dar was added to our hotel billing on cc, meals in Dar were on the hotel billing or on a credit card, our departure tax was included in the price of our airline ticket. These are all things one should know prior to making the trip if you want to take the minumum amount of cash along.
Have a look here for cc conversion fee comparisons:
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/cred...on-fees-2.aspx
Very good article with explanation of credit card usage outside the U.S.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20050624a2.asp
Jul 20th, 2010, 07:02 AM
#24
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Thanks TC for the additional fees. The reason I asked regarding CC fees is because my friends were charged an extra 20% in Kenya so I was hoping you didn't incur any outrageous fees like that. Thanks again!
Jul 20th, 2010, 07:05 AM
#25
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Depending on how often you use your credit or ATM cards, even if you're assessed a fee, the total amount is relatively small in the scheme of your entire trip. I can't recall ever having fees in excess of USD$15!
You sure don't use the ATM daily, just withdraw what you need for a week or two and only pay once whether a % or set fee. And, unless you put everything on plastic and spending thousands of dollars, fees are nominal. 3% on $1,000 = $30. Such fees are for the convenience of having a bank's plastic.
Though you can always try to get a card from a credit union or bank that doesn't assess such fees.
You sure don't use the ATM daily, just withdraw what you need for a week or two and only pay once whether a % or set fee. And, unless you put everything on plastic and spending thousands of dollars, fees are nominal. 3% on $1,000 = $30. Such fees are for the convenience of having a bank's plastic.
Though you can always try to get a card from a credit union or bank that doesn't assess such fees.
