South America Travel
 

My wife and I are about to go to South Amaerica (Chille,Argentina,Rio) What is the best to use, credit card or debit card, I heard the card companies add on a charge. Also if I have some Chile Peso left over, can I use them in Argentina and/or Rio or do I have to exchange them? Thanks Tom Cleveland,Ohio

Check with your own card companies to find out what they charge (fixed or %)for overseas withrawals before you go. Probably even more imortnabt find out what forex rates they use (i.e. whether retail or wholesale rate). We found atm card the easiest for withdrawing currency in SA but be aware that the ATM infrastructure is patchy and many banks, particulalrly in Arg have v. low single transaction limits which can make it v. expensive,. I recoomend that you supplement ATM cards with $US cash in multi denominations. Chile peso are exchangeable in Argentina but the rates will not be good.

Have a Capital One no ATM fee Visa

use for travel...

Credit card always better than Debit

You can contest any charge

get refund...

If you bring a debit card DO NOT

link it to any major account.

If stolen a good thief

can clean you out...

Hello, Tom -

I was in Chile and Argentina for 2 weeks in November and had a wonderful trip. However, one thing that caught me off guard was how many hotels and restaurants would not accept ANY credit cards. We went through much more cash than we had anticipated and found that we often could not use our ATM cards - additionally, it was sometimes difficult to find spots to exchange money. One thing that we found was that every where we went, people happily accepted US dollars :)

Have a wonderful trip!

Thanks for the relpy. So even major hotels will not accept credit cards? Did you have any problems with getting money from debit ATM machines? Like for cabs or paying in a restaurant, can I use US dollars?
So what is the way to go with money. Take US dollars or should I use debit card at ATM's.
Thanks for the information
Tom

A few weeks ago someone replied to me about information on South Aamerica (Brazil, Rio). They told me of a way to get from my hotel into city by just going on a no cost tour bus that went into the city. If someone ever took this or knows what Iam talking about could you give me the name of this tour. Thanks Tom

In Rio, there are plenty of ATMs to use your debit card. My bank charges a currency conversion fee but that's all. Smaller places in Rio, don't take credit cards, restaurants and bars, but many shops and large hotels do.

You can't use Chilean currency in Brazil. Try to use up your peso while in Chile. There are quite a lot of shops at Santiago airport, so that might be the place to spend your currency.

Each country has its own currency; thus go to an exchange to get money or use ATMs. I used my cc/debit for reais (Brasil) and pesos in Argentina and Chile and Peru when I was in all three countries in the spring of 2007 (September/October).

Unfortunately, most card companies charge a fee % that varies.

Enjoy your trip. I hope to be back in September/October 2009 in Argentina (principally Buenos Aires) and Brasil (Rio, Buzios, Porto Alegre, and Salvador (Bahia).