Questions regarding upcoming Cambodian trip

[floridarob]

12 hours ago, hank75 said:

Let us be the cynics for you as your story progresses.

And I'm one of the biggest cynics here, still rooting for this to succeed 😉


 

 

5 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

I finally reach retirement age (hahaha), I will hopefully know more about the opportunities and pitfalls.

There's always new ones 😔 

[Travelingguy]

My checking account with Schwab (US bank) is free and they refund me ATM fees. So when I’m abroad, I always use that or another bank that is similar with regard to refunding ATM fees. It is easy and works for me. Always withdraw the maximum amount (30,000 Baht), but always have to check which ones allow 30,000 rather than a lower amount.

 

[floridarob]

8 minutes ago, Travelingguy said:

Schwab (US bank) is free and they refund me ATM fees.

I use them too, I still look for an ATM (not in Thailand all are the same fee) with a lower fee, even though I'm not paying it, I just feel wrong going to an ATM that charges a ridiculous amount....

I was in a mall where i Live in Mexico, the branch in the mall ATM was charging almost a $10usd fee to withdraw money, I went to a standalone ATM from another bank instead, less than $2 usd..... 

I'm not frugal just with my money, with anyone's.... if you've been out to eat/drink with me, you know this is true.... there's a difference between cheap and frugal, lol

[jimmie50]

21 hours ago, vinapu said:

pick up few thousands more from ATM. I'm not talking riels

I definitely have my radar on high alert.  Kind of expecting the worst but hoping for the best kind of scenario.  Cam has not asked me for any money to date.  I made sure he understood the $50 was just to be sure it would work as an emergency plan if needed to be able to access my money from the US.  I did tell him to use the $50 for food...as in treating his family to a nice meal or something like that.  I know his siblings all have jobs and some type of steady income.  His parents have income from the farm via selling of rice and sesame seed.  While I hate approaching the meeting of Cam's family with some pre-conceived notion, I do need to be somewhat prepared for this situation if it does arise.  I am not planning on becoming someone's personal ATM.  

[jimmie50]

11 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

I often read about forum members taking cash USD to Thailand and exchanging it for Baht there. Is it a US thing? For me, as a European (even more specifically: a Dutch person), financially it doesn't make much difference whether I exchange money in Thailand or withdraw it directly from the local ATM with my debit card. The transaction fees aren't that high, as long as you always choose the "without conversion" option (I think that's what it's called) on the ATM and let the bank calculate with the current rate instead of the rate fixed by the ATM. Why do you choose to bring actual cash from your own country?

I guess I am a creature of habit.  Regardless of where I have traveled, I have always taken US currency with me to exchange on arrival.  The exchange rate is terrible if you do it in the US...especially at the shops located in the airports.  Absolutely ridiculous the service fees they charge and the exchange rate is always horrible.  Many, many...more than I would like to admit...many years ago you could place an order with your bank for foreign currency.  It was provided as a service with minimal charge and the exchange rate was excellent.  Unfortunately, most banks don't do this anymore.  I could just use the ATM on arrival as my bank basically refunds any service fees.  At least in Thailand, I find SuperRIch and Xone to be convenient, easy to deal with, and provide a good exchange rate.  My preference is always to travel with a decent amount of cash and avoid the ATM's as much as possible.  Just my personal preference.  

For the trip to Cambodia, since it is a dual currency system with one of those being the USD, I plan to travel with a decent amount of cash...ones, fives, and tens mainly.  I also plan to take a few larger bills for the retirement visa application and agency fees.  I will exchange some for Riel, even though Cam says it isn't necessary.  I would be more comfortable using the local currency, I believe.  I also have some leftover Baht I plan to take.  Cam says many places in Cambodia will accept Baht as well.  I might just let him deal with that.  lol.  

[jimmie50]

7 hours ago, vinapu said:

For Cambodia I purchase USD at home as opposite of withdrawing USD from ATM there. Savings are minor but I do it for piece of mind . I know somebody whose card was eaten by machine and once I got 100 $ bill which I had trouble exchanging  because of some minor writing on it's face  

Well, since USD is my home currency, I always have a small amount with me when I travel.  I will carry a larger amount than usual on this trip since USD is one of the two primary currencies in use in Cambodia.  I plan to carry mostly smaller bills (ones, fives and tens...maybe a few twenties).  However, I do plan to carry four $100 bills.  The fee to the government for the Retirement Visa is $300 and must be paid in cash.  I will need to pay at least an additional $100 to the agency in Siem Reap to handle the application process for me.  I have already picked up my cash for the trip from the bank and made sure they are all brand new bills.  I literally stood at the counter inspecting every single bill as the teller counted them out.  lol.  I think she was amused...but also a bit perturbed because I was taking so long.  She said I wasn't the first person to do it, nor would I probably be the last.  And, she also said it was always people traveling to some Asian country.  

[mauRICE]

17 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

She said I wasn't the first person to do it, nor would I probably be the last.  And, she also said it was always people traveling to some Asian country.  

Oh my. If I were a superstitious person I'd take that as a sign. Did she speak with a funny eastern European accent and let out a scary laugh before you left?

Highly ominous.