Smart money logistics?

[Caribbean Cool]

Using a Schwab card to withdraw money in Uruguay? Or anywhere else! A sizeable amount of money? (In the thousands of dollars?) No way. And bringing it in using a money belt which would, I think, involve declaring it (usually over $10,000) Big risk not declaring it at customs. So it is back to picking it up at Western Union at a cost of $17 + a boat ride or accepting a Xoom type transfer in pesos......

 

[HelaineT]

I would take Steve's advice. A Schwab debit card is very useful. As for going to Uruguay, you can use your Schwab card to withdrawl as many dollars as you need from ATMs there. But if you are only going to be here for three months at a time, why bother going to Uruguay to get dollars? Is it safe? It's probably safer and less stressful to just bring dollars with you in a money belt than take a few thousand out of an ATM in Uruguay. After this week's election we should have a bettter idea of the difference between the bank and blue dollar rate. Right now there's a big difference, but a couple of weeks ago it was basically the same.

Thanks so much, Macanudo. I’ll look into a Schwab account. I’ll have business expenses there that go way beyond what I’m willing to carry in cash. But this discussion makes me realize I haven’t even analyzed which professional expenses I can actually pay electronically while I’m there. Thanks for reminding everyone that things can easily change with the elections next week.

 

[Caribbean Cool]

I don't have the experience but.....the amount of money withdrawn using a Schwab card is not only limited by Schwab....but MUCH more restrictive would be the limit applied by the owner of the ATM.....so the thought of withdrawing larger amounts of money via ATMs is goofy.... I would bet that Uruguay ATMs are no different. And....if Schwab figures out you are living out of the U.S. too long cards have been cancelled.

 

[Rich One]

Don't forget the Buquebus RT fare to Colonia ??.. plus a whole day spent leave at 8 am return at 6 pm to microcentro..!
I did the Colonia ride for years....!
A few years ago there was a limit amount of dollars ($500) per extraction from ATMs, from a card in a given bank, and a max of 2 withdrawals per day. May have changed?
So to get a few thousand dollars you had to go to several banks on main street.

Xoom rates sometimes follow the Bank rates. The blue will fly soon , wider gap.

 

[HenryNisental]

I did sent money to myself using xoom, it works wery well, but they charge some expenses, simply bring you passport.
If possible the downtown offices of WUnionn, etc.

 

[HelaineT]

Don't forget the Buquebus RT fare to Colonia ??.. plus a whole day spent leave at 8 am return at 6 pm to microcentro..!
I did the Colonia ride for years....!
A few years ago there was a limit amount of dollars ($500) per extraction from ATMs, from a card in a given bank, and a max of 2 withdrawals per day. May have changed?
So to get a few thousand dollars you had to go to several banks on main street.

Xoom rates sometimes follow the Bank rates. The blue will fly soon , wider gap.

Thanks, Rich One. Yeah, I don’t think I’m going to have any leisure time for boat rides to Uruguay. My schedule is already packed and on my time off I’d rather be dancing.

What do you mean by “The blue will fly soon , wider gap”?

 

[HelaineT]

I did sent money to myself using xoom, it works wery well, but they charge some expenses, simply bring you passport.
If possible the downtown offices of WUnionn, etc.

Right. Their expenses are listed on their website. Fees like $5.99 from a PayPal account and $2.99 from a bank account, I think, for up to three thousand dollars. That’s what I remember off the top of my head, so don’t quote me on that.

 

[HelaineT]

I don't have the experience but.....the amount of money withdrawn using a Schwab card is not only limited by Schwab....but MUCH more restrictive would be the limit applied by the owner of the ATM.....so the thought of withdrawing larger amounts of money via ATMs is goofy.... I would bet that Uruguay ATMs are no different. And....if Schwab figures out you are living out of the U.S. too long cards have been cancelled.

CC, I’m checking on those limits now. There’s no way I’m going to take off whole days to take a boat to Uruguay, though. My schedule is pretty intense.

 

[HelaineT]

Can someone give me an update on the normal Banelco ATM withdrawal limit these days?

 

[Caribbean Cool]

Banelco ATM limits....Google