Using debit card in Jamaica? I'm clueless on this stuff!

Def. bring cash. I don't swipe my card anywhere off US soil.

NOT in Jamaica but diff country, we took some cash for small purchases but used our credit card for the big ones like the accommodations, rentals, and fancy dinners.

leave your debit card at home. a credit card is easier to manage if thereʻs fraudulent charges.

Definitely bring cash and a credit card. Not a debit card.

It's up to you. Definitely call your bank & credit card companies & let them know you're traveling out of the country. That way you won't be denied for a weird transaction. Credit cards - especially the ones with the chip-and-pin system are best but I've used debit cards in Italy & South Africa with no problem, just go to an actual ATM and not a free-standing thing in the grocery store or gas station if you absolutely need cash. Plan smart & use the in-room safe & you'll be fine. We literally got back from Jamaica yesterday - it's beautiful there!

You can use your debit. I agree with the others bring cash too. But you need to notify your bank that you are travelling and let them know when. If not, then they may think your purchase is fraudulent and may close your card, or they may try to contact you while in Jamaica to verify the purchase. We went to the Dominican Repulic (Punta Cana) and I forgot to notify them, and the bank kept declining my purchases and then wound up calling me.

You should be able to use a debit or credit card, but some banks will charge a foreign transaction fee. This might be a good thing to know before you make a lot of purchases on a card, since this can really add up. I personally prefer using cash when I travel abroad (other than for the hotel), but that's just me.

You can use a credit card. But bring cash for sure. Some places wont take that kind of stuff (nor do you really want to use your credit card in a small store in a market or anything like that). Your debit card will not work though.

Also a tip, sometimes credit card companies will shut down your card if you all of the sudden start purchasing in a country you have not been too before. My FH's credit card company did that when we were in Mexico. So you might want to call them and tell them you are leaving the country for X amount of days.

I would suggest cash & a credit card. If you ran out of cash & need to pull more out than as someone else said, I would use an ATM machine.

I would never use my debit card with any merchants including the hotel. Always credit. If for some reason you run into fraudulent charges, with a credit card it's not your actual cash your bank has to return to you. With a debit card it is.

You also asked what you might spend money on. For me I mainly use cash for tips. I realize that many places tell you tips are included however I've still always tipped. A couple dollars on my pillow every morning for the maid. And a couple dollars in my fridge along with a list of what I would like...more water, beer etc. also, if always nice to have singles at the airport incase someone helps you with your luggage.

What I find easiest is to get about 50 $1 bills. Again, lots of people don't tip & that's okay...just giving my opinion!! :-)

Have fun!!

Make sure that you call the card/bank before you leave to let them know you're overseas, otherwise it'll get shut down!

I use all - but I know that I have really good fraud protection with both my debit (through my bank) and credit card.

Cash Only

Buy yourself a pre-paid visa debit card for the trip - this works like a credit card overseas, but is NOT linked to any of your bank accounts, so if it's stolen, there's no risk of identify theft, and if the number is stolen, there's no way for them to access other of your money. Your bank can provide one - do NOT repeat NOT buy one from CVS or Walgreens - they are for US use only, and will not work abroad... you need to get a special one for travel. http://usa.visa.com/personal/personal-cards/prepaid-cards/travel-money.jsp

That said, ALWASY take cash - especially small bills, as FutureMrsPc advises. Maybe you don't have to tip, but in a country where min wage is $150/month, and 1 Jamaican dollar = .0089 US. (<1 US CENT per Jamaiican dollar), a tip of even $1 will be appreciated. That's enough to buy a pound of potatoes! Also, in developing countries often one family member who's working is supporting siblings, and parents, if not grandparents, because the labor market is so bad.

Guidance from TripAdvisor on when to use local currency vs. US dollars in Jamaica: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g147309-c140152/Jamaica:Caribbean:Which.Currency.Should.Be.Used.html

Finally, create a "Secret stash":

For any overseas trip I recommend to take $200-300 in cash or travelers cheques (enough to get a taxi to a bank and back, and pay for both of you for food/drinks for a few days) that you stash somewhere secure - my favorite place is to get a small box of tampons, take a tampon out of it's cardboard or plastic applicator, stuff the rolled up bills inside, and replace the wrapper, and put it back into the box. I've traveled to a lot of dicey places and stayed in hotels that cost $1/night (not a typo), and my feeling is, if someone goes through my suitcase and actually thinks to open a box of tampons and check each one, well damn, they deserve the money LOL!

I used my check card in Mexico, but I used it as a check card and not a debit card. You do not want to put your pin number in anywhere in a foreign country if you can avoid it. On top of the security issues, your bank will charge you foreign ATM fees and foreign transaction fees. Just use a credit card.

We took cash and brought a credit card to put on file for the room when we checked in. We stayed at Sandals Negril and they would allow you to charge everything to the room and pay at the end by cash or credit card.

Thanks everyone for the help/advice!

I wouldn't advise it. When we went to Punta Cana we ran out of cash and wanted to parasail, the only option was to use the Domincan ATM's which were in Pesos, and noone could give us the right answer to what the conversion would be. SO, bring cash and plenty of it! lol

Just an FYI (and as someone who is half Jamaican and been there a lot) you probably won't use it that much if you're at an all inclusive unless you go on a day excursion. We went and never used a card or cash at all. But credit cards have better security.

If you take cash you want to understand the conversion rate. They readily accept US Dollars more so than their own considering the exchange is 1:112 at the moment, but depending on where you are (local market, stand, etc) if you don't get Jamaican dollars make sure you ask what the price is in Jamaican dollars first, then convert. When they see you flash US $ they sometimes have a habit of "rounding up" the price. Not everywhere but some places...yes! And have fun!

Where in Jamaica are you going?

We went to Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica and we brought some cash, but we used our debit card but never used our pin. We just signed for everything and we were totally fine.

Dani - thanks for your advice! We're going to the Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton in Lucea/Hanover. We aren't going on any excursions, and I honestly didn't expect to need much cash, except for tipping. (My travel agent said she never usually tips at all-inclusive resorts, but I would feel weird not doing anything.) so thanks for the feedback!

Bring cash for sure. We went in July. It's a-freaking-mazing, but you will want USD for most transactions. Have a blast!

No matter where I go I always take American (I'm Canadian). I use my debit card exclusively and only use my credit card for online transactions like booking hotels and airfare. Usually credit cards charge a fee for using them internationally. In Peru companies charged you another fee ontop of the credit card fee.

Make sure your bank knows that you are out of town. All those symbols on the back of your card actually mean something. As long as a bank machine has those symbols you should be okay. Also somebody posted to not use non bank machines like the ones in stores. I know that in Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Peru I couldn't use actual bank machines and had to use the other option. Hope that helps