Here are two very common money changing tricks you should watch out for:

• The money changer voids the deal and your original money is returned to you but it turns out that it is a fake or of lower domination note. One way to avoid this happening to you is to make a note of serial numbers of larger bills before you pass them over. That way you can make sure that you get back the original. Also, after handed back the money, do not return their money yet until you make sure that that carefully folded $100 bill is not really a $1 bill – it’s easily done!

• There is a successful change but you realize that the money you receive is no longer bank-recognized or it is carefully folded to deceive.

Taking a lot of cash with you when you travel to the Caribbean, or any part of the world, is probably not a good idea. Not only is it courting trouble with the authorities, it’s also courting trouble with bad elements of the population. Nevertheless, it is advisable that you take at least some back-up emergency cash with you, something around USD 600, just to be safe, but be sure to keep it well hidden.

Your Visa and MasterCard will come in handy when you’re staying at a big town in the Caribbean or in developed countries such as Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Belize, Jamaica, and other tourist-laden territories. Other credit card types you may have may not be accepted by Caribbean stores and shops. You can use your Visa and MasterCard to obtain cash advances in most banks, but always with a commission. Also, remember to consider all the bills that are piling up at home with surcharges of interest while you’re having a wild ride in the Caribbean. It is prudent if you pay more money onto your card before leaving home or asking your folks to pay your bill while you’re away.