[Ambassador]

No, I don't agree the problem is with the 500 peso bills. The problem is in getting change for anything.

[virtuah]

That way,when she asks for 20 pesos,you would give her 20 pesos.You never give 50 when they ask for 20! Never 100,when they ask for 50!Never 500,when they ask for 100,and most of all,NEVER 1000,when they ask for 500! You will never see any "change"!! This is call; "Juntando"(Gathering Together) dinero,and is what all good dominicanas do! .....In the end,having change in your pocket makes no difference,because your wife will have all the money anyway!!Cris(Now about those shoes?)

[annouhMus]

Ken's got it right. The cambios always give out 500 & 1000P notes, which don't help when you need small bills. Go to one of the large supermercado's in town, buy 2 Presidentes (15P ea.) and get change in small bills. These are the only places which seem to be able to break the large bills.

[AutoCadPhotoSHOP]

Neither do the cab drivers, motoconchos, bars, restaurants, colmados, ferreterias, or just about any other place I do business with down there. It drives me crazy that nobody ever has any frigg'n change. No wonder the country is damn near bankrupt.

[flanna.kersting]

You cracked me up! I've always wanted to do that, but never had the guts...what on earth did they say and do?

[SpyRemo]

Pib: The other Criss and I are in agreement. We only carry a purse if it matches our shoes.

[interznakinfo]

Yeah! Chicklets or Mentos - I did not know about this custom and made quite a fool of myself once in a little store. The storekeeper gave me my mentos, I thanked him profusely, (customer service you know!) put two of them in my mouth and patiently waited for my few pesos change. My Spanish was very rudimentary at the time. When the silence stretched longer and longer I aksed and the storekeeper told me that I just ate my change.

[Karensmith]

So does everyone agree that the problem is the small number of RD$500 bills in circulation (compared to RD$1,000) and, to a lesser extent, the absence of a RD$200 bill?

Or is this just a general problem with all currencies? I don't remember this change problem being so common in the other countries I have lived (Germany/Australia/US/Bahamas).

[AutoCadPhotoSHOP]

Sure there are those that will try to get a few extra pesos out out of you but the problem is across the board. I go into gringo run businesses and see the same problem. I see this all the time where my girlfriend works. Every day she's asking me for change or I'm running across the street to the bank for her so she'll have an adequate supply of change. My read is that alot of businesses are run on a shoe string budget without an adequate supply of operating capital.

[Ambassador]

KC is right. Wherever you go, people are looking for change. Very common to see someone stopping people on the street asking them for change. When I shop at the supermarket, I always pay in a bigger bill than necessary--500 or 1000--in order to get change, even if I have the exact change in my billfold.

[GogaMegaPis]

I, for one, don't wan t to get stuck with a bunch of 10s and 20s, too much paper in my purse. So I always get rid of the small ones first and then end up needing them again.

[Scfdglkn]

Chris, most of these people tell you they got no change as a matter of course, regardless of whether they have or not, and particularly if you are obviously not Dominican. It's just a way of squeezing the tourists for more if you ask me.

[mr.videomen]

That is pretty much the truth. At one time they- whoever "they" are-would give out little packets of gum or "Mentas"that were sold at a peso, and were give out as one peso change. One day I went to the store, and paid in Mentas and chiclets for my purchases. I look "so innocent" as I said: "If they are good for me as change, they have to be good for you , too."

HB

[Karensmith]

Compared to life's other problems, this is petty, however, I am curious if anybody feels the same way:

I have lived in many different countries but I must say, I never have the right change here. I am constantly trying to change 1000 peso bills or I don't have enough 100 peso bills. It seems there are too many 1000 peso bills and not enough 500's. On top of it, the lack of a 200 peso bill compounds this problem. In no other country have I experienced this, anybody else?

For normal day to day purchases, I believe there just arent enough 500 peso bills around (the equivalent of a US$20 bill).