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Banking Games
May 14th, 2008
One of my readers reasonably asked my thoughts on the recent revaluation of the dollar.
Easy answer! I have not a freaking clue!
Todays exchange rate of about ¢511.41 / ¢518.71 makes absolutely no sense whatever and to me, smacks of some serious manipulation.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Politics, Questions from Readers | Comments (6)The Change to 8 Digit Dialing draws near
February 29th, 2008
On March 20, 2008, how you dial a number in Costa Rica is going to change. This not only affects those of us IN Costa Rica, it also will affect those in foreign lands who make call TO Costa Rica.
If you fall into either of the above categories, by all means read on!
Filed under Cell Phones, Communications, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, ICE, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Technical Stuff, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (2)Follow-up on the Exchange Rates and Banking
November 28th, 2007
I expect my readers are might be a bit tired of all these posts about banking and the revaluation of the colon last week, but things are happening here that affect (especially) those expats living here.
But, I have also received a lot of email about this topic, so here are some things I am noticing in my travels around San Jose in the past few days. I think they may be important.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (6)Central Bank Revalues the Colon
November 22nd, 2007
So sweet!
Back on August 12, 2007, I wrote a post entitled “The Colon Vs The Dollar – Watch your money!” In that post, I cautioned my readers that the weakening dollar could not long stand firm against the Costa Rica colon. I urged readers to move their funds from their dollar accounts (in Costa Rica banks) to colon accounts as I anticipated that the Central Bank had to act soon to bring the dollar down and increase the value of the colon.
Last night, they did just that. The colon has been revalued to about ¢497 and ¢498.39 to the dollar.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Working in Costa Rica | Comments (9)The Colon Vs The Dollar – Watch your money!
August 12th, 2007
For many years I suggested here in this blog, in The REAL Costa Rica and elsewhere that the smart person living in Costa Rica (or for that matter anyone who keeps money here), should always pay using colones, but keep their money in a dollars account. There was a good reason for this. The colon was, for many years, on a system of scheduled devaluation that made holding colones a losing proposition.
I am now doing a 100% change in that position. If this subject interests you, read on…
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Retire in Costa Rica | Comments (30)The Price of Gasoline in Costa Rica
August 6th, 2007
Occasionally I get word from my kids in the states about how high the price of gasoline has become. While I sympathize of course, I can’t really get too empathetic as I watch almost weekly as gas prices here just get higher and higher, now reaching over $4.50 per gallon for super.
Yup… super is now selling at 620 colones per liter and that translates to $4.51 per gallon at service stations throughout Costa Rica. All service stations here must sell at the same price. Regular gasoline is now at 584 colons per liter or about $4.25 a U.S. gallon. Not much difference. Sadly, I use super. Ugh.
Filed under Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Travel | Comments (7)Coming to Live in Costa Rica?
May 16th, 2006
Between three of my websites, The REAL Costa Rica, this Blog, and my personal Blog, I get maybe 200 emails per week. I try to answer them, though this is getting tougher every month, and soon it is gonna get real ugly.
The hands down #1 topic of these emails is people asking me for my advice on moving to Costa Rica. Popular questions are:
* Where are the North American communities?
* Where are the good places to live?
* Constant questions about buying property here…
* Where is the best place to buy? Live?
* Where to visit when coming here to decide about a permanent move
* Where can I get a job?
* Plus a TON of emails from scared baby boomers world-wide who are just now saying to their spouses, “Holy SHIT Martha (or Clyde), there ain’t no way we can live on our social security! We gotta get outta this place!”
So, in this Post I am going to cast some pearls to you folks!
Filed under Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Expatriate Life, Immigration & Residency, Life in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Rants, Retire in Costa Rica, Study Abroad, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica, Working in Costa Rica | Comments (8)