TIPS AND TRICKS
CHILE
USEFUL APPS
- Money: XE Currency, Conozca su Dinero, ATM Hunter by MasterCard, ATM Near Me
- Housing: Airbnb, Trovit Homes
- Transportation/Maps: Metro de Santiago Oficial, iTransantiago, 2GIS, EasyTaxi, SaferTaxi
- Communication: WhatsApp, Wi-Fi Finder Free
- Language: Technical Science Dictionary English-Spanish (Beigbeder diccionario politécnico)
- News: La Tercera, Pulso Editorial
- Other: PedidosYa (food delivery)
MONEY
Dealing with pesos:
Converting money quickly:
At the ATM:
Using your credit card and making purchases:
Paying at the grocery store:
Tipping:
Dealing with pesos:
- Chilean monedas come in several denominations (in pesos): 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500. The 1 and 5 peso coins are extremely tiny and while you might never see a 1-peso coin, you will probably come across a 5-peso coin here and there when you receive change (cambio or vuelto). See www.bcentral.cl for images of coins and bills.
- New paper money started to circulate in 2009; the bills are brighter and have a plastic-like feel, and each denomination has a different size to help those with vision problems distinguish between them. Old bills are still in circulation although the Banco Central no longer produces them. Some places will not accept older bills, although they are technically still valid. If someone tries to give you an old bill as change, especially in a high denomination, tell them that you want a new bill. Some people with nefarious motives use old bills as a way to swindle others.
- Two different 100-pesos coins are in circulation. The older version is still widely accepted.
Converting money quickly:
- The exchange rate is currently (as of early May 2016) hovering around 660 Chilean pesos (CLP) to 1 US dollar (USD). For quick conversion, try Program Manager Erika’s method (used with a fair amount of success for 16 years):
- CLP$4000 (4 lucas)
- Drop the 3 zeros: 4000
- Double the remaining number: x2=8
- Subtract “a few” for an estimate that is por ahí: −2≈USD$6
- Official conversion (@664 pesos): USD$6.02
At the ATM:
- Beware of high fees! They can cost up to CLP$5000 per withdrawal.
- After you insert/swipe your card and enter your PIN, choose the following option to continue with your transaction: Extranjeros/foreign client (usually in the lower left hand corner of the screen). You can then choose English or Spanish; it’s up to you. Many machines will cancel the transaction if you do not select the “Extranjeros/foreign client” option.
Using your credit card and making purchases:
- Credit cards are widely accepted in Santiago and other major cities; at restaurants, waiters will even bring a little machine to process the transaction right there at the table. Let your credit card company know you’ll be abroad so they don’t put your card on hold. Do not assume places outside major cities accept credit cards. Always try and use efectivo (cash) and/or sencillo (small bills/coins) when possible, especially for small purchases.
- Default to using your debit card as “credit.” Most of the time, the cashier will have to manually input the last 4 numbers of the card. The machine will ask you if you want to pay “Sin cuotas” or “En cuotas.” Basically, would you like to pay all at once or in installments? Select “sin cuotas” to avoid potential issues.
- When the cashier prints the receipt, you will need to sign it; there is also a line for people to write their RUT/RUN number. Every Chilean has one (a unique number for tax and ID purposes), as do businesses, people who have a temporary work or residency visa, and those who have a student visa. You do not have any of those. To be courteous, you can say: “Soy extranjero/a, no tengo RUT.” Most of the time, the cashier will say something like “está bien/no importa,” but sometimes he or she will ask you for your passport number. If you do not feel comfortable giving out your passport number and/or do not know it by heart, don’t worry. You can make up a number (often the path of least resistance if the merchant really wants a number).
- At restaurants, waiters must not only ask you if you’d like to include a tip, but that they need you to verify that you would like to add the standard 10% tip. That will be added on to the original total, so you will see that extra 10% on your statement.
Paying at the grocery store:
- You must weigh bread, fruits and vegetables (unless sold por unidad) BEFORE you get to the cash register.
- Say you pay for something that costs CLP$4683 with a $5000 bill (5 lucas); your change would be $317. The cashier at the grocery store (and sometimes a pharmacy) might ask you very quickly: ¿Desea donar los siete pesos a X? If you say yes, you will receive $310 in change and the rest will go to a charity or volunteer organization. This helps these organizations and eliminates exchanging small coins. You can say no (there are movements in Chile to encourage people to not donate the pesos).
- Many people tip the person who bags your items at the grocery store. It is not necessary, but if you want to help out (they are usually students and/or teenagers), $50-$150 pesos is an adequate amount.
Tipping:
- Your program manager thinks that best practice is to tip how you would normally tip at home. That said, tipping amounts are generally lower. Ten percent at restaurants – no matter how big the group – is customary. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip, but it is generally good to just round up (e.g. fare of CLP$3700 pesos – pay CLP$4000 and say “está bien, muchas gracias”).
HOUSING
When searching for a place to live:
When searching for a place to live:
- Make sure that you know what is and is not included in the quoted price (and also if the quoted price is per day/week/month). Figure in the costs of gastos comunes, heating, and Wi-Fi. Make sure the place is amoblado (furnished).
COMMUNICATION
The best cell phone options are either a) buy a cheap, prepago cell phone and reload with minutes/pesos as needed or b) unlock your current phone and buy a SIM card in Chile for about USD$10. It is good to have a Chilean phone number. Learn how to use phone prefixes and remember your carrier (even when you get a Chilean SIM), which is necessary to know when reloading your phone (easiest at pharmacies and supermarkets). You must tell the cashier your carrier (e.g. Entel, Movistar, Claro) and an 8-digit number. Calling other phones in Chile and other countries is complicated. See the examples below. When calling outside Chile, your cell phone carrier will likely require an additional prefix. For example, Entel’s “dial abroad” prefix is 123. To telephone abroad: Dial the plus sign (hold “0” or the key with the symbol) for a few seconds + country code + area code + phone number.
To call Chile (cellular) from the US: 011 56 9 XXXX XXXX. Some mobile numbers will have a 5, 6, 7, or 8 instead of the 9. To call a Chilean mobile from another Chilean mobile: Dial directly the last 8 digits of the phone number.
To call a Chilean landline: 0 + city code + phone number.
To call a Chilean mobile from a Chilean landline: 09 + 8 digits.
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HEALTH AND HYGIENE
At the pharmacy:
Buying contact lens solution:
Ladies:
At the pharmacy:
- At almost every pharmacy (they are ubiquitous) you must take a number and wait until that number is called to make your purchase or ask a question.
- Most OTC medications are called something different in Chile. For example, Imodium may be called Tidomel, Lactaid is Diolasa, etc. If one pharmacy is out of something, check another.
- If you do not know the Spanish term for or Chilean brand name of what you need, you can describe your symptoms to the pharmacist. Be sure to know if you have any contraindications and ask about drug interactions. If you take medication, learn and write down the active ingredient/generic name (e.g. levothyroxine sodium for Synthroid).
- Chilean pharmacists will not fill US prescriptions; make sure you have enough of any Rx you need to take (including prescription contacts).
- The pharmacist/cashier might ask you if you have a type of insurance coverage called an ISAPRE or a FONASA. You don’t.
Buying contact lens solution:
- You cannot buy contact solution at regular pharmacies as in the States. Go to optometry places such as Ópticas Rotter & Krauss, Ópticas Schilling, or Ópticas GMO. Solution is typically pricier as well. If you have a favorite brand you use, think about bringing enough for your stay in Chile, as the Ópticas might not carry that brand.
Ladies:
- You may not be able to find your preferred brand of feminine hygiene products, especially tampons. Plus, tampons usually only are sold in small quantities (e.g. 8 per box). If you have a preferred brand or type of product you use, think about bringing enough for your stay in Chile, as the pharmacies might not carry that brand or type.
Bathroom matters:
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