Denise Toepel
@Denise in Denver
American expat in Ecuador
Forum
77 posts
Contacts
12
About me
American
Lives in Quito
Speaks Japanese, English, Spanish
Registration: 31 May 2012
Activity
How Many Bank Cards Should an Expat Have on Hand? by cccmedia
How many debit or credit cards should an Expat have?For me, the number is three -- although I almost never carry more than two at a time unless it's a travel day.At the moment, two of my cards are either not operative or are being rendered ...
You need a Charles Schwab bank account most banks here charge a fee, plus many American banks charge for debits from a foreign bank, so you are double charged for removing money. Â Schwab returns your fees and doesn't charge you any from ... Read More
What to Bring to Ecuador by cccmedia
Are you coming to Ecuador to live .. or for an extended stay?Mr. Second Passport has just posted a video to help you avoid scarcity-problems and high prices compared to the USA.What to bring...1. Â shoes, including Nike-quality athletic ...
@Listening  Everything is available in Ecuador.  The refrigerators are LG, Samsung, GE, and there are companies in Ecuador that sell refrigerators too. they are a little cheaper than the American Brands that are imported. ... Read More
Apostille of Required Documents by seoulguy
Looking back at cccmedia's post in another thread, I checked out Expat Visas. I copy the following: "As such, I entirely process your Temporary Residency Visa and Cedula handling for an absolutely everything TOTAL cost of $1700 (this ...
This is highway robbery. Read More
Cost of Living in Ecuador in 2020 by Loïc
Hi everyone, Every year, we invite expats who are living in Ecuador to share their experience and tell us more about the average price of products and services in their town, city or area, so that we can help future expats planning to settle in ...
Costs, Rent 4 bedroom 3 bath out of the city 500.00 it just got a notice they want 600. We have been here for three years and have stayed another year at 500.00 because the landlord didn’t give us any 90 day notice. So,,,, Possibly we will ... Read More
How to find prices of prescription drugs in Ecuador by SamaraNP
I'M TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A MONTHLY BUDGET FOR LIVING DOWN THERE. I TAKE SEVERAL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS (none controlled). I AM TRYING TO GET PRICE ESTIMATES FOR EACH AND SEEM TO BE HITTING DEAD ENDS ON'LINE. WE WILL NOT BE BACK DOWN ...
In cuenca and in Quito there are pharmacies called Fybeca,,, you can go to their site on line and look up the prices of your drugs... Read More
The negatives about retiring in Ecuador by Bob Way
Please tell me all the negatives of retiring in Cuenca, Ecuador. What are the most important things I need to know. I don't speak Spanish, how much of a problem is that? I thank you in advance for your answers. Bob Way
Health insurance has risen considerably....it is now 17 % of what was declared as your retirement amount. It was 78.00 for my husband,, now it is a hell of a lot more. Read More
Paying bills in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, What bills do you pay? If you are renting, are bills included in the price of rent, and is this common practice in Ecuador? How can you pay your bills (e.g. online, at provider's store, at the post office)? Which is the most ...
Claro phone plan we have automatic withdrawal from our Ecuadorian savings account, the same goes for directTV. We pay our water, house phone and one of our internet at etapa..at the mall. We walk to the bank during the mall visit and pay the ... Read More
Cuenca Banking by jerry39603
I am considering moving to Cuenca but one concern is the banking system there. Is it safe? Are there special rules about opening an account for Expats? What about ATM and finally do they accept debit cards or is it a cash society? Thanks in advance.
Yes you can open an account with a passport... Read More
Cuenca Banking by jerry39603
I am considering moving to Cuenca but one concern is the banking system there. Is it safe? Are there special rules about opening an account for Expats? What about ATM and finally do they accept debit cards or is it a cash society? Thanks in advance.
No bank fees, it was a personal check to our account at JEP,,it was calls from JEP customer service,, Chase has never called me, ever. Funny,, eh? Read More
New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourself here – 2016 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Ecuador forum? DonÂ’t know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Dear Ammar,, Here in Ecuador, the base money is very low for a English teacher,, unless you are working at the University level.. so be forewarned. If you are looking for an excellent city, lots of things to do that don't cost much, cultural ... Read More
New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourself here – 2016 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Ecuador forum? DonÂ’t know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Hi, We have lived in Ecuador for 4 years.. we learned a lot. We understand about returning home.. it works for the United States too. We first settled in Quito, we were there for three years.. in a small town at the base of Mitad Del Mundo, the ... Read More
Internet shopping? by Lauratort
I'm so used to buying things on Amazon that I wonder if I'd be able to make regular purchases and have it shipped to my home in Ecuador. I'm learning, however, that things don't work the same way and since I'm so GREEN, I have no idea if I'd be ...
Okay, I know you are used to Amazon,, so was I. The great thing about Amazon is now that you are here, it is easy to send things to people from Amazon. That way you don't have to just try to send Ecuadorian things.. you can send them what ... Read More
Cuenca Banking by jerry39603
I am considering moving to Cuenca but one concern is the banking system there. Is it safe? Are there special rules about opening an account for Expats? What about ATM and finally do they accept debit cards or is it a cash society? Thanks in advance.
We have been here close to 4 years now,, and.. we now live in Cuenca. We opened a JEP cooperative account savings first.. and then after a year got a credit card with the same bank. We find it useful to deposit our hand written checks in,, and ... Read More
Initial Trip To Cuenca by rickheysquierdo
Hi Folks: I'll be making my second trip to Cuenca this December to familiarize myself with the difference neighborhoods and parts of town. I'd like to meet up with some Expats to discuss their experiences and what areas are best to rent/own ...
Hi Rick, You cannot use your ATand T Cell here.. unless you have an international plan.. but here you can use the Claro chip and switch it out and buy minutes to use your phone in Ecuador,, and when you go back, put your AT and T chip back in and ... Read More
The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community by Nards Barley
I designate this thread as the unofficial web page for the Cuenca Expat community. I also designate myself as the unoffical spokesperson. It is actually a continuation of my non-blog, but I wanted to elevate my status in the wake of the continued ...
You took the words right out of my mouth.... BWAHAHAHAHA. Read More