What is your average spend per day when in Havana?

[CanuckSARTech]

I had a couple of questions yesterday about how much spending money to budget for when in Havana

I know it varies person to person but :

1. Exclude boxes of cigars (but allow a couple of singles/customs purchased during the day).
2. Exclude accommodation.

Use the poll and/comment here on what you would spend in Havana per day? It will certainly help people budget.

If you have any tips as to how to keep costs down, feel free to let others know

Hmmmm. Are we including bail money in this, or "mulata funds"?

I voted 50 CUC, if we're specifically excluding cigars totally and accomodation. When I stay in Varadero with the wife unit, it's a moot point, as it's an all-inclusive to enable her to tan her booblies at the poolside or on the beach. If in Havana, it's staying at the Nacional, so that's already including a buffet breakfast (as Rob would say, the "Salmonela Express" from there). But, pack a few snacks a day, a light lunch or something after a big and late breakfast, and it's good-to-go. The only other expense then is dinner and drinks out, which is generally 50/50 on one meal every day or so (sometimes just vegging around the Nacional's back deck, where their $5 CUC Cuban sandwiches are the best around). Drinks and entry fee for a nightclub / bar occurs roughly every other night or so. Plus cab fares too - everywhere in Havana is at least $5 to $7 CUC's, one way - but carpooling with other Canucks and/or making plans for a mini-bus rental for the day (for example, when doing a dozen stops in a day when LCDH touring) is definitely a money saver.

Generally, I love Andy's post - great breakdowns and great explanations. I think it's safe to say that most of us that have been to Havana once or twice before generally follow his same methodology. I'll always try to bring more than $200 CUC with me in a given day though (just in case I find a premium box of wanted cigars at an unexpected place).

But an AVERAGE of about $50 CUC a day, when solely factoring OUT accomodations and cigars, is perfect. One day may only be $30, the next $100, the following $40, etc., etc.

For those planning on going, a word to the wise though. I learned the hard way on a past trip. Always bring at least $500 to $700 more than you want or even expect to spend, in a worst case scenario. It's nice to have that reserve there. Especially, when only a few days before you go on a trip (even when you knew better), you changed your credit cards over to a US-owned MBNA MasterCard and got rid of your Canadian-bank Visas (aside from the one that your wife watches), and then found an absolute premium uber-PSP-to-infinity box of original release RA Extra's LE for the original price at a nice little hidden shop on the 2nd last day there and you relatively had run out of money.

Still kicking myself in the ass for that one. But definitely gonna hit up that shop again this November, JUST IN CASE!!!! LOL.

[CanuckSARTech]

....Going out at night, after dinner, when my only spend is cabs, nightclub entry and booze, this is how it breaks down. I bring just over 200 CUC with me, expect to spend 100CUC and rarely spend more than 60CUC. I bring the extra because there are times when it's handy to have (friend runs out of money or an opportunity to buy something etc) and there are no ATMs around....

...Keep lots of 1 cuc bills and coins with you, always handy. Change isn't easy to get. Don't buy something for 10 CUCs with 10-1 cuc bills/notes, break something larger. Always handy to have exact money (or close enough) for smaller costs. It'll save you a lot of time not having to wait for change, believe me....

Hmmmm!!!! LOL.

Well, what / who EXACTLY would you have the "opportunity to buy" at a night club or bar at night?!!?!?!?

LOL.

And....

Where exactly are you going that they accept singles / $1's??!?!?!?!

I haven't been that lucky. Usually they empty my wallet....

[CanuckSARTech]

You guys don't go out at night in Havana?

Sorry, you lost me there now.

Yeah a bit. But we mostly head back to the Nacionale to drink and smoke. It's where everyone seems to congregate. We've hung out at El Gato Tuerto, (cough cough.. Salon Rojo and other jazz clubs). But the Nacionale is where the night seems to end...sometime around 4AM.

I didn't go on last year's trip unfortunately, so I heard the "going out at night" aspect was a bit less.

Don't worry - I'll ramp it up this year for those attending!!!!!

[Ryan]

Hmmmm!!!! LOL.

Well, what / who EXACTLY would you have the "opportunity to buy" at a night club or bar at night?!!?!?!?

LOL.

And....

Where exactly are you going that they accept singles / $1's??!?!?!?!

I haven't been that lucky. Usually they empty my wallet....

I should explain myself.

Regarding carrying more money than I need at night. Things turn up. My first opportunity to buy Cuban cigar jars was out at night, 60 CUC each as a launch price and first come first served.

I've seen what were at least very good replicas of Monte Gran Reservas at 1 am in a men's room in a nightclub at 80 cuc a box.

I've found nightclubs and music venues by going with staff members from one nightclub that was closing at 4 am. Great spots and needed the cash on me.

Things turn up in Havana unexpectedly. In any country a credit card or ATM machine would do. Not Cuba.

As for having change and single CUC coins/notes. If I buy a bottle of water/copy of Granma etc from a kiosk, I don't want to hand over a 50 and wait for the change.

If I do a deal with a taxi driver for a 5 cuc trip I like to give him 6-7, not 20 and wait in the back of a 30C taxi while he roots for change.

Most bars and clubs and many restaurants have restroom attendants, I tip them. I don't want to tip 5 cuc nor do I want change from that plate.

I give a coin each time I use it which is usually often after I break the seal.

I could go on and on but really I find having small bills and coins in Havana just saves a lot of time.

[CanuckSARTech]

I should explain myself.

Regarding carrying more money than I need at night. Things turn up. My first opportunity to buy Cuban cigar jars was out at night, 60 CUC each as a launch price and first come first served.

I've seen what were at least very good replicas of Monte Gran Reservas at 1 am in a men's room in a nightclub at 80 cuc a box.

I've found nightclubs and music venues by going with staff members from one nightclub that was closing at 4 am. Great spots and needed the cash on me.

Things turn up in Havana unexpectedly. In any country a credit card or ATM machine would do. Not Cuba.

As for having change and single CUC coins/notes. If I buy a bottle of water/copy of Granma etc from a kiosk, I don't want to hand over a 50 and wait for the change.

If I do a deal with a taxi driver for a 5 cuc trip I like to give him 6-7, not 20 and wait in the back of a 30C taxi while he roots for change.

Most bars and clubs and many restaurants have restroom attendants, I tip them. I don't want to tip 5 cuc nor do I want change from that plate.

I give a coin each time I use it which is usually often after I break the seal.

I could go on and on but really I find having small bills and coins in Havana just saves a lot of time.

Oh, completely granted and agreed, Andy. I was just taking the piss at your earlier comment, LOL.

And...."I've seen what were at least very good replicas of Monte Gran Reservas at 1 am in a men's room in a nightclub at 80 cuc a box."

I do believe I remember that thread. IIRC about that, we saw those there also when we were there that November though. However, maybe it was just the alcohol in us, but it didn't seem like a good way to gamble with our money that night. Not in that shark tank!

[Ryan]

Fair enough. The ones I saw were very good though.

Another reason to have small bills in Havana. Just about everyday you'll find yourself splitting the tab on lunch/dinner with a group of other people, not all of whom you'll necessarily know very well.

When the bill comes and it's $17 each inc. tip, there's always one guy who pipes up with, 'The smallest I have is a fifty!'

Don't be that guy.

[CanuckSARTech]

LOL. Frank liked that. Frank's done that. LOL.

[Rushman]

I'd guess 50-75 CUC per day. I generally take more than I will ever spend on a given trip.

[Habana Mike]

My spend was closer to the top end though that included Rob's parties and excursions, top notch meals, late nights at the Gato and various other and sundries.....

Most likely keep it toward the center in future trips.....