Jordan Guide
Money
Changing and carrying money
Few banks in the West keep Jordanian dinars on hand, but you should be able to order them with a few days' notice. It's a good idea to bring JD50 or so with you in cash, to cover visa and transport costs on arrival.
Most hotels and shops above the cheapest level accept plastic, but Jordan is a cash society: just about everywhere the preferred method of payment is local currency. Security-wise, Jordan is safer than anywhere in the West: you can carry wads of cash around in your pocket on a crowded rush-hour bus or at 2am in a dark alley without concern. You're more likely to be invited for tea than mugged.
There's no black market in currency exchange. For changing cash or traveller's cheques (in all major currencies), every town has a welter of banks, with identical exchange rates, and there are also plenty of independent change offices. Cash machines (ATMs) are widespread, always with an English option.