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vespaio
Junior Nomad
Posts: 41
Registered: 11-6-2019
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money changing
HI,
Does anyone know if the money exchange locations on the USA side of Tecate are open Sundays? Last time we went to Baja we exchanged dollars/pesos at
Costco in Chula Vista, which turned out to be less favorable than in Tecate.
Thx,
Ray
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weebray
Super Nomad
Posts: 1094
Registered: 7-19-2010
Location: La Paz
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Mood: lleno
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Ray, You will find no better exchange location than your nearest ATM. Anything else will be inconvenient and expensive. This is the 21st. century.
Every beautiful beach in the world needs a few condo towers - NOT.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8807
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Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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there IS a limit at the ATM
don't assume an ATM works ALL the time
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surfhat
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In order to avoid the San Isidro money changers at the Tijuana border, I found a supplier located in a bank in Carlsbad by the name of Travel X.
I don't know many outlets they manage, but the convenience of getting all the peso one needs ahead of time and not exposing our vehicles to the San
Isidro mayhem, is worth the effort.
Their rates are comparable to any others as far as I have been able to confirm, and the convenience surely is worth considering.
Happy New Year!
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3687
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Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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ATM!!
I use them all over Mexico, never a problem
If you have a need for bigger withdrawals then talk to your bank,
some banks will make an adjustment for you
I have a good friend who has a couple condos in Puerto Vallarta
He needs big bucks every months for the condo fees
Has a withdrawal limit up over $2k (US) daily
When we go down as a group every year I am the "El Fi$cal"
And I have 6 guys take the max, that gives me enough pesos to negotiate for the week.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
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In November of 2016, there was a period of time where not only the ATMs in Mulege, and Loreto refuse to dispense pesos for my US accounts, but the
banks refused to exchange my US currency for pesos!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17339
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Quote: Originally posted by vespaio  | HI,
Does anyone know if the money exchange locations on the USA side of Tecate are open Sundays? Last time we went to Baja we exchanged dollars/pesos at
Costco in Chula Vista, which turned out to be less favorable than in Tecate.
Thx,
Ray |
Yes, they are open on Sunday.one of them is named baja-mex casa de cambio. You can probably call for hours.
I would not listen to advice to use ATM. If you are infrequent user of ATM outside of country, you risk using ATM and experiencing your bank
declining transaction due to fraud alert or some other snafu.
I find it easier to use a cambio at border. Yes, you may lose a few cents per dollar at cambio, relative to atm, but so what? Takes 5 min to stop
at cambio and change some cash and avoid atm problems... price of convenience
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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advrider
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We always exchange in Tecate after we cross, rates were the same as the US side. They are open on Sunday, don't know the name of the place. stay on
the road that you cross the border on until it tee's into the main drag in Tecate, you have to go left or right, go right. About a mile down on the
right is the exchanger, you will see several on the way all with about the same prices..
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David K
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I advise to convert to pesos before crossing, be it at Costco Chula Vista or at a Casa de Cambio near the border crossing. The reason is, if your ATM
card doesn't work (as noted above) or the machine in Mexico eats it, you are screwed. Best to have all that you need before crossing south.
Do notify your bank should you need more pesos in Mexico so the card will work in an emergency. The other point is that dollars are accepted
everywhere in Baja Norte and pretty much so in Baja Sur. Sure, they may not give you the latest or best rate, but as said, it is only cents on the
dollar. Dollars are a second currency in Baja Norte, locals use them all the time in markets, etc.
So, using pesos is easier, no worry about conversion math or getting the correct change and you get the most for your money. But, if you don't get
pesos for whatever reason, dollars work fine. I just don't trust sticking my card into a foreign bank ATM. If it gets eaten, the bank doesn't have
great hours and I wouldn't want to be stuck at that location waiting for it to open to get my card back.
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Mr. Bills
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For my last trip I ordered pesos from my bank prior to departure (Wells Fargo) at a rate more favorable than the Chula Vista Costco and the cambios on
both sides of the border in Tecate.
A friend used Travel X in Carlsbad and reported a good rate there. If I recall correctly, he was also able to return his unused pesos there without
paying an additional commission.
I only had one occasion to use an ATM in Baja on my last trip - inside a bank in Vizcaino. It dispensed the pesos I needed without a hitch, probably
because I had filed a travel plan with Wells Fargo before my departure.
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1106
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Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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I use my bank - easy, convenient. I usually exchange about $1,500 worth, no fee from the bank, their exchange is a little less than official rate.
Ya, it ends up costing me about $20 for the difference but the convenience of not having to stop is worth it to me.
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vespaio
Junior Nomad
Posts: 41
Registered: 11-6-2019
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Thanks for the many choices. I'll probably exchange currency before entering Mex.
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13165
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Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Wells Fargo has a wonderful system in place for sending cash to yourself in Mexico.
It is called EXPRESS SEND. You can send up to US$1500 a day to yourself or anyone else at almost any store in Baja - Walmart for example, to many
banks, telecomm locations and more.
The first transaction MUST be sent from wells fargo to yourself, after that it is done online in seconds. It has been a life saver for us in La
Bocana.
EDIT TO REMOVE OXXO AS A PICK UP POINT
[Edited on 1-20-2020 by BajaBlanca]
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 10-3-2003
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| Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner | I use them all over Mexico, never a problem
If you have a need for bigger withdrawals then talk to your bank,
some banks will make an adjustment for you
I have a good friend who has a couple condos in Puerto Vallarta
He needs big bucks every months for the condo fees
Has a withdrawal limit up over $2k (US) daily
When we go down as a group every year I am the "El Fi$cal"
And I have 6 guys take the max, that gives me enough pesos to negotiate for the week. |
I have a $2K limit on two of my debit cards. The problem isn't with the US bank.
It's that a lot of MX banks limit how much you can take out, either per transaction or per day. This increases the fees. And definitely not all
banks in MX work. It's quite hit or miss. I've also seen banks that did work, stop working.
I still take money out in MX, but it's definitely a good idea to get a chunk of cash converted to pesos.
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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| Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca | Wells Fargo has a wonderful system in place for sending cash to yourself in Mexico.
It is called EXPRESS SEND. You can send up to US$1500 a day to yourself or anyone else at almost any store in Baja - Walmart or OXXO for example, to
many banks, telecomm locations and more.
The first transaction MUST be sent from wells fargo to yourself, after that it is done online in seconds. It has been a life saver for us in La
Bocana. |
OXXO - seriously - wow. How do you mean the first transaction must me sent from Wells Fargo to yourself? to you have to send from a Wells Fargo branch
in person?
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Let me clarify, the first transaction has to be set up, in person, at wells fargo and from then on, it can always be done online. The name of the
person must be exactly as shown on their passport or whatever document will be used for ID.
You can send the cash to anyone, anywhere in Mexico. (Perhaps other countries too but we only do Mexico).
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UnoMas
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Location: East Cape
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Ray,
I use ATM's all the time but only ones that are attached to banks in case there is a problem, it also gives you more per with drawl than the others. I
have two Debit cards, one business and one personal.
I have been getting 8,000 pesos per card at the banks and have found that Banamex has the lowest fee. The fee is the same if you take 5,000 or 8,000
so I always get the max. It is a good idea to take some pesos with you to start until you find a bank to use your card, U.S. dollars work in a pinch.
Been using my debit card for 20 years and have always been able to get money.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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and we had SO MUCH hassle with the cards doubling the charges. We always got the cash returned but it took quite a while and it is the US bank that
returns the money.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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I just went online and checked and the locations one can pick up cash DOES NOT include Oxxo (sorry mojo-norte) but does include:
BBVA, SANTANDER, BANORTE, BANSEFA, FAMSA, SORIANA, TELECOMM-TELEGRAFO AND WALMART.
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3779
Registered: 2-9-2004
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That small shopping mall (cluster of shops around a gas station) on the US side, with the convenience store is open Sundays, and very early too. They
exchange pesos and also sell car insurance. When I'm on a camping trip and know I'll be offroad most of the time, I buy insurance online for the
return trip days, and buy at this little store for the days for the trip down. They have hot coffee, muffins.
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