BajaNomad

Peso's at the Border - San Ysidro

elskel - 5-24-2010 at 03:21 PM

Hola to All, Anyone exchange dollars for pesos the last couple of days, at the casas de cambios in San Ysidro. What was the rate? I need to exchange quite a bit of money this week. No change to the banks exchanging dollars?
Thanks brian

gnukid - 5-24-2010 at 03:27 PM

The current published rate is 13.0053 pesos to the dollar, so I would expect you to find rates about 12.5 - 12.7 pesos to the dollar for exchange at a casa de cambio.

http://www.x-rates.com/d/MXN/table.html

sancho - 5-24-2010 at 03:28 PM

Exchanging dollars at Calexico/Mexicalli last weekend it was 12.10,
in San Felipe I saw a Cambio Exchange
of 12.50. A post as of today out of Ensenada
listed 13.00, I find that # of 13.00 hard to believe,
I suppose it may refer to buying Dollars back
at 13.00

Bajahowodd - 5-24-2010 at 04:55 PM

You are going to be captive to the financial situation in Europe, especially what's happening in Greece. The dollar strengthens against the Euro, and the peso pays the price. The stronger the dollar gets v. the Euro, the trickle down effect will be a weaker Peso. So, if you must exchange this week, take a deep breath and do it. Financial experts are at odds with what is going to happen. My personal guess is that the Peso is going to further weaken, as does the Euro. Face it, the Peso was almost at 14 to one not long ago. I have a very selfish personal pleasure that when visiting Mexico, when the rate is 10- 1 it is just soooo easy to do the conversion in my head. Especially after several cadillac margaritas.

DianaT - 5-24-2010 at 05:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elskel
Hola to All, Anyone exchange dollars for pesos the last couple of days, at the casas de cambios in San Ysidro. What was the rate? I need to exchange quite a bit of money this week. No change to the banks exchanging dollars?
Thanks brian


We have been buying pesos at Costco in Chula Vista this week and they are usually the same as in San Ysidro. It has been right around 12 +/-
up a little one day, down a little the next.



[Edited on 5-25-2010 by DianaT]

BajaWarrior - 5-24-2010 at 07:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
Quote:
Originally posted by elskel
Hola to All, Anyone exchange dollars for pesos the last couple of days, at the casas de cambios in San Ysidro. What was the rate? I need to exchange quite a bit of money this week. No change to the banks exchanging dollars?
Thanks brian


We have been buying pesos at Costco in Chula Vista this week and they are usually the same as in San Ysidro. It has been right around 12 +/-
up a little one day, down a little the next.



[Edited on 5-25-2010 by DianaT]


FYI, they take their break at Costco money exchange from 3:00-3:30

gnukid - 5-24-2010 at 07:33 PM

They use averages over the period, the 16 day average is above 13 pesos with a high a few days ago. So you should see exchange rates climbing slightly even though the rate is down to 13.01, down just slightly over the last few days. I would expect 12.6 pesos for dollars exchange at least today.

Bob and Susan - 5-25-2010 at 05:47 AM

remember the costco problem...

you CANNOT walk into that place
without spending money in the store:no:


good hot dogs and pizza though:biggrin:

elskel - 5-25-2010 at 08:35 AM

Thanks for the replys, the banking issues of converting dollars to pesos is a problem. What is everyones feeling on this and do you see this changing in the near future.
brian

Curt63 - 5-25-2010 at 08:40 AM

12.38 in San Ysidro last Sun.

dtbushpilot - 5-25-2010 at 09:18 AM

What is the maximum amount of $ you can exchange at one time? I tried to find out on line with no success......dt

DianaT - 5-25-2010 at 09:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dtbushpilot
What is the maximum amount of $ you can exchange at one time? I tried to find out on line with no success......dt


At Costco it is under $900.00 or you need to have the passport, sign the paper, etc., I thought it was under $1000.00 before, but their sign now says $900.

So we both exchange and if needed, exchange more than once on the same trip there.

[Edited on 5-25-2010 by DianaT]

dtbushpilot - 5-25-2010 at 04:17 PM

Thanks Diana....dt

todays rate at the border?

elskel - 5-27-2010 at 05:20 PM

Anyone see the rate today at the border today in San Ysidro.
brian

DianaT - 5-27-2010 at 08:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elskel
Anyone see the rate today at the border today in San Ysidro.
brian


It was 12.151 at Costco, so it seems to be hanging in at somewhere around 12 every day.

Woooosh - 5-27-2010 at 09:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elskel
Hola to All, Anyone exchange dollars for pesos the last couple of days, at the casas de cambios in San Ysidro. What was the rate? I need to exchange quite a bit of money this week. No change to the banks exchanging dollars?
Thanks brian

We got 12.49 there (San Ysidro) yesterday (Wednesday). Much better rate than Rosarito exchange casas. Didn't check Chula Vista Costco. Some banks in Rosarito are not taking dollars right now and send you to the exchange houses.

[Edited on 5-28-2010 by Woooosh]

irenemm - 5-27-2010 at 10:33 PM

be careful and watch your back if your changing lots of dollars. It might be better to change in different casa's so no one know how much your doing.
stay safe

DavidE - 5-28-2010 at 01:35 PM

I am not in Baja at the moment but over here dollars are no longer accepted at any bank for any reason except for deposit into the bearer's account.

Not one of the sixteen major banks will handle dollars except as noted above. It's been that way since the first of the month. This applies to the 29 states on the Mexican mainland.

Folks may want to check very carefully with a reliable source before they commit to going to Baja bearing only dollars. While banks -were- exchanging dollars on 30 April here they were offering 12.62 pesos for the dollar. Two casas de cambio were offering 11.10 and 11.15 respectively.

What may be needed is for one or more respected board members to step forward and declare "I exchanged............in the month of May at ........bank"

It's a long drive back to the border.

Woooosh - 5-28-2010 at 03:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
I am not in Baja at the moment but over here dollars are no longer accepted at any bank for any reason except for deposit into the bearer's account.

Not one of the sixteen major banks will handle dollars except as noted above. It's been that way since the first of the month. This applies to the 29 states on the Mexican mainland.

Folks may want to check very carefully with a reliable source before they commit to going to Baja bearing only dollars. While banks -were- exchanging dollars on 30 April here they were offering 12.62 pesos for the dollar. Two casas de cambio were offering 11.10 and 11.15 respectively.

What may be needed is for one or more respected board members to step forward and declare "I exchanged............in the month of May at ........bank"

It's a long drive back to the border.


We're in the Preferred Customer unit of Bancomer and they still won't take our cash. We had a friend repay a loan in US dollars (no complaints on that part)- but we found ourselves taking the dollars back north to exchange them for the best rate. When we got 12.49 the other day in San Ysidro- Rosarito cabio houses were still only giving 11.85 and the peso had been "in the mid 12s" day after day. Can't figure this one out...

Bob and Susan - 5-28-2010 at 07:33 PM

friday...12.35

DENNIS - 5-29-2010 at 06:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
friday...12.35


Usually they work on a 2% margin...except when they approach a weekend and especially a holiday weekend, such as we have today.
Yesterday the closing rate was 12.86. A margin of 4% will leave app. 12.35 which is what you saw.
I'm not suggesting any rigid rules for the exchange rate although they are competeing with each other which leaves them fairly predictable.