I haven't been down in a couple of years, what's the best way currently to get pesos, the money exchangers in San Ysidro or using an ATM down there?
and is there a best american bank to have in terms of ATM fees? thanks, sethrhintransit - 1-11-2012 at 05:38 PM
atms
the bank to have is one that doesn't charge you a fee and foreign money charges. those vary. see previous threads re best bank partners, USA/MXBob and Susan - 1-11-2012 at 05:38 PM
use both
normally there is a 2% lower rate for a cambio
but there is a charge from mexican banks to use their atm
this month i got 3000 pesos at 13.84
right behind it i got 2000 pesos at 13.80
the mexican bank fee for 3000 pesos was 3%
the mexican bank fee for 2000 pesos was 3%
at the border my friend got 13.6 the day i got the money fron the ATM
with the fees i got only 13.44
and 13.40
so in REALITY the better rate was at the cambio at the border
hidden fees are in ALL banks
take MY word on this
[Edited on 1-12-2012 by Bob and Susan]805gregg - 1-11-2012 at 06:01 PM
Costco in Chula Vista or in the bank. I won't use an ATM in a third world country.
been here 6 years
Mula - 1-11-2012 at 06:07 PM
full time and ATM's are all I use!
Carrying a lot of cash - pesos or UD$$ is dangerous and unnecessary. in this day and age.Woooosh - 1-11-2012 at 06:09 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
Costco in Chula Vista or in the bank. I won't use an ATM in a third world country.
where ya going? lol. I have been ripped off once by the ATM in Rosarito. But I still use it. For convenience and the best rate, I use the BofA
debit card in a Santanders Bank ATM machine (best rate, no fee and up to 6000 pesos). For safety and security and a decent rate, I would use CostCo
in Chulajuana. I get an email the same day showing me the amount deducted from my BofA account. Easy to track.
[Edited on 1-12-2012 by Woooosh]seth - 1-11-2012 at 06:22 PM
thanks for the tips.
my girlfriend has a small grant to study fog harvesting by lichens, so we're driving the coast from canoas south, and then a couple of roads that go
from the coast inland to see how far inland the lichen shows up.woody with a view - 1-11-2012 at 06:24 PM
there will be NOWHERE south of san quintin to use a card until g negro. just saying.
[Edited on 1-12-2012 by woody with a view]Ken Cooke - 1-11-2012 at 07:27 PM
I also bank with B of A and use Santander with no fees. No problems with ATMs, although once I was asked in Tijuana by a group of 3 teenagers if I
needed "Help" using the ATM machine. They got scared of me and ran before I could report them to the police.seth - 1-12-2012 at 11:50 AM
we don't need much money, just gas and fresh food. what's the max you can withdraw at a time? one stop in tecate or ensenada might be enough.Woooosh - 1-12-2012 at 02:43 PM
fog harvesting is interesting stuff for the arid regions of Baja.DENNIS - 1-12-2012 at 02:57 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh
fog harvesting is interesting stuff for the arid regions of Baja.
On the slim chance that someone won't know what that is:
That said, it just seems to me that on a relatively short trip, the whole argument about cambios v. ATMs is nonsense.
If we spend two weeks on a trip, we're gonna spend a bunch of pesos on lodging and food. A few dollars one way or the other on exchange rates just
seems to be over-thinking things.
We've entered Mexico for many years with a couple of hundred US dollars and then stopped at an ATM and obtained Pesos.
Just my opinion.
What was posted earlier about no ATMs from San Quintin to GN is true. Although it doesn't sound to me like you're going that far South.
Same is true from Vizcaino to Santa Rosalia.seth - 1-12-2012 at 06:08 PM
i probably should have said this at the beginning: we're thinking about crossing at tecate and avoiding the TJ/San Ysidro thing and i wanted to see
how viable that is.Hook - 1-13-2012 at 07:24 AM
We use the B of A, Santander method of ATM withdrawals, combined with a Banamex and credit union twist.
Credit union EFTs to our B of A account. No charge. Minimum 1000 dollar balance in B of A account to avoid fees.
Then, ATM withdrawals from Santander. No fees at all. Usually we get about .1 to .2 pesos less than the exchange rate posted on XE.com. Good luck
finding THAT exchange rate anywhere.
The place that comes closest to this on a regular basis is.........WALMART. In fact, the larger supermarket chains often give great exchange rates if
you pay in dollars at checkout. Walmart consistently gives the highest rates.
Now, having a Banamex ATM/debit card is very handy down here. Its accepted almost anywhere AND the only bank in our town is a Banamex. The Santander
is about 20 minutes away in Guaymas. But we go into Guaymas once every 10 days or so for shopping (Sams, Walmart, Soriana, vegetable wholesale market
which sells retail, too).
But there is no way to convert dollars into Banamex pesos and get a decent rate. They seem to give about 1.3 to 1.5 pesos less than the XE rate. So,
we fill the Banamex account with pesos from withdrawals at Santander. Minimum 4000 peso balance, as I recall, to avoid fees from Banamex.
Cross border EFTs would be nice, but not allowed. Wire transfers are, of course, but they are expensive.
BTW, we were the victim of lost money from a bonafide Santander ATM. It was not one at the bank but one at a Modelorama. During a series of
withdrawals, our card was kept in mid transaction. The business owner said an ATM maintenance employee was just outside and would help us. (very
suspicious!!) He got our card out but no receipt was printed. We learned later in the day (online) that we had been charged with a withdrawal. B of A
made good on it while an investigation was conducted. It eventually turned out that Santander claimed that we got the money (not so) and B of A was
powerless.
Since then, we do not use ANY ATMs except ones at a bank DURING BUSINESS HOURS so that we can immediately notify band personnel if there is a problem.
So, now you know someone who lost money from a bank ATM in a foreign country........
