BajaNomad

Credit Cards at Supermercados?

pauldavidmena - 1-13-2014 at 05:52 AM

My wife and I are making our long-awaited visit to Todos Santos on Saturday. Since we're flying in to Los Cabos Airport and renting a car, our plan was to stop at either Soriano or CCC in Cabo San Lucas to pick up some groceries. My question is whether or not we'll be able to use a credit card for our purchase. Supermarkets in the U.S. started allowing credit or debit cards a few years ago, but I don't know if the same applies in Mexico.

Mula - 1-13-2014 at 05:53 AM

Yes, you can use credit or debit cards at the large Supermarkets in Baja Sur.

pauldavidmena - 1-13-2014 at 05:55 AM

@Mula - thank you for the quick reply! We'll already be carrying an uncomfortable amount of cash in order to pay for our car rental, so not having to carry more than that will be quite helpful.

Mula - 1-13-2014 at 07:11 AM

Why not pay for the card rental with a credit card, too?

Carrying lots of cash is tough.

pauldavidmena - 1-13-2014 at 07:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mula
Why not pay for the card rental with a credit card, too?

Carrying lots of cash is tough.


Dominic's is strictly cash - U.S. dollars, in fact. That's really my only gripe, however. We've been very happy with the reliability of the cars and the quick response to any questions.

Credit Card

bajaguy - 1-13-2014 at 07:48 AM

Don't forget to call your credit card issuer and inform them you will be in Mexico......

RnR - 1-13-2014 at 08:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mula
Yes, you can use credit or debit cards at the large Supermarkets in Baja Sur.


US credit cards? or just Mexican cards??

I have Mexican bank debit cards and have used them seamlessly for many years. A year or so ago, I tried to use a US debit card at Soriana's. The system would not accept the card. Haven't tried to use a US card since.

However, most of the large mercados have ATM's in the stores or the lobby areas. You can use your US cards in the ATM's, get pesos, and then do your shopping.

US credit cards are charged a 3-5% foreign transaction fee in addition to whatever exchange rate is used when the charges are converted. Not sure how this compares to the ATM fees and which method is better.....

pauldavidmena - 1-13-2014 at 08:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Don't forget to call your credit card issuer and inform them you will be in Mexico......


Excellent idea. Better to do it now toll-free than to do it via international long distance with the restaurant owner impatiently waiting to be paid...

desertcpl - 1-13-2014 at 08:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pauldavidmena
Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Don't forget to call your credit card issuer and inform them you will be in Mexico......


Excellent idea. Better to do it now toll-free than to do it via international long distance with the restaurant owner impatiently waiting to be paid...




yes VERY important,, I know first hand about not doing this
its not funny when your way down south, and your card has been frozen

Mula - 1-13-2014 at 08:43 AM

Get a Schwab account with a debit card for transaction fee FREE banking in Mexico.

BajaUtah - 1-13-2014 at 08:43 AM

I've used my US Visa card at Soriana and Mega in San Jose del Cabo without any issues. However, my Amex is always turned down by the cashiers. Seems to be the rule, my Amex is only good for the car rental and the Visa for all other transactions.

Really, once past the car rental and first big grocery haul everything else goes Pesos.

pauldavidmena - 1-13-2014 at 09:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaUtah
Really, once past the car rental and first big grocery haul everything else goes Pesos.


That's what we've noticed - although restaurants and souvenir shops in Todos Santos seem to take credit cards as well. Lizarraga and the smaller vendors seem to be pesos only.

durrelllrobert - 1-13-2014 at 09:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pauldavidmena
My wife and I are making our long-awaited visit to Todos Santos on Saturday. Since we're flying in to Los Cabos Airport and renting a car, our plan was to stop at either Soriano or CCC in Cabo San Lucas to pick up some groceries. My question is whether or not we'll be able to use a credit card for our purchase. Supermarkets in the U.S. started allowing credit or debit cards a few years ago, but I don't know if the same applies in Mexico.
If you find one you can expect your US CC company to add the 3.5% foreign transaction fee.

[Edited on 1-13-2014 by durrelllrobert]

durrelllrobert - 1-13-2014 at 09:56 AM

Walmart, Costco and Commercial Mexicana take US CCs for sure

BajaUtah - 1-13-2014 at 09:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pauldavidmena


That's what we've noticed - although restaurants and souvenir shops in Todos Santos seem to take credit cards as well. Lizarraga and the smaller vendors seem to be pesos only.


I should have been clearer. The choice of using cash is mine. As part of the trip's first few stops I'll hit up a bank ATM and I'll just use the coin of the realm from then on. It's just easier for me to think Pesos and not pay Visa's 3-4%. I'm sure there are restaurants and shops who take CCs along the way but it's just feels better to me to go local cash.

bajaguy - 1-13-2014 at 10:14 AM

Chase/Southwest Airlines VISA has no foreign transaction fees, plus you build up travel points.
Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
If you find one you can expect your US CC company to add the 3.5% foreign transaction fee.

ncampion - 1-13-2014 at 10:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Chase/Southwest Airlines VISA has no foreign transaction fees, plus you build up travel points.


Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
If you find one you can expect your US CC company to add the 3.5% foreign transaction fee.


I was just advised by B o A to open a special "Foreign VISA" CC account which also has no froeign transaction fees and also has travel points. I'll try it out next week when we go down.

karenintx - 1-13-2014 at 12:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pauldavidmena
My wife and I are making our long-awaited visit to Todos Santos on Saturday. Since we're flying in to Los Cabos Airport and renting a car, our plan was to stop at either Soriano or CCC in Cabo San Lucas to pick up some groceries. My question is whether or not we'll be able to use a credit card for our purchase. Supermarkets in the U.S. started allowing credit or debit cards a few years ago, but I don't know if the same applies in Mexico.


Living in CSL full time we use our Capital One C/C all the time at Wal-Mart, Costco, Home Depot, Mega, Soriano, Chedraui and our favorite restaurants. We have never had a problem plus Capital One does not charge any International transaction fee. This save us a lot of money each year plus we also earn 1.5% cash back.

Capital One knows we live here full time so we have never been declined at the cashier stand. Only time Cap One had any question about fraud was two years ago when we signed-up with Tel-Cel and the charges were out of their home office of Tijuana. After confirming the charge was legit, Cap One released the fraud alert.

I prefer going to the new Mega store...but that just me!

DavidE - 1-13-2014 at 12:38 PM

Beware of some banks believing their rate of exchange is worth worth less than other banks.

pauldavidmena - 1-14-2014 at 03:22 PM

The international transaction fee on my card (an MBNA Visa) is 3% - pretty steep in my opinion. The card does accrue "points", but it seems to take forever to accumulate enough to purchase airfare. We only have a few days before our next trip, but I might consider an alternative like Capital One in the future.

CASH IS KING

captkw - 1-14-2014 at 03:34 PM

I ALWAYS CARRY SOME CASH FOR THE CRASH AS IN EARTH QUAKES OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT CAN ARISE !!