BajaNomad - Buying Pesos in Tecate

Buying Pesos in Tecate

Suzie - 1-30-2014 at 11:36 AM

Where is the easiest place to buy pesos going southbound through Tecate, preferably on the U.S. side?
Thanks,
Suzie

apple - 1-30-2014 at 11:52 AM

You'll always get a better rate at an ATM
There's a Bancomer a few blocks after you cross the border on the right.
Right here on google maps

apple - 1-30-2014 at 11:54 AM

There's a Santander a few blocks down too, also on your right

Bajaboy - 1-30-2014 at 12:30 PM

yes, at the bank. But if you must buy them prior to crossing, there are a number of places just before you cross.

Bob and Susan - 1-30-2014 at 12:36 PM

there's a mailbox place right at the border but bad parking...

I would cross the border and
go to the BIG gas station just as you leave town

they have a really good exchange at the gas station

also a store with food and really clean bathrooms

Cliffy - 1-30-2014 at 12:56 PM

How about going into the bank and exchanging US cash rather than ATM fees Does that work as well?

RanchGX - 1-30-2014 at 12:58 PM

Why would you need to buy pesos? I usually get a better exchange rate using US currency, and if I do need them I get them in change at the Pemex. No fee that way either.

apple - 1-30-2014 at 02:35 PM

Unless your bank charges absurd fees, you will still get a better rate at the ATM than at a money changer.
I never pay at Pemex with dollars. They give a poor rate and do you really want to trust the guy at the pump to get the math right? It's just an extra opportunity for them to rip you off.
Getting pesos from an ATM is as easy as in the States and I recommend it.

DENNIS - 1-30-2014 at 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RanchGX
Why would you need to buy pesos? I usually get a better exchange rate using US currency, and if I do need them I get them in change at the Pemex. No fee that way either.

Really????
Those are two suggestions that normally raise red flags.....especially the Pemex part.

apple - 1-30-2014 at 09:35 PM

Yeah, I've never seen Pemex have an advertised rate better than 12 pesos to the dollar

Bob and Susan - 1-31-2014 at 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by apple
Yeah, I've never seen Pemex have an advertised rate better than 12 pesos to the dollar

then you better go to the Pemex on the toll road at rosorito (sp)
and the tecate Pemex I mentioned

sometimes it pays to pay in dollars at border towns

RanchGX - 1-31-2014 at 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Really????
Those are two suggestions that normally raise red flags.....especially the Pemex part.

Ive been doing it for years (10+ now) and have never had an issue once with the exception with one visit in Santa Rosalia where I had to teach the guy math. I always double check their math, but if you pay attention most of the time they have the exchange rate printed up on a piece a of paper taped to the pumps or the side of the building.

Usually get about $75 in fuel, so Ill hand the guy a $100 and away I go. Usually lasts me until I need to fill up again. Besides has anyone here actually had an issue using dollars down in Baja? I've only had issues when I drove down to Mazatlan on the mainland. Anywhere south of San Carlos was pesos only.

Pescador - 1-31-2014 at 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RanchGX

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Really????
Those are two suggestions that normally raise red flags.....especially the Pemex part.

that is such a sign of disrespect for the country you are visiting. Unless you are only dealing in the border region, but you mentioned Santa Rosalia. First, if the person accepting dollars has a bank account, he gets nicked 5% after a certain amount of dollars deposited. Second, the person accepting dollars has to go through the hassle of doing conversions and standing hours in a Mexican bank. They can not use them to buy tortillas or groceries.

I have fishermen coming to me all of the time who do not have bank accounts because some body who is really out of touch and does not understand the system of banking in Mexico has paid them in dollars. When asked, they smiled and said sure they would take dollars, but then they fretted later when they tried to do something with them.

Most of this has come about due to the drug cartels laundering money, so please do the right thing and exchange your dollars for pesos and spend pesos.

Pesos vs Dollars

bajaguy - 1-31-2014 at 08:32 AM

Would you try and use Pesos or Loonies to buy gas in Phoenix or Sacramento????....I think not. Use the money of the country you are in.

I read on this board all the time of people saying that they want the Baja/Mexican experience, but insist on using dollars to purchase items. Is that the "real" Baja experience????

Do you know or care if you are creating hardships for the people you pay in dollars???

........."Yeah, but Blah, Blah, Blah......."

apple - 1-31-2014 at 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador

that is such a sign of disrespect for the country you are visiting.

...

so please do the right thing and exchange your dollars for pesos and spend pesos.

Exactly! It's really easy to get and use pesos AND you're money definitely goes further this way.
Also, credit cards are for jerks, except for big purchases like at a hotel or walmart

MitchMan - 1-31-2014 at 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
...that is such a sign of disrespect for the country you are visiting. Unless you are only dealing in the border region, but you mentioned Santa Rosalia. First, if the person accepting dollars has a bank account, he gets nicked 5% after a certain amount of dollars deposited. Second, the person accepting dollars has to go through the hassle of doing conversions and standing hours in a Mexican bank. They can not use them to buy tortillas or groceries.

I have fishermen coming to me all of the time who do not have bank accounts because some body who is really out of touch and does not understand the system of banking in Mexico has paid them in dollars. When asked, they smiled and said sure they would take dollars, but then they fretted later when they tried to do something with them.

Most of this has come about due to the drug cartels laundering money, so please do the right thing and exchange your dollars for pesos and spend pesos.

Well said, Pescador

Cliffy - 1-31-2014 at 10:53 AM

Still asking for a good answer- How about the bank and not the ATM to avoid ATM fees? I haven't been down in decades but will be going in 4 or 5 weeks. Would before the border be as good as banks after crossing?

Suzie - 1-31-2014 at 10:58 AM

Thank you all for your input. I don't think the CFE would appreciate me paying my bill in dollars. Nor would the county when I went to pay my property taxes. I've learned after almost 50 years in Mexico it's always better to use pesos. And Pemex a good place to exchange currencies? You've got to be kidding me. We always went south on the toll road and came back through Tecate so we have never purchased pesos there. I'm surprised the banks have a good rate. What we were getting in San Ysidro at the Casas de Cambios was better than Banamex in El Sauzal. Anyway, thanks all.

dasubergeek - 1-31-2014 at 04:17 PM

You can only exchange money at the bank if you have an account at the bank, and they charge a commission. It's much better to go, like everyone else, to one of the cambios.

I don't know many people who actually deposit dollars—they tend to exchange them at the cambios, which is why the ones in Tijuana are always so busy, and not just with travelling norteamericanos. Santa Rosalia, though, no idea.

nbacc - 2-1-2014 at 08:29 AM

Get some pesos from your bank at home on line and there is usually no charge You gotta plan a week or so ahead of time though.

J.P. - 2-1-2014 at 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cliffy
Still asking for a good answer- How about the bank and not the ATM to avoid ATM fees? I haven't been down in decades but will be going in 4 or 5 weeks. Would before the border be as good as banks after crossing?

I have lived in Baja over 10 years most Banks will not accept Foreign Money unless you have a account there.

CakedecT - 2-1-2014 at 09:37 AM

I go to the HSBC ATM inside Calimax or Soriana grocery store. I get the max $6000 pesos, because I get charged $3 per withdrawal. Good exchange rate, yesterday $13.24 pesos per dollar. Also safe inside the store.

bajaguy - 2-1-2014 at 02:54 PM

Today, according to the XE currency converter web site, the Dollar against the Mexican Peso is 1:13.34

http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&Fr...

After doing some shopping in Ensenada, The rate today at COSTCO is 1:13.15 and at several Cambios it is 1:12.95

I guess you just have to balance out the cut the Cambios take even though they say "no commission" to what your ATM fees are

DENNIS - 2-1-2014 at 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy

I guess you just have to balance out the cut the Cambios take even though they say "no commission" to what your ATM fees are

Their cut is normally, if they are competitive, 2% below the bank rate.

Gawwwdammmm.........just buy a handful of the fun-tickets and go. there are other things to worry about....like gas prices.
Today at my local Pemex, Magna was 12.41 per liter. It went up again yesterday and it promises to go up on the first of every month.
Anybody have the formula to figure that out with the now dollar price paying 13.3485?

PEMEX Prices

bajaguy - 2-1-2014 at 03:16 PM

From ensenada.net:

Get ready for the second gasolinazo 2014

Magna, Premium and Diesel 9 cents more per liter.

Article posted January 31, 2014
by Elizabeth Vargas

This Saturday, February 1st, a new gasolinaza affect the battered finances of Baja California.

According to official information the Magna gasoline ranges from 12.32 to 12.41 pesos per liter, which implies an increase of 9 cents.

Premium gas, will increase from 12.90 to 13.01 pesos per liter of fuel.

While diesel 12.73 to 12.84 pesos per liter.

This is the second monthly increase on fuel that will be over and 2014 will be nine cents on the first Saturday of each month.

DENNIS - 2-1-2014 at 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy

According to official information the Magna gasoline ranges from 12.32 to 12.41 pesos per liter, which implies an increase of 9 cents.

I guess that means centavos.

Thanks, Terry. Can you figure the dollar price so we can compare with stateside?
I'm just curious.

Sandlefoot - 2-1-2014 at 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy

According to official information the Magna gasoline ranges from 12.32 to 12.41 pesos per liter, which implies an increase of 9 cents.

I guess that means centavos.

Thanks, Terry. Can you figure the dollar price so we can

compare with stateside?
I'm just curious.

At the exchange rate of 13.356 and a liter at 12.41 it works out to 3.5173 a gal. It is slowly getting higher than places in the U.S.

Happy Trails

DENNIS - 2-1-2014 at 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sandlefoot

At the exchange rate of 13.356 and a liter at 12.41 it works out to 3.5173 a gal. It is slowly getting higher than places in the U.S.

Happy Trails

Thanks for doing the math.

Phil S - 2-2-2014 at 08:06 AM

For you frequent travelers and those that aren't frequent, years ago I learned it's less "frustrating" to get the peso's before you go down. We go to Wells Fargo where ever we are before "going in", and no hassle. Yes, they like you to be a customer, but also being a stock holder also works. Just find a bank in your town that doesn't charge you an exchange fee before going south.

DENNIS - 2-2-2014 at 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil S
For you frequent travelers and those that aren't frequent, years ago I learned it's less "frustrating" to get the peso's before you go down. We go to Wells Fargo where ever we are before "going in", and no hassle. Yes, they like you to be a customer, but also being a stock holder also works. Just find a bank in your town that doesn't charge you an exchange fee before going south.

Good idea.
And...let's not forget the convenient Casa De Cambio in Costco on Broadway in Chula Vista. Everybody needs a Costco visit before a trip south.