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Alm
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Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob  | | I just successfully paid the CFE bill with Ulink. I can't begin to describe my sense of accomplishment and feeling of joy.. |
I believe Ulink charge a few dollars fee. Exchange rate is probably not too good. Xoom (Paypal) does the same, and has a poor exchange rate. The
best option was a direct pay by CC - when it worked. CC use a fair market rate and my CC doesn't charge conversion fee.
A question, if anybody knows. When paying in CFE in San Felipe, I noticed that everybody was paying cash in ATM. The guy at the counter didn't want
to do anything with payments when I asked him, is this common? Though, paying at the counter with CC has its own risks...
[Edited on 6-6-2024 by Alm]
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surabi
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I have no idea about that specific CFE office, but at the office where I live on the mainland, yes, everyone pays their bill at the CFE ATM if they
aren't paying online or at an OXO. They don't take any payments in the office itself, cash or otherwise.
[Edited on 6-7-2024 by surabi]
[Edited on 6-7-2024 by surabi]
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surabi
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| Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob | | I just successfully paid the CFE bill with Ulink. I can't begin to describe my sense of accomplishment and feeling of joy.. |
Dealing with things Mexican that you'd just take for granted and are unproblematic up north sure does make one grateful for simple accomplishments
that amazingly didn't involve a bunch of glitches and frustration, doesn't it?
A few weeks ago, the city wasn't sending me water for some time and my cistern and tinako were scarily low. Also I had called the propane delivery guy
several times, and though he said he'd come, he hadn't.
I was so thrilled and considered it an especially great day, when not only did they send me water the following day, I was able to flag down a propane
truck that happened to come down my road on the way to a neighbor's.
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Bajazly
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Posts: 1013
Registered: 6-4-2015
Location: Goodbye Cali and Hello San Felipe
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Mood: More Relaxed Everyday
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| Quote: Originally posted by Alm |
A question, if anybody knows. When paying in CFE in San Felipe, I noticed that everybody was paying cash in ATM. The guy at the counter didn't want
to do anything with payments when I asked him, is this common? Though, paying at the counter with CC has its own risks...
[Edited on 6-6-2024 by Alm] |
I pay my 2 bills every month at the counter with a CC, have for 3 1/2 years and paying with a CC has zero risk at all. Get over your fear of Mexico
and using a CC, just as safe/risky as using it back in the home country.
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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surabi
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While I don't use my NOB credit card for anything except online purchases, I agree that people don't need to be afraid of using a CC in Mexico.
Of course it's always a good idea to keep an eye on your CC activity so if it is ever compromised, you'd know quickly.
A friend who was here in Mexico got an alert from her Canadian bank about suspicious activity on her account, and was trying to think back as to where
she had used her CC here, but when checking the details of the fraudulent charges, it turned out they were made in Canada, before she even came down
here.
The thing you should never do with a CC is let an employee take the card to run it out of your sight. For instance you go to a restaurant and the
waiter wants to take your card to the machine. That's how many CCs are compromised.
What I've never understood is the point of the 3 digit "security" code on the back. If your card gets stolen or someone otherwise gets physical access
to your card, they also have the security code.
[Edited on 6-7-2024 by surabi]
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Udo
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Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly | | Quote: Originally posted by Udo | There is no trick. I used my USA billing address for verification by the app. They will ask you for your billing zip code. (Yes, all this is in
Spanish)
| Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly | | @Udo, what is the trick to using a US CC? I have the app but it won't let me use a US CC. I was thinking about a prepaid Mexican CC but haven't done
that yet. |
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Do you pay both here in SF and Ensenada or just Ensenada, not that it should make any difference but Mexico and all.
I go into CFE and pay at the counter with my US CC and no problem, go figure I guess. |
IN SF I do not need to pay CFE. However, I have paid CFE for Ensenada at the SF ATM inside their building> I have also paid at OXXO and 7-11. SF I
have solar (18 KW system).
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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pacificobob
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| Quote: Originally posted by surabi | | Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob | | I just successfully paid the CFE bill with Ulink. I can't begin to describe my sense of accomplishment and feeling of joy.. |
Dealing with things Mexican that you'd just take for granted and are unproblematic up north sure does make one grateful for simple accomplishments
that amazingly didn't involve a bunch of glitches and frustration, doesn't it?
A few weeks ago, the city wasn't sending me water for some time and my cistern and tinako were scarily low. Also I had called the propane delivery guy
several times, and though he said he'd come, he hadn't.
I was so thrilled and considered it an especially great day, when not only did they send me water the following day, I was able to flag down a propane
truck that happened to come down my road on the way to a neighbor's. |
Ya, my propane guy is a big fat lier. He will constantly tell me what i want to hear, and show up whenever.
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surabi
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Telling you what they think you want to hear is a very prevalent behavior in Mexico and one of the most frustrating to deal with. (Although not all
Mexicans do that.)
If you're busy and can't come for 2 days, just tell me that, it's fine, but don't leave me stuck at home all day waiting for you to show up. If you
have a lot of work on your plate and can't repair something for me for 2 weeks, don't tell me you can do it in 2 days.
The concept that business owners in other places understand is that if you get good, honest service, you are going to tell 5 other people. If you get
bad service and lies, you're going to tell 10 other people.
[Edited on 6-7-2024 by surabi]
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 5-10-2011
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| Quote: Originally posted by surabi | Telling you what they think you want to hear is a very prevalent behavior in Mexico and one of the most frustrating to deal with. (Although not all
Mexicans do that.)
If you're busy and can't come for 2 days, just tell me that, it's fine, but don't leave me stuck at home all day waiting for you to show up. If you
have a lot of work on your plate and can't repair something for me for 2 weeks, don't tell me you can do it in 2 days.
[Edited on 6-7-2024 by surabi] |
Very prevalent indeed, in businesses and govt offices. My friend suggested that this is a lack of communication skills but I think this is
psychological, they can but don't care or don't want to. Another thing I noticed is inability to provide directions, they confuse left and right (in
Spanish, yes), or before and after some landmark. When streets have no names and buildings - no numbers, it can be challenging.
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pacificobob
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Every culture has its own way of communicating. This includes delivery of bad news messages. "I'll be there in the morning" vs "I'm really busy, and
have no idea when get there"
I dealt with aircraft maintenance personnel in more than 40 countries during my career. I always had to run their statements through a filter,and
hopefully end up with an accurate idea of what to believe. Some cultures have a tough time delivering a bad news message.
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surabi
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I think that cultural difference may have to do with cultures that are more "in the moment" than those where people look to the future. If you tell
someone what you think they want to hear, that person will be satisfied and be pleased with you in the moment. That they might be peeed off in a week
when you haven't followed through with what you said you would do isn't considered.
The same thing applies to purchases. Most Mexicans I know will opt for the cheapest paint, for instance, because they will be spending less in the
moment. That the cheap paint will only last 2 years before it needs to be redone, and the price of paint will have gone up by then, whereas the more
expensive paint will last for 10 years, so be cheaper in the long run, isn't considered.
And that "in the moment" mentality has a lot to do with historical economics. In a third world country, where a lot of people have traditionally
struggled to get by on a day-to-day basis, they are just focused on today. In a first world country, where more people are economically comfortable,
they can focus more on the future.
And when it comes to things like deliveries, what occurred to me is that Mexican households generally consist of more people than gringo households.
So it doesn't really matter if the propane guy shows up at 5pm on Tuesday instead of noon on Monday, as he promised, because there is likely to always
going to be someone at home to accept the delivery, even if it's just grandma who sits in her rocker all day. They haven't switched their thinking to
"Oh, I'm dealing with gringoes, whose household may only consist of one or two people, who may not be home if I just show up whenever."
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RFClark
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Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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When we lived in California, Edison “the Prince of Darkness” was every bit as bad as any bureaucracy in the world including BCS.
Today we don’t deal with CFE or municipal water. The gas trucks come in swarms several trucks several times a week, unless there is a shortage. In
which case they take care of their big customers 1st. We have a 45Lb cylinder that fills for $500 Pesos and I take it to the Propane yard and they
fill it. We don’t use much Propane so no big deal.
Mexico, in my opinion, is in general better as far as service is concerned. You do need to work within the Mexican system which can be a challenge for
some Nortes.
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surabi
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I have 2 large propane cylinders, one for the hot water tank and one for the cook stove on the other end of the house.
But after having too many times when the propane delivery guy didn't show up as promised, I bought a couple of 10k tanks that I take to get filled
myself, and that are light enough for me to lift and move on my own, that will tide me over until I can flag down a propane truck.
Those full small tanks really came in handy a few years ago when there was a propane shortage (or a supply chain issue- there were different
explanations, who knows) and both my big tanks ran out over Xmas holidays. There simply wasn't any propane to be had, even if the delivery guy had
deigned to come.
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