Muddyrabbit
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Pesos
Just curious since we've never been to Mexico before, how many pesos should an average Joe bumming around on a bike carry for 1 day, or 2 days away
from the town we are staying in? 100 or 1000 per person, what denominations? While we're talking about it, how much does stuff cost?
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DENNIS
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Depends on what stuff you're talking about. Tortillas are about the last bargain remaining.
For convenience, figure the peso at 11 to 1 today. Actually at this moment it's 10.93 to one. That means 1000 Ps is 90 bucks. How long will 90
bucks last at home?
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Mango
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Like Dennis said, it depends. IMO it better to have too many pesos than too little.
Pesos are pretty simple to figure out. Roughly it's 10 pesos to 1 dollar. So just drop the last zero off any peso amount and you have a rough idea
of what something costs in dollars. (i.e. 1000 pesos = about 100 dollars)
Smaller denominations are always better to have and carry than larger ones when you are away from town. It can be very hard to find someone to give
you change for a 500 peso bill in a little town for something that only may cost 25 pesos. Usually ATM's will discharge some combination of 500's,
200's, 100's and even 50's.
Generally, I save my small bills for small purchases where getting change might be tough. I use my big bills for hotels or fancy meals, etc..
Try to break down your bigger bills as quickly as possible. Often I carry a money belt with my passport, visa/atm card, and most of my money. Then I
also carry a wallet or small coin purse with about 500-700 pesos in it(coins and bills). I use the coin purse throughout the day. It helps me keep
track of my spending. At the end of the day, I see what I have left, then restock it from my main cache of money. This keeps you from having to dig
into your main cache during regular everyday interactions on the street.
Also, don't accept any money from anyone if it is ripped or torn. It is still "good" but you will have a very hard time finding anyone willing to
take it. Often ripped bills are passed off on unknowing tourists.
Have a great trip.
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gnukid
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You need about 200 pesos a day to mess around, that would include three meals at 50 pesos each and perhaps 50 pesos for a drink in the evening. Oh and
the general rule is don't buy mixed drinks from restaurants, since they seem to screw that up pretty good, best to drink beer or order something
straight unless you have it on good advice the alcoholic drinks are drinkable--in general they are not and could ruin your next day.
You will want extra cash for an emergency, such as a taxi ride out.
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Osprey
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Many retirees here learn a more sophisticated method of handling money. Before you venture out, you decide if it will be a "big handful day" or a
"small handfull day". I don't use cards much cause "Cash Makes No Enemies".
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vandenberg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
Many retirees here learn a more sophisticated method of handling money. Before you venture out, you decide if it will be a "big handful day" or a
"small handfull day". I don't use cards much cause "Cash Makes No Enemies". |
Of course this doesn't quite work if you have hands like snowshovels. 
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mango
Also, don't accept any money from anyone if it is ripped or torn. It is still "good" but you will have a very hard time finding anyone willing to
take it. Often ripped bills are passed off on unknowing tourists.
Have a great trip. |
Excellent point, often overlooked in the advice threads.
Get comfortable with the ATMs. They're almost everywhere.
What exactly did you mean by bumming around on a bike? Is that your only means of transportation?
Hey Mango....You're almost 10% off on your exchange rate but what the heck, It's Mexico.
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Cypress
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Dennis is right about the ATM's. Cash! Only a fingertip away.
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Mango
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
Hey Mango....You're almost 10% off on your exchange rate but what the heck, It's Mexico. |
Good point. 10 to 1 is more like an estimation than anything, I use it quickly in my head to get a sense of how much stuff costs without having to
think much. Since I always use pesos in Mexico I only need to worry about the exchange rate if I want to change some pesos back to dollars when I go
back to the states. 
However; often times people will throw in a dollar or so when making change. I hate that; because they often use the 10 to 1 (sometimes 11 to 1)
exchange rate and besides.. I never use dollars in Mexico. I always return the favor if it happens to me at a restaurant and leave it as (part of)
the tip.
I also agree. ATM's are the way to go nowadays when in/around town.
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Oso
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I miss the old days when it was a fixed 12.50 or 8-10, but I agree that while the rate fluctuates between 10 and 11 to one, using 10-1 as a mental
math shortcut is the quickest way to get a good idea what you are spending vis-a-vis value and when the rate is a bit better that means you are doing
a bit better than what you roughly calculated.
BTW, ATMs are great but not always available in the boonies or always loaded on weekends. Get a money belt. Lots of places in Ensenada etc. sell
leather belts with zippered backs where you can stash plenty of 100-200 peso notes. Break up the 500s as soon as you can as they are difficult to
change in the boonies.
Forget traveler's checks, you can't cash them anywhere but banks and major hotels.
[Edited on 1-8-2008 by Oso]
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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elgatoloco
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajadedom
....I have only been here at Bajanomad for a month or two but have discovered that most posters don't spend more than a month or two a year in baja
and are generally wealthy blowhards....!!
( I will bear the pain of that statement but I am who I am) |
Yes, you is what you is. 
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by durrelllrobert
happened to me 3x since i've been down here and i wasn't drunk either time |
Bob...... Is this a test?
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bajaguy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajadedom
....I have only been here at Bajanomad for a month or two but have discovered that most posters don't spend more than a month or two a year in baja
and are generally wealthy blowhards........ |
WTF????????????
Hey, bajadedom, welcome to the board. You will really make friends here with that attitude.
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