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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1768
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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Credit Cards at Supermercados?
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.
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1663
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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Yes, you can use credit or debit cards at the large Supermarkets in Baja Sur.
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
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Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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@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.
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1663
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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Why not pay for the card rental with a credit card, too?
Carrying lots of cash is tough.
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1768
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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| 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.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Credit Card
Don't forget to call your credit card issuer and inform them you will be in Mexico......
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RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 839
Registered: 5-1-2010
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| 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.....
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1768
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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| 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...
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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2406
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
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| 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
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1663
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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Get a Schwab account with a debit card for transaction fee FREE banking in Mexico.
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BajaUtah
Nomad
Posts: 190
Registered: 10-4-2013
Location: Salt Lake City/La Ribera
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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.
Andy
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1768
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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| 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.
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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| 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.
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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]
Bob Durrell
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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Walmart, Costco and Commercial Mexicana take US CCs for sure
Bob Durrell
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BajaUtah
Nomad
Posts: 190
Registered: 10-4-2013
Location: Salt Lake City/La Ribera
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| 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.
Andy
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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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. |
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ncampion
Super Nomad
Posts: 1238
Registered: 4-15-2006
Location: Loreto
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Mood: Retired and Loving it
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| 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. |
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karenintx
Senior Nomad
Posts: 540
Registered: 3-16-2008
Location: CSL
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Mood: Living The Dream
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| 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.
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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!
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Beware of some banks believing their rate of exchange is worth worth less than other banks.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1768
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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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.
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