| Pages:
1
2 |
Suzie
Junior Nomad
Posts: 31
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: San Antonio De Las Minas, B.C.
Member Is Offline
|
|
Buying Pesos in Tecate
Where is the easiest place to buy pesos going southbound through Tecate, preferably on the U.S. side?
Thanks,
Suzie
|
|
|
apple
Nomad
Posts: 284
Registered: 11-4-2013
Location: SD
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Nomad
Posts: 284
Registered: 11-4-2013
Location: SD
Member Is Offline
|
|
There's a Santander a few blocks down too, also on your right
|
|
|
Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
|
|
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
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 12-19-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
How about going into the bank and exchanging US cash rather than ATM fees Does that work as well?
|
|
|
RanchGX
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 10-17-2013
Location: TX, AZ, Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Nomad
Posts: 284
Registered: 11-4-2013
Location: SD
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
|
|
|
apple
Nomad
Posts: 284
Registered: 11-4-2013
Location: SD
Member Is Offline
|
|
Yeah, I've never seen Pemex have an advertised rate better than 12 pesos to the dollar
|
|
|
Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
|
|
| 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
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 10-17-2013
Location: TX, AZ, Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| 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. |
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
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by RanchGX
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| 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. |
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. |
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.
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Pesos vs Dollars
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
Nomad
Posts: 284
Registered: 11-4-2013
Location: SD
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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
Super Nomad
Posts: 1856
Registered: 3-9-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 12-19-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Junior Nomad
Posts: 31
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: San Antonio De Las Minas, B.C.
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Senior Nomad
Posts: 770
Registered: 12-27-2008
Location: Northern California
Member Is Offline
|
|
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.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
