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Doug/Vamonos
Nomad
Posts: 418
Registered: 6-19-2006
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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Where is best peso exchange today?
Hi. I normally withdraw my pesos from atms south of the border. But I need a lot more than I can get for my next trip. I called Costco in Chula Vista
and their rate today is 17.1. Today's exchange rate is 18.98. That is a huge difference. Does someone have a favorite cambio on San Ysidro Blvd that
will better the rate from Costco? Thanks. Talking several thousand dollars worth. P.S. Don't tell the bad guys. :-)
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Doug/Vamonos
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Registered: 6-19-2006
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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And I'm not interested in opening a new bank account with a peso friendly bank. Just a cambio house is fine. Thanks.
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sancho
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Location: OC So Cal
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The info I got from an Ensenada paper, which I ASSUME is today, says 17.50, always read
Costco was best? Bad guys, heard the cartels own the Casas
de Cambios. Generally it seems the Casa rate is .80p, to
1.00p lower than atm rate?
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gschroder
Newbie
Posts: 10
Registered: 2-26-2012
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I have just started living in Rosarito more-or-less full time and converting more of my dollars to pesos. Like you I have found the ATM offers the
best exchange after taking into consideration the cross-border and ATM fees, but have used the San Ysidro cambios frequently and find them all to be
close enough so that when changing a few hundred dollars the difference is not enough for me to worry about. But I see your concern; changing a few K
dollars would make the exchange rate more important. I have noticed that the Costco in Chula Vista lists better exchange rates than the cambios in SY;
last weekend it was over 18 when the going rate in town was 17.4 to 17.6.
But, I am relatively new to this game so others might have better insights!
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Doug/Vamonos
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Posts: 418
Registered: 6-19-2006
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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Yeah. I was very surprised when I called and the lady on the phone said 17.1. I expected better from Costco based on what others have said. Maybe I'll
call again and see if I get a more attractive number. Thanks.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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my experience...they wont give you a number over the phone...it changes too quickly
over 2k you need to fill out a "govt tracking form"
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Spearo
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Posts: 153
Registered: 11-30-2010
Location: Moscow, Idaho and Pescadero, BCS
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I just ordered pesos through my bank in the states (Zion's) and they gave me 17.6
It ain't 19 but I'll take it!
Were it not for the abdomen, man would easily reckon himself a god.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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woody with a view
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Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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you need a costco card to use their peso dispenser.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
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Location: Punta Banda
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USD/MXN (USDMXN=X) -CCY
18.9457 Up 0.0187(0.1000%) 8:38PM EDT
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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this is pretty accurate...
http://www.eldolar.info/en/mexico/dia/hoy
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18418
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha  | No offense, but if you have to drive 20 miles to save two cents a gallon on gas, why bother? If you have to ask if you can afford it, you can't
afford it.
Now, if your goal is to buy THOUSANDS of dollars worth of dollars to pesos at one time, okay, that makes sense to me. Otherwise, just get on the
road, start hitting ATMs with two or three different cards, and just get what you get on the current exchange rate...... because saving a whopping
$50-100 for your trip over a long period is a stressor, you are more concerned with dollars than sense...... and piece of mind. It's only money. Ya
counts it or ya spends it. |
A penny saved is a penny earned.
P.s. I usually get my pesos at baja-mex cambio on san ysidro blvd.
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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Nothing is more fun than spending money in Baja knowing you are getting a way better value than up north. Shop Shop Shop.
I use ATMs and find they give the best rate when your bank credits back foreign exchange fees and atm fees. And you can do as many withdrawals a day
as desired if you tell your bank to allow it so you can do construction financing through atm if you need to without a foreign account.
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BajaNomad
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Thread Moved
6-15-2016 at 05:47 AM |
Doug/Vamonos
Nomad
Posts: 418
Registered: 6-19-2006
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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Amazing how simple questions on this site quickly turn into regret for ever asking. Not you Frank or the other helpful responses. How do I delete this
thread?
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1108
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Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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Bank of America was 18 the other day - they charge a $7.50 shipping charge, you pick them up at a close by location. Very convenient and not a bad
exchange rate.
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Doug/Vamonos
Nomad
Posts: 418
Registered: 6-19-2006
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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Thanks BajaMama. I checked that out this morning before I saw your post and will order from them. Pick up is free at the local bank. Not bad. Like I
said, I normally do the atm thing with a couple different cards. But this time I needed a lot more money so the atm doesn't work for me since my drive
is one day and no atms in the Bay. Thanks everyone for the responses. BofA charges just over 4%. Meaning the exchange is about 4% under the daily bank
rate and I get the security of being inside a bank while I count my pesos. I'll take it!
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Unless you are talking about really large amounts of money, isn't this discussion just about chump change?
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imlost
Nomad
Posts: 218
Registered: 3-31-2015
Location: PNW & East Cape
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You should use a Santender Bank ATM, because they are affiliated with Bank of America. No fees.
You can withdraw 6000 pesos per transaction. Our B of A account texts us if we withdraw funds from Santender, and as long as we respond that it's OK,
we can keep making withdrawals, even one after another. You'll want to do this during normal bank hours. You won't be able to keep withdrawing funds
after hours.
EDIT: FYI - I just learned that the "no fee" ATM transactions will end on Aug. 1st, 2016. Details: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=83337#pid1038...
[Edited on 6-20-2016 by imlost]
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imlost
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Location: PNW & East Cape
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...also Note: You can't go to a teller in a Santender branch and expect them to withdraw funds from your B of A account. It only works through the
ATM.
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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Many banks will allow you to increase your daily limit to a very high amount, though the ATM's have their own limit. So you can achieve increased
withdrawal through multiple transactions typically at 500-700 US maximum per withdrawal plus per transaction fees. While the OP said he doesn't want a
new account, it should be noted schwab will refund all fees and provide no limits to withdrawals so it is a great bank to use for travel to mexico.
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MitchMan
Super Nomad
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Registered: 3-9-2009
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Wow, gnukid, I am not seeing a rate of 18.98 anywhere.
The Visa rate that I usually rely on is obsolete at this moment (11:47am La Paz time, June 20, 2016) at being a carryover from the weekend at 18.8527
(don't trust it at this moment as it wasn't changed from the weekend rate in spite of the stock market popping up and the price of oil going up
today). A more accurate rate would be lower. While Visa may post a daily rate at the beginning of the day, they watch what is happening on the spot
market and will abruptly change their rate at the ATMs in response to it if the spot rate becomes markedly different than the daily rate (especially
if the currency rate is in a downward immediate trend as it is right now).
It could change up later, if and only if the DOW reverses its current high; up 202 points at this moment).
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