# ~~~> What Should I Bring?



## Silence820 (Nov 5, 2009)

I am relocating to Mexico in February. What are some of the things I should bring from the U.S. that I can’t get or would be more expensive in Mexico?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Some years ago, there would have been quite a list. Now, if it isn't available here, you don't really need it. We now have malls that are so 'upscale' that we feel the need to really dress up just to go there and, once inside, we just look.


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

Silence820 said:


> I am relocating to Mexico in February. What are some of the things I should bring from the U.S. that I can’t get or would be more expensive in Mexico?


Where are you moving in Mexico? The weather will dictate what you need to bring for clothing. I brought two pairs of shoes with toes over four years ago. My feet changed shape from wearing huaraches, so they don't fit anymore. I only own sandals now. If you are moving to a warm clime, you might want to bring a warmer outfit for visiting the mountains and a couple of sweaters or sweat shirts for the "cold" months. If you are moving to a city you should bring some more formal wear, up to and maybe including a suit and tie or distaff equivalent. Of course, you can buy all of this here as well, but if you already have it, just keep it within reason for the climate where you will spend most of your time. 
You probably want to bring a good laptop computer with WiFi. That way you won't have to sweat getting an English-language keyboard and English OS here (which can be done). 
If you are moving anywhere except the north shore of Lake Chapala, consider bringing a large hunk or more of a top-notch Vermont cheddar cheese. I'm dying just thinking about it. Super Lake's best cheddar is good, but it is from Oregon and not Vermont. No comparison.
Bring 100% cotton pillow protectors with plastic zippers. You can't find them here. Also bring sets of sheets, which you can find but at a premium over BB&B and usually with a lower thread count. 
Bring Oxo utensils for non-stick pans, especially long handled tongs. You can't find the plastic-ended tongs in Mexico as far as we know, and we have looked high and low.
Bring a good quality salad spinner. We bought a stainless steel Oxo for $50 USD and we love it. Hard to find good quality here, if you can find at all.
Cook books and measuring cups come in handy. You can find liquid measuring cups in both ml and oz's but non-liquid measuring cups for, for example, flour, are only available (in our experience) for the metric system.
Lastly, anything that you can't live without from Trader Joe's.
¡Qué le vaya bien!


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## Southbound (Sep 28, 2009)

*Availability of Specific Cookware?..........*



El Toro Furioso said:


> Where are you moving in Mexico? The weather will dictate what you need to bring for clothing. I brought two pairs of shoes with toes over four years ago. My feet changed shape from wearing huaraches, so they don't fit anymore. I only own sandals now. If you are moving to a warm clime, you might want to bring a warmer outfit for visiting the mountains and a couple of sweaters or sweat shirts for the "cold" months. If you are moving to a city you should bring some more formal wear, up to and maybe including a suit and tie or distaff equivalent. Of course, you can buy all of this here as well, but if you already have it, just keep it within reason for the climate where you will spend most of your time.
> You probably want to bring a good laptop computer with WiFi. That way you won't have to sweat getting an English-language keyboard and English OS here (which can be done).
> If you are moving anywhere except the north shore of Lake Chapala, consider bringing a large hunk or more of a top-notch Vermont cheddar cheese. I'm dying just thinking about it. Super Lake's best cheddar is good, but it is from Oregon and not Vermont. No comparison.
> Bring 100% cotton pillow protectors with plastic zippers. You can't find them here. Also bring sets of sheets, which you can find but at a premium over BB&B and usually with a lower thread count.
> ...


Great tips El Toro Furioso! 
Has anyone seen electric rice cookers of decent quality and if so, roughly what might be the cost of a small one in Guadalajara/Lakeside?
If one were to bring a piece of luggage filled with several dozen bags of Trader Joe's wild rice would that be considered contraband? A while back it was mentioned that wild rice might not be readily available in Mexico.
Thanks


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

Southbound said:


> Great tips El Toro Furioso!
> Has anyone seen electric rice cookers of decent quality and if so, roughly what might be the cost of a small one in Guadalajara/Lakeside?
> If one were to bring a piece of luggage filled with several dozen bags of Trader Joe's wild rice would that be considered contraband? A while back it was mentioned that wild rice might not be readily available in Mexico.
> Thanks


Re: Wild rice It depends on where you live in Mexico. Lakeside, no problem. Also, has anyone had any experience using an electric rice cooker at 5,000 ft. altitude?
I would guess that several dozen bags of anything would raise eyebrows if you were to get a red light. Customs would no doubt assume that you were bringing them to sell, not just for personal use.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Rice cookers are available at Costco & ours works just fine. Unfortunately, I'm at the beach and can't tell you the brand.
Toro, Cabot's extra sharp cheddar can occasionally be found at Super Lake or Costco. We love it too!


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## Silence820 (Nov 5, 2009)

should i get a cosco or sams club membership, before i leave the states?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

The Costco or Sam's Club cards are recognized in either country. I think they are 400 pesos in Mexico now, so you can compare prices and choose which country has the best deal.


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

Silence820 said:


> should i get a cosco or sams club membership, before i leave the states?


I keep asking you, where are you moving? If you are moving to Colima, there is no Costco and there is no Sam's Club, so why join either? If you are moving to Manzanillo, there is no Costco and there is no Sam's Club. If you are moving to Lakeside/Guadalajara there are both. Costco is better for "real" food meaning fresh meat and fish and the best deal on a roast chicken around. Sam's Club is better for selling real mineral water cheap and tons of processed frozen food, most of which is very bad for you. Sometimes their electronics prices are better than Costco. We recently bought a 40" Toshiba true HDTV at Costco at a $5,000 peso discount. Still a little over $100 more than in the States but with a Mexican warranty and guts to handle 135 volts, unlike those from NoB. If you do get a membership you aren't going to pay more or less to speak of on either side of the border. If you sign up here, they will automatically put your renewal on your credit card at checkout when it is time to reup. I don't know if their computer programs are integrated with the US to do that. I doubt it and the lines to reup can be pretty long just as you were planning on beating rush hour home.


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## Silence820 (Nov 5, 2009)

i am moving to mexico city


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

Silence820 said:


> i am moving to mexico city


You can get anything except reasonably priced Vermont cheddar cheese. Why have you been putting us through this exercise? If you're coming to the beach on the Costa Alegre, let me know and I'll send you a list of what WE need from la capital.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I would start with bedding but that sort of depends on what you plan to do for matresses.
There is a difference between local and American sizes. Also, we are not too impressed wsith local towels if you like bathsheets or very plush.
Person that suggested good plastic cookware is right. Our cook has us bring her utensils from the US.
Also, if you want to do a lot of ethnic but not Mexican cooking where unique utensils or items required, bring those. We had to import pizza pan and cutter.
No problem getting rice cooker as that a staple and we are over 7500ft.
If you use your FM3 shipment you can save a lot on electronics.
We prefer COSTCO. Card works both places. Key is where you think will use the most if you go for the Executive card with cash back.


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## Southbound (Sep 28, 2009)

conklinwh, 
Are you stating that the American Express Costco Cash Back card does or does not work in Mexico?
Thanks


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Your Costco membership card will work anywhere.
If you are asking about an American Express credit card; that won't be very useful. In fact, few folks use credit cards in Mexico for a couple of reasons: They aren't accepted in most places and security is poor, causing a lot of credit card theft, etc.


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## Southbound (Sep 28, 2009)

Ahhh.......precisely why I'm asking RVGRINGO. My Costco Executive Card IS an American Express card obtained through and sponsored by Costco.
My last experience using it out of the U.S. was in Canada. The card would get me in the door and allow purchases but not allow me to charge said purchases to American Express as is my normal custom to allow cash back on Costco purchases, the main purpose of having the card.
My hope was that possibly over the years Costco had expanded the Amex/Costco card to other countries, but it would seem they have not. 
If anyone knows different please post information here.
Thank You


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Southbound said:


> conklinwh,
> Are you stating that the American Express Costco Cash Back card does or does not work in Mexico?
> Thanks


Guess it was a little cryptic. I use the COSTCO Executive Member card and a separate credit card. By the way AMEX not required in Mexico. Mine is a US Costco card. What I was told is that with a US card I only get 2% back on US purchases. With a Mexican card, I would only get 2% back on Mexican purchases.
Not sure exactly why but that has been the case so far.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

The reason is simple: Costco in the USA is separate from Costco of Mexico; as is the case with virtually all of the large stores with familiar names. As such, terms and products may differ, even though membership is honored across borders as a courtesy.


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## Southbound (Sep 28, 2009)

Ummmmm........guess that still leaves it a little muddled as to whether or not my Amex/Costco card will be accepted in Mexico. It looks like and is an Amex card that has the Costco Logo on the back with my Costco membership number.
Also conklinwh, am I understanding correctly that you have a Costco card that you currently use in Mexico that pays 2% cash back and it is simply a regular Costco cash back card and not a Costco card that may be used to charge Costco purchases?
Please pardon any redundancy, just trying to get all Costco Card matters straight before I head down there. The Costco folks at my store in Oregon know less than nothing concerning Costco stores in other countries.
Thanks again!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

This is really getting tedious.
Your Costco membership card will work.
An American Express credit card probably won't.
Mastercard or Visa will work in Costco or other large stores.
Local shops seldom accept credit cards. The few which do, may charge you extra to use one.
Using a credit card in Mexico isn't common & may result in thousands charged by others before you even get home. It is a cash society.
The Mexican Costco Executivo Membership card does have the 2% feature in Mexico only.
The US Executive card 2% feature is for the US stores only.
There is no combination Membership/Credit Card in Mexico, as far as I know.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Actually, credit cards a little better than that. Yes I know COSTCO takes VISA & MC and they have a list of others at the register but I haven't looked. AMEX charges merchants more so is discouraged. Costco in Mexico, unlike the US, gives you two prices, cash(effectivo) and charge. They also have an ATM to get cash. What I use depends on the amount I buy. ATM's have a maximum and a charge but is a flat rate.
Places in Mexico, either don't take cards, take cards but will give you 5-10% para efectivo, or have no difference cash versus cards such as Home Depot, supermercados and some restaurants. I tend to use in the latter. Most US cards now charge a currency transfer fee even though they have no or negative cost. Only exception that I know of is Capital One.


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

Costco accepts our US-sourced Amex Gold card without question. It is the only means of payment we have used there in over 4 years. Costco Mexico issues a Costco-logo'ed Amex card with a 2% discount in Mexico stores only. You can use it like a regular Amex card at Soriana or Walmart etc. as well. We don't go to Costco enough to justify getting a Costco discout card, Amex or just Costco. We live 9 to 10 months a year on the beach and the nearest Costco is over 200 km away in Puerto Vallarta.


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