# Purchasing mexican pesos



## sparks55 (Jan 15, 2012)

I have been shopping around for mexican pesos. I wanted my husband to have pesos on him when he crosses the Border. I checked with my bank USBank, They sell pesos( UK firm TravelEx), but the exchange rate is only 0.08. They charge $10 fee for shipping the money to me. Woulde it be better if we waited til we got into mexico?

Look forward to hearing from you"all.

Heather


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

sparks55 said:


> I have been shopping around for mexican pesos. I wanted my husband to have pesos on him when he crosses the Border. I checked with my bank USBank, They sell pesos( UK firm TravelEx), but the exchange rate is only 0.08. They charge $10 fee for shipping the money to me. Woulde it be better if we waited til we got into mexico?
> 
> Look forward to hearing from you"all.
> 
> Heather


Does he have an ATM card? Probably better to just stop at the first ATM machine and withdraw cash there. There are lots of banks and they all have 24 hr access to ATM machines (although one should be careful about using them at night when there aren't people around).


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

It is almost always better to get money in country. We do reasonably well at ATMs' and they are pretty ubiquitous. I also try to have a pretty good understanding of present exchange rates by going online as well as looking at banks and money changers. The only place that I have ever used money changers is in San Miguel as surprisingly they sometimes have the best rates.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

US airports that fly into Mexico have money exchange booths as well as Mexican airports


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## Ken Wood (Oct 22, 2011)

*Buying pesos*

I agree with the postings above, with one small caveat. I concur that ATM's are the best currency exchangers, and will meet just about every need at the best possible exchange rate. However, I don't like the idea of approaching the border crossing being flat broke...from a peso perspective. Most U.S. cities have at least one major bank that will sell you pesos at a fair exchange rate. I'm not recommending that he fund his entire trip in this manner, but a couple of thousand pesos in his pocket might give him a little security and make for a smoother entry into Mexico. If forced to get some pesos for incidentals at the border, the first ATM's inside Mexico can be a little intimidating, especially if one doesn't understand the language, even though most ATM's are now bilingual. CC's are my security blanket (though some disagree with that also) but, as a first time crosser, I would carry a few pesos.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

If crossing the border by land, there will be ATMs at or near customs/immigration.
If crossing into Mexico by air, there will be ATMs and 'cambios' inside the airport.
It is not a problem. If you are slow with bilingual machines, use the 'cambio' booth.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

I agree with Ken Wood. The first time I entered Mexico by land, I had some US bank-obtained pesos and it made me feel much more relaxed. I soon found an ATM and got more pesos but it was calming to have a couple thousand pesos in my wallet. Where we cross at Columbia there is no place to obtain pesos right there at the crossing. I'll bet that's true at many of the small crossings.

Now when I go back to the US what I do is take out a thousand pesos extra before I leave Mexico and keep it in a safe place so that when I re-enter the country I have that same peso cushion. But, as Ken Wood says, for a first time visitor it might be a good idea to have some "en efectivo" on hand when they cross the border. It's just one less thing to worry about at that time, which is especially nice of the person doesn't have a lot of international travel experience


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

*Repetitive Question ?*



circle110 said:


> I agree with Ken Wood...a lot of international travel experience


We have flown into Mexico a couple of times. Each time we had no pesos. In general, _por lo general_, is it a good idea to use the cambio at the airport for a major conversion, or wait until: 
a) we get to our destination and use a local cambio, or 
b) find an ATM at our local destination and use it?


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

If flying in, I would definitely not worry and get pesos at ATM or cambio. As was stated, driving in slightly different as not all crossings have money exchange or cambio. Even with Columbia, the rest plaza on the cuota is where I gas. They take credit cards and there is an ATM so not much risk.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I assumed flying due to the "UK firm TravelEx" reference


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

conklinwh, I almost always stop at that same rest plaza - sometime just to get a coffee - and it is an excellent place to get cash. I just feel better if I have some pesos as I cross the border. 

I usually withdraw at the Oxxo on route 2 just because I have come upon too many ATMs that are out of cash or out of service. If the Oxxo ATM is out of money then I still have that rest plaza as a plan B. If neither works (highly unlikely) I could still make it to Matehuala on the cash I carried across the border and then in Matehuala there are many options of ATMs.

If the OP is indeed flying then it is easy and no need to pre-purchase pesos.


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## sparks55 (Jan 15, 2012)

*thanks guys *

:ranger: Thanks for all of your answers. Mack is going to ride the bus this time. It will be either Greyhound all the way into Oaxaca or ADO from Matamoros to Tapachula. We do have a debt/credit card to use also. 

Gracias por su ayuda.

Heather


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Not sure if Mack has a visa or will need to get FMM at the border. Expect Greyhound probably crosses at Laredo and there is cambia at customs. Trying to remember immigration at Matamoros as have never tried to get cash there. Since trip to Oaxaca has to be very long expect pesos will be needed for food if nothing else. May be good to take the hit on $100-150 USD in advance.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Greyhound will require a transfer to a Mexican bus line as it nears the border. 
If the passenger is not a Mexican, he will have to tell the driver to pause and let him find INM and get his FMM, or enter on his visa (if he has one). At that point, he should look, or ask, for the ATM. If he doesn't see one handy, there will probably be another opportunity at the first rest/fuel stop. Nothing to buy on the bus anyway.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

RVGRINGO, guess you said better than I the FMM versus visa holder.
My only concern would be where the buses stop in route in Mexico. If some of the larger rest stops then expect that there would be ATMs but since I haven't ridden the bus wasn't sure if they stuck to more local stops where may not be ATMs.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I'm sure he'll be on a top of the line luxury bus for such a trip. As such, the stops will be at larger places, if a restaurant stop, or larger bus stations, where he might hop off and get pesos if the driver is alerted. Of course, the driver would be able to advise him ahead of time.
At whatever US station he makes the change to the Mexican bus, it is highly likely that there may be ATMs with the choice of US$ or Pesos. Such machines are easy to find near the border. I even know of one here in Chapala.


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## PieGrande (Nov 16, 2008)

When I am in the States, we live in McAllen. I trot down to IBC and buy pesos to get me by for a while. I do not worry about exact conversion rates as so many do. In Mexico, I go to one of the nearby cities, and drag home 10 or 15 thousand pesos at a time. I am not anal on conversion nor fees, just a part of life in Mexico.

Obviously, coming in first time as a tourist makes for a different problem.


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## El Blanco Sol (Feb 5, 2012)

*Pesos/ATM*



sparks55 said:


> I have been shopping around for mexican pesos. I wanted my husband to have pesos on him when he crosses the Border. I checked with my bank USBank, They sell pesos( UK firm TravelEx), but the exchange rate is only 0.08. They charge $10 fee for shipping the money to me. Woulde it be better if we waited til we got into mexico?
> 
> Look forward to hearing from you"all.
> 
> Heather


Hi Heather,
I have an internet checking account with debit card with HSBC in the states. Cost me nothing to open and maintain. I use the debit card for all purchases in Mexico and when I need pesos HSBC has ATM's all over the place. There exchange rate is fair and there are no fees or charges. Everything is done via the internet. Couldn't be simpler or more easy. Good Luck!

p.s. correction here. When I use the ATM there is a 22 peso charge but I take out 3000 pesos at one time. I feel the fee is reasonable.


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## Lukito (Apr 11, 2011)

The thing that is not reasonable is that if you have HSBC which boasts that it is present on 140 countries (or 220?) they still charge you the fee, even if you use HSBC over here. Try banamex, I think they will charge you more or less the same 

I don't like the green ATMs, they charge 60 pesos or something....


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