# The ****** Tax



## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

Now that I've been here a while and know what things cost, have noticed that I'm usually charged higher prices by merchants than Mexican customers, but today I looked at a receipt that I found in my bag and realized I paid for 33 bags of pasta at a local convenience store when I only bought 3! What an idiot I am. I was charged alomst $200 pesos for 3 bags of pasta and paid.

I also paid $6000 pesos for a pair of eyeglasses that won't stay around my ears and are blurry. The woman in the white coat lab coat who sold them to me was so professional until I came to pick them up, then she seemed really nervous and fast talked me into paying for the balance of them, knowing I wouldn't be a happy camper when I used them. I should've known that something was up when the old man who seemed to also work there congratulated me for being an American and benefitting from such an excellent exchange rate.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

MissThing said:


> Now that I've been here a while and know what things cost, have noticed that I'm usually charged higher prices by merchants than Mexican customers, but today I looked at a receipt that I found in my bag and realized I paid for 33 bags of pasta at a local convenience store when I only bought 3! What an idiot I am. I was charged alomst $200 pesos for 3 bags of pasta and paid.
> 
> I also paid $6000 pesos for a pair of eyeglasses that won't stay around my ears and are blurry. The woman in the white coat lab coat who sold them to me was so professional until I came to pick them up, then she seemed really nervous and fast talked me into paying for the balance of them, knowing I wouldn't be a happy camper when I used them. I should've known that something was up when the old man who seemed to also work there congratulated me for being an American and benefitting from such an excellent exchange rate.


Sorry to hear that you've been taken advantage of in these very upleasant and unethical ways. Living here almost 9 years, nothing like this has ever happened to me - I guess I've been lucky. Re the eyeglasses - when I've bought them here and went to pick them up, I always asked to sit down and try them on, so the technician could make sure they fit properly and were the right prescription. I do speak Spanish fluently, but it's obvious I'm not Mexican when I open my mouth though I am sometimes asked if I'm French!


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

> What an idiot I am. I was charged alomst $200 pesos for 3 bags of pasta and paid.


 That's your bad, and it's got far more to do with not paying attention than being a foreigner. Not surprising that a convenience store clerk double clicked the 3 and charged you for 33 bags. Surprising that you paid.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

MissThing said:


> Now that I've been here a while and know what things cost, have noticed that I'm usually charged higher prices by merchants than Mexican customers, but today I looked at a receipt that I found in my bag and realized I paid for 33 bags of pasta at a local convenience store when I only bought 3! What an idiot I am. I was charged alomst $200 pesos for 3 bags of pasta and paid.
> 
> I also paid $6000 pesos for a pair of eyeglasses that won't stay around my ears and are blurry. The woman in the white coat lab coat who sold them to me was so professional until I came to pick them up, then she seemed really nervous and fast talked me into paying for the balance of them, knowing I wouldn't be a happy camper when I used them. I should've known that something was up when the old man who seemed to also work there congratulated me for being an American and benefitting from such an excellent exchange rate.


Several comments… 

In both of the cases you mention, I would go back and complain. You may or may not succeed, but if it were me, I would feel better knowing I at least tried. And it also lets them know that you are not stupid and you know what they did.

Major stores (Home Depot, Costco, Soriana, Mega, etc) have fixed prices. You shouldn't have any trouble in those. Once a Soriana clerk short changed me 100 pesos. When I questioned him he gave the last 100 pesos change. He had it in his hand, he just wasn't going to give it to me unless I noticed.

In mercados and small stores, I have never had a problem, but I live in an area where they don't see many foreigners. It would hardly be worth their time to try to cheat me. Also, I tend to shop at the same stands all the time. I know them and they are fair. If you live in an area with lots of foreigners either resident or tourist, it might be different.

It does pay to discuss price in advance for everything except maybe groceries. Certainly, for something like eyeglasses. 

I had a Z-Gas driver overcharge me 22 pesos once. I saw his truck in the street a couple of times and stopped him and asked him for it after I realized he had overcharged. The first time he just said no. The second time, I yelled at him and blocked his truck for awhile, but didn't get anywhere. After that I decided it wasn't worth it and maybe even risky since he knew where I lived.


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

I'm the only foreigner where I live. There are just love motels and small family owned businesses by me, except for the pharmacies. Because of that reason, I avoid getting into petty disagreements with anybody. People all seem to know one another and I stand out enough as it is. The other day, I bought 3 scoops of ice cream from a guy I always buy from. He charged me $60 pesos instead of the usual $30. When he gave me the change, I could tell that he had meant to up the price from the beginning because most of these businesses around here don't get a lot of customers. They're all packed in close together and selling the same stuff and competing with street vendors who don't pay rent. So they may not be ready for me when I walk in the first time because like I said, they're usual customers are Mexican, but in retrospect they realize they coulda made a lil more on me, so by the time I go back, they're all ready! It's crazy. I dunno. I'll figure out how to deal with it all better...


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

MissThing said:


> I'll figure out how to deal with it all better...


The way to deal with it is to ask 'how much' up front - pretty much all the time.

We go to a great dentist. She and her sister, also a dentist - and very nice people, share an office. A one hour cleaning is 300 pesos. A filling is 300 pesos. My wife needed a crown. Every crown I have in my mouth - and I have quite a few - the dentist in the States would stick an approximate fit in my mouth and start whittling away asking - how does that feel - then whittle away some more. This dentist had THREE crowns made for my wife because the first two were not done right. No whittling allowed.

In the 'neighborhood' we are the ONLY non-Mexicans - for miles. I probably go to the ferreteria 3-4 times a week (today I went twice). I go in my beat up t-shirt and my shorts with holes all over. The only piece of jewelry my wife and I wear are the $20 USD wedding bands we picked up 35 years ago. No watches. My cell-phone is an old LG flip-phone I picked up on ebay for $3 USD.

When we have someone come to the house - like the metal-works guy who has now made perhaps 6 things for us over time - the first time he came to the house he had this image of me that I just described. Well he sees the house and he sees the view and his head tilts and one of his eyes close and he just smiles. His prices are still GREAT ! 

Last time we had the car to the mechanic he had the car for 2 days. When I went to pick it up I asked how much. He said you don't owe me anything - I don't think I fixed it - you really need to go to this other shop and have them fix the leaf-packs. I went to that shop and the guy quoted 800 pesos. He said it would take 2 hours. Well it turned out to be a MUCH bigger job than that and it took 2 men 4 hours each to get it done. When I tried to offer him more money - because I KNEW he was entitled to it - he said 'don't worry about it - we honor our quotes - come back'.


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

Asking how much up front is definitely important. I need to change my approach to shopping. When I first arrived, I kept giving cashiers at 7/11 too much and one chased me into the street to give me change I left on the counter. I had an old man sitting on the sidewalk ask a woman to chase me so he could give me a peso change for something I bought from him, and I began to just get very relaxed about money transactions because so many people here are so sincere and honest.

Nice getting advice from other expats etc. Cheers


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

In 15 years of living in Mexico both at Lake Chapala and in this country's poorest state of Chiapas, this cheating on me as a foreigner has rarely happened to me. Now, for a time many years ago when I was living in Africa and India, I always had to be on the alert or I got home with empty pockets. Great food, though and fine wine and spirits.


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

Hound Dog said:


> In 15 years of living in Mexico both at Lake Chapala and in this country's poorest state of Chiapas, this cheating on me as a foreigner has rarely happened to me. Now, for a time many years ago when I was living in Africa and India, I always had to be on the alert or I got home with empty pockets. Great food, though and fine wine and spirits.


Our experience has been the same in Mexico: out of thousands of transactions, very few instances of any suggestion of a "****** tax". (We're Canadian, and lots of folks - including many Mexicans-will hasten to argue that we aren't "Gringos", but I use the term in its generic sense). Usually, it's a case of the store clerk giving too much change: the math skills of many store clerks seem pretty limited. 
The only situation where short-changing occurs too often is at toll booths on the cuotas. Now, I always sit there and count my change before driving off. This past trip, I forgot my own rule and drove about 100 meters before realizing I'd been short-changed. I was able to back-up the whole 100 meters, held out my hand to the attendant, and without an argument or comment, he handed-over the 10 pesos he'd shorted. Ya, I know....it was only 10 pesos, but I don't like to be treated the fool.

Off the top of my head, the only circumstance where I think there definitely is a "****** tax" is for medical services. Most gringos will probably be charged 400 or 500 pesos for a visit to a doctor's office, while locals seem to pay more like 200 pesos. The "tax" is even more exhorbitant if you are staying in a resort hotel and have a doctor visit your room. In Ixtapa this past winter, my brother was charged $100 US by the "house doctor" to look at a standard case of "turista". That's almost 1800 pesos, folks. I'll bet a week's pay that Mexican national tourists staying at the same hotel would be charged substantially less. In fact, when first enquiring about having a doctor look at her husband, my sister-in-law asked the front desk how much a doctor might charge. She was told: "Oh, it's not too expensive, lady. Maybe 500 pesos."


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

Sort of hard to tell who's a ****** where I'm from, Los Angeles. I've travelled with generational Mexican Americans with weak Spanish, little knowledge of how Mexico works, but with.....dollars. That's the important part. Vendors can smell them and the price goes up. I haven't had too much of a problem. With good consumer skills, like having some idea of what the going rate is for goods and services, you'll be much less likely to be marked as a fat fish. Good Spanish also works wonders in putting profiteers in their place. And of course always ask the price beforehand (_always_ with unmetered taxis and menuless restaurants) when you're not on home turf, and if it's high don't buy; and if it's outrageous tell them so and have a good laugh at their expense. But stop paying the "****** Tax" and you'll be doing yourself and your fellow expats a favor in dispelling the stereotype that we're all rich, eccentric and naïve.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

HolyMole said:


> …I was able to back-up the whole 100 meters, held out my hand to the attendant, and without an argument or comment, he handed-over the 10 pesos he'd shorted. Ya, I know....it was only 10 pesos, but I don't like to be treated the fool.…


I was short changed one peso on a bus the other day. When I got to my seat and realized it, I walked to the front of the bus and the driver gave me a peso. In absolute terms, it wasn't much money but percentage wise it was a 200% overcharge. I only owed him 50 centavos in addition to the transvale (bus coupon) that I used.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Hate to break the news but Canadians are just as gringos as French and others..this is what an indigenous friend of mine told me yesterday..Here in the villages often Europeans are called Alemanes and US and Canadian citizens are referred to as " gringos" although not in their faces..In the Maya languages all non indigenous are referred to as "Kaxlan" .
As I was always friends with people from other groups it does not bother me much but as a kid I was called "gadge" by my gipsy friends, in Hawaii I was an "haole" and here I am "Aleman" or" gringa "who cares....

As far as being overcharged in stors or markets it rarely happens to me but if I want to buy something a tourist would buy or a larger purchase I shop around or py the price...


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

For the products we have purchased I do not believe we (my wife and I) have had to pay a "****** tax" that often. My wife is Mexican so I am sure that helps. However, in terms of services, we do have to be careful and often get quotes from more than one person before making a purchase. Sometimes the differences can be quite large.

Some months back we needed some carpentry work done. My wife and I were together when we got the first quote which seemed quite high to both of us. My wife was by herself when we got the second quote. It was literally one third of the first quote.

So, definitely get prices up front. And if the price seems high, shop around.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

My experience with doctors has never involved variable prices. Maybe because they have the prices posted or on a printed list which they show the patient.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

It really does not matter if one pays a smalll premium once on a while to live here in Mexico and, believe me, once you catch on these premiums disappear if you have half a brain. Come on,folks], do you comprehend how cheap it is to live here compared to San Francisco no matter how many times you are taken to the cleaners by small-minded, two -bit Yokel fraudsters? Concern yourselves with matters of substance.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

Hound Dog said:


> It really does not matter if one pays a smalll premium once on a while to live here in Mexico and, believe me, once you catch on these premiums disappear if you have half a brain. Come on,folks], do you comprehend how cheap it is to live here compared to San Francisco no matter how many times you are taken to the cleaners by small-minded, two -bit Yokel fraudsters? Concern yourselves with matters of substance.


To many, financially it might not be a big deal, but when a group is discriminatorily overcharged on the basis of language, immigration status or national origin, it's a matter of substance. As far as living in San Francisco, I could never afford it, so it's not my yardstick. I'm not paying $80 pesos for a comida corrida everyone else is getting for 50....and then be happy about it because lunch costs a lot more on Nob Hill. If I feel guilty about a too-low price for services, it'll likely be manifested in a too- large tip.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I think I just heard a substantial horn being blown to announce the presence of superior substance.....or something like that. I have forgotten already.


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## Tertiary (Apr 13, 2016)

That's too bad that happened to you. Maybe be a little more cautious when buying things would help? I would never buy a pair of glasses without trying them on first.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Gringp tax for me is something like ........ you are on the road and stop for the night and hit the first taco stand you see that is just opening. The operators don't tell you the food is left over from yesterday and just reheated. 

Two hours later you head for the bathroom ....... and need to continue your trip the next day


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

You get points for the humor, but the experience is too generalized to fit into the ****** Tax concept. Pretty sure we've all eaten lousy chow at some random roadside hash house in the U.S., and I'd bet such joints exist all over the world, serving up equal-opportunity salmonella to tourists and locals alike.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

It's not only "gringos" that can be overcharged when there are no posted prices and you don't ask prices beforehand. Last year this happened to us when we ate at a little eatery in Tlayacapan. I usually ask the price, but I was with my Mexican husband and we didn't ask that time ... and were charged double what it would have been in Tepoztlan (where prices are already higher than most of the surrounding area). 

We mentioned this to a friend, and he described a similar experience. The thing is, he's a Mexican _herrero_ (iron smith) and looks like a Mexican _herrero_, no mistaking him for a tourist. He stopped at a little home-based fondita on the outskirts of Tepoztlan. Again, no prices posted and he didn't ask. He did notice he was the only customer... Well, I guess the owner decided to make up for the lack of customers by charging him double what it would normally cost. He'd already eaten so bad no choice but to pay. Plus, the food came with that "little something extra" mentioned by Sparks and he got sick as a dog. No wonder he was the only customer.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

ojosazules11 said:


> It's not only "gringos" that can be overcharged when there are no posted prices and you don't ask prices beforehand. Last year this happened to us when we ate at a little eatery in Tlayacapan. I usually ask the price, but I was with my Mexican husband and we didn't ask that time ... and were charged double what it would have been in Tepoztlan (where prices are already higher than most of the surrounding area).
> 
> We mentioned this to a friend, and he described a similar experience. The thing is, he's a Mexican _herrero_ (iron smith) and looks like a Mexican _herrero_, no mistaking him for a tourist. He stopped at a little home-based fondita on the outskirts of Tepoztlan. Again, no prices posted and he didn't ask. He did notice he was the only customer... Well, I guess the owner decided to make up for the lack of customers by charging him double what it would normally cost. He'd already eaten so bad no choice but to pay. Plus, the food came with that "little something extra" mentioned by Sparks and he got sick as a dog. No wonder he was the only customer.


Not so much in Tepoztlan - but in Tlayacapan I wonder if they don't have weekday prices and weekend prices. We have only been there on a weekend - but it must be a real ghost town on a weekday. Ya know - in nearly 3 years that is the ONLY place where we encountered an impromptu military checkpoint.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

ojosazules : what is your favorite place for a Sunday breakfast in Teopoztlan ?


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

I think there are a lot of Americans in Mexico who are what my aunt calls "rich people's poor." They have cars in Mexico, savings, own property here. I don't fit into this description. 

I can only remain here if prices are what I thought they were, not what Mexicans who assume I'm rich charge me on the spur of the moment.

Starting over with limited funds in a foreign country is not a piece of cake.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

You guys have no idea what poor is: I just spent the day filling out forms for indigenous women I know so they could get some money to build kilns to make better pottery. 
The poverty is some ommunity is hard to grasp. To a simple question like how many times do you eat meat or eggs a week many times the answer is never.
They eat mostly vegetables the husband grows, they cook of wood they gather. There is no sewer, no water inside the house
The roof and walls have cracks.
The monthly expenses for 3 people were around 1500 pesos

and you are complaining about ****** tax. get serious.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

MissThing said:


> I think there are a lot of Americans in Mexico who are what my aunt calls "rich people's poor." They have cars in Mexico, savings, own property here.


Perhaps your aunt is talking about me. No way I could have retired early with the limited pension I was granted and kept on living in SoCal. It might have been enough to live in some other part of the country, where the weather's crummy most of the year and I don't know anyone. Mexico made sense, and it is reasonably priced, which I figure is important to a large portion of expats who came here. A few have gobs of money that would have allowed luxury retirement anywhere in the world, but I'd bet most of us don't.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> You guys have no idea what poor is: I just spent the day filling out forms for indigenous women I know so they could get some money to build kilns to make better pottery.
> The poverty is some ommunity is hard to grasp. To a simple question like how many times do you eat meat or eggs a week many times the answer is never.
> They eat mostly vegetables the husband grows, they cook of wood they gather. There is no sewer, no water inside the house
> The roof and walls have cracks.
> ...


There are no absolutes about income. Studies have shown that people are happy when they have about as much money as the people around them. They are unhappy when their neighbors have more money.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> There are no absolutes about income. Studies have shown that people are happy when they have about as much money as the people around them. They are unhappy when their neighbors have more money.


To piggy-back on that - my last 'real' job in the States was with a startup which was ultimately sold for $750 million USD. At one point the 'owner' called us 'founders' out into the parking lot for a meeting (and so he could have a smoke). His speech went something like - look around you - you are the core of this business - everyone of you make exactly the same salary (which was a very fair salary). Of course many of the 'executives' had more options - but that is another story.

Rest in peace Hank.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

chuck846 said:


> Not so much in Tepoztlan - but in Tlayacapan I wonder if they don't have weekday prices and weekend prices. We have only been there on a weekend - but it must be a real ghost town on a weekday. Ya know - in nearly 3 years that is the ONLY place where we encountered an impromptu military checkpoint.


If they do have weekday vs weekend prices in Tlayacapan, which would you expect to be more expensive? Because we were there in the middle of the week, and like you say, it was pretty deserted. 

That's one of the things I like about Tepoztlan- although it gets crazy busy with the weekend influx, throughout the week it remains pleasantly bustling, never feels deserted.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

chuck846 said:


> ojosazules : what is your favorite place for a Sunday breakfast in Teopoztlan ?


Quesadillas in the market... Flor de calabaza con champińones, Tinga de pollo, papas con rajas. All "con queso" plus a hefty serving of one of the many available salsas on top. Recently I ventured outside my comfort zone and had a quesadilla with _chapulines_ (crispy roasted little grasshoppers) - they were actually quite tasty!

I'm not a good person to ask about the more upscale restaurants in Tepoztlan, because we don't really frequent them. Years ago I went to Los Colorines and liked it a lot, but these days many people have mentioned that the quality of their food has declined. I'd like to try some of the more formal restaurants sometime, but have never got around to it. The restaurant on the upper terrace of the hotel Poasada del Tepozteco has a beautiful panoramic view of the town and surrounding mountains.

Often we are invited to friends' places for a breakfast, such as a recent delicious pozole with tacos dorados in Doña Angela's sun-filled kitchen, along with many of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren coming and going. Or the delicious mole we had at my friend Lucia's, or the chile rellenos at my neighbour Doña Clara's, accompanied by her fresh tortillas, all prepared on her wood fired _comal_, served with _te de canela_ (cinnamon tea). Of course, at Doña Clara's you have to be tolerant of the animals coming and going, as they have many cats, dogs, chickens, and turkeys roaming around including in the cooking/eating area. And Rufina the _burra_ will periodically "announce the time" ("anunciar la hora" - and she's always within at least 30 minutes of the "hour"  ) They definitely do the "indoor/outdoor living" thing, but not in the way imagined by most expats! I always enjoy going over there, and Doña Clara is a very good cook.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

MissThing said:


> I think there are a lot of Americans in Mexico who are what my aunt calls "rich people's poor." They have cars in Mexico, savings, own property here. I don't fit into this description.
> 
> I can only remain here if prices are what I thought they were, not what Mexicans who assume I'm rich charge me on the spur of the moment.
> 
> Starting over with limited funds in a foreign country is not a piece of cake.


As with anywhere, people's budgets vary and it is very reasonable that you need to stay within yours. You should be able to do this in Mexico, but as already mentioned you will need to get comfortable with doing a few things. 

1. Ask prices ahead of time - if it seems inflated either ask for a reduction or go elsewhere. 

2. Have an idea what the going rate is for items and services. Ask at different places to familiarize yourself. 

When a young Colombian friend was visiting us in Tepoztlan, he wanted to buy some hand-painted pottery mugs. I know they are usually MXN$40-50 each. The first place he asked the price (with his Colombian/Canadian accent) he was quoted $70. I said "Gracias", and moved along. The next 2 places I asked we were quoted $50 from the outset. Also we took him to the market for quesadillas, and we sat down at one market stall, but before ordering I asked how much the quesadillas were (knowing they are generally around $15 - a little more if extra ingredients are added) - the proprietor said $20, so we got up and went to a different stand where they were the expected price.

3. Familiarize yourself with the currency and take time to count your change. I see local Mexicans doing this all the time. 

4. Figure out ahead of time roughly what you think the total bill is going to be, and if it seems out of whack, ask for clarification. Again, I have seen plenty of Mexicans do this, so I don't think you need to worry about offending anyone. 

In my experience, most of the time things are charged as they should be, but given you don't have a lot of pesos to spare, it's worthwhile to take these extra steps to be sure.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

ojosazules11 said:


> Quesadillas in the market... Flor de calabaza con champińones, Tinga de pollo, papas con rajas. All "con queso" plus a hefty serving of one of the many available salsas on top. Recently I ventured outside my comfort zone and had a quesadilla with _chapulines_ (crispy roasted little grasshoppers) - they were actually quite tasty!
> 
> I'm not a good person to ask about the more upscale restaurants in Tepoztlan, because we don't really frequent them. Years ago I went to Los Colorines and liked it a lot, but these days many people have mentioned that the quality of their food has declined. I'd like to try some of the more formal restaurants sometime, but have never got around to it. The restaurant on the upper terrace of the hotel Poasada del Tepozteco has a beautiful panoramic view of the town and surrounding mountains.
> 
> Often we are invited to friends' places for a breakfast, such as a recent delicious pozole with tacos dorados in Doña Angela's sun-filled kitchen, along with many of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren coming and going. Or the delicious mole we had at my friend Lucia's, or the chile rellenos at my neighbour Doña Clara's, accompanied by her fresh tortillas, all prepared on her wood fired _comal_, served with _te de canela_ (cinnamon tea). Of course, at Doña Clara's you have to be tolerant of the animals coming and going, as they have many cats, dogs, chickens, and turkeys roaming around including in the cooking/eating area. And Rufina the _burra_ will periodically "announce the time" ("anunciar la hora" - and she's always within at least 30 minutes of the "hour"  ) They definitely do the "indoor/outdoor living" thing, but not in the way imagined by most expats! I always enjoy going over there, and Doña Clara is a very good cook.


What is Dona Clara's number ? 

We have been to the Colorines in Teopozlan and it was ok but the Colorines in Cuernavaca across the street from the Gandhi bookstore is MUCH better. We probably eat breakfast there 40 times a year. They have package deals.

The other restaurant I enjoyed in Teopoztlan I enjoyed (for breakfast) was Axitla. 

We are up at 5AM every day. I can't wait until 2PM to eat lunch so we generally only eat breakfast out.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

citlali said:


> You guys have no idea what poor is:


Haven't had 1st hand knowledge of abject poverty, but I've seen a great deal of it, here in Mexico and even more in L.A. where 50,000+ homeless fill public spaces everywhere. What I don't see is how customers getting cheated at some business has any relation to poverty. If it really were a tax dedicated to providing water, sewers and otherwise improving the lot of the indigenous you mention I wouldn't complain, but it doesn't.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

ojosazules11 said:


> As with anywhere, people's budgets vary and it is very reasonable that you need to stay within yours. You should be able to do this in Mexico, but as already mentioned you will need to get comfortable with doing a few things.
> 
> 1. Ask prices ahead of time - if it seems inflated either ask for a reduction or go elsewhere.


My Spanish is weak (to say the least) - but when I receive a price for something I usually respond with 'Y con el descuenta del INAPAM' ? With a smile on my face and my hands crossed on my chest. You would be surprised how often that works.


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