Anybody do this? Roughly how much do you save, as a percentage? What ATM, casa de cambio or other source do you get the pesos from? How long is the wait in line to get the pesos?
I do. I used Schwab free international card at HK's ATMs, they actually give the correct VISA exchange rate per day. I locked my card when not in use. Every 6 months theives tried to use my card, a cloned, to withdraw money in USA but they failed everytime. Schwab even praised me for being a responsible customer.
Tied down here now, but when in TJ I do plan to be paying for everything in Pesos. The idea is not to save money, but rather to make a nice impression on the ladies.
I am going to disagree in part with SJG, but only as it applies to the Zone and TJ proper. In Nogales, Cuidad Juarez, Mexicali, pesos are best.
Street girls yes, they think in pesos. Some of them do a 10:1 conversion when the actual conversion is 20:1. Had a street girl offer $20US ($400MX) or $300MX ($15US) for a session. That said, prices have gone up recently and you can expect that street girls will be starting at $400MX-$500MX currently. Recently got a street girl for one hour for $1800MX ($90US) or $100US ($2000MX). So there is some savings using pesos with street girls.
Bar girls and the bars in general are different. Most bar girls prefer US dollars because they can afford to hold them until there is a favorable exchange rate. And the bars in general tend to deal in dollars US. Paid in pesos in HK and the mesero had to take out his calculator to figure out how much I owed. Also, the bars tend to round the exchange rate in their favor. If the exchange rate is $19.82MX to $1US, they round it to $19.00 to $1US. Other facilities tend to do the same thing. Some places post the exchange rate that they use. For example, they post and use $18MX to $1US. It is an old sign, but they don't change it and charge that rate when they think they can get away with it.
The lines for the cambios are typically fairly short. There are a few on the US side and generally give a better rate by a few tenths compared to the cambios on the Mexican side, but we are talking a few pennies. There is an exchange across the street from HK and another down the block on the same side. Rarely is there much of a wait at those cambios.
And swapping leftover pesos for US dollars is a loosing proposition, so save them for your next trip. (FYI, when entering or leaving Mexico there are often beggars selling gum or some other penny candy. If they include little kids, I usually give them my leftover peso coins.)
And NEVER exchange money at the airport. Total ripoff exchange rates.
Short Version: You are going to save a few pennies paying in pesos, but in many cases it isn't worth the headache.
Krupa used to turn the sticks around so that he could beat the skins with the heavy end. I wonder though if that would rip drum heads. I really don't know.
If I'm just going to HK, I never get Pesos. If I'm getting a room at Ticuan I'll grab like $50 in pesos just in case for gas station snacks/drinks and stuff.
For the ladies, US cash is king and makes the best impression
Similar, but not nearly the same quality or quantity. Same with Mexicali, Ensañada, and Ciudad Juárez. Clubs in those cities don’t get rolling until after 7:00 and some are not in the most Gringo-friendly areas, so the personal risk factor goes up. I wouldn’t go back to Ciudad Juárez as that is where I was most uncomfortable. Any other place in Mexico is very safe as long as you follow the standard safety protocols.
If you're coming from the US, your savings are small at best by going with pesos unless you're mainly looking to hook up with SGs. The BGs all know the current exchange rate because they are taking in USD for the most part and they almost all have cell phones that they will use to figure out the USD-to-MXN equivalency. Unless you're moving enough cash to qualify as a currency trader, it just isn't worth the effort IMO.
@PutaTester:
I have fond memories of the Zona in Juarez, but that was before their troubles with the cartels started. That emptied out a lot of the clubs along the AZ/NM/TX borders (and made El Paso something of a hotspot). "Drink and Drown" nights at the Derby were something to see...
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SJG
Street girls yes, they think in pesos. Some of them do a 10:1 conversion when the actual conversion is 20:1. Had a street girl offer $20US ($400MX) or $300MX ($15US) for a session. That said, prices have gone up recently and you can expect that street girls will be starting at $400MX-$500MX currently. Recently got a street girl for one hour for $1800MX ($90US) or $100US ($2000MX). So there is some savings using pesos with street girls.
Bar girls and the bars in general are different. Most bar girls prefer US dollars because they can afford to hold them until there is a favorable exchange rate. And the bars in general tend to deal in dollars US. Paid in pesos in HK and the mesero had to take out his calculator to figure out how much I owed. Also, the bars tend to round the exchange rate in their favor. If the exchange rate is $19.82MX to $1US, they round it to $19.00 to $1US. Other facilities tend to do the same thing. Some places post the exchange rate that they use. For example, they post and use $18MX to $1US. It is an old sign, but they don't change it and charge that rate when they think they can get away with it.
The lines for the cambios are typically fairly short. There are a few on the US side and generally give a better rate by a few tenths compared to the cambios on the Mexican side, but we are talking a few pennies. There is an exchange across the street from HK and another down the block on the same side. Rarely is there much of a wait at those cambios.
And swapping leftover pesos for US dollars is a loosing proposition, so save them for your next trip. (FYI, when entering or leaving Mexico there are often beggars selling gum or some other penny candy. If they include little kids, I usually give them my leftover peso coins.)
And NEVER exchange money at the airport. Total ripoff exchange rates.
Short Version: You are going to save a few pennies paying in pesos, but in many cases it isn't worth the headache.
SJG
Drum Boogie, Gene Krupa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN_Qmwiw…
Gene Krupa or Buddy Rich ??
Technique - I think Buddy Rich is better and faster
But Gene Krupa was a better showman. It’s close but in my opinion only I prefer watching Krupa
SJG
Previews: The War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEItXS35…
For the ladies, US cash is king and makes the best impression
Similar, but not nearly the same quality or quantity. Same with Mexicali, Ensañada, and Ciudad Juárez. Clubs in those cities don’t get rolling until after 7:00 and some are not in the most Gringo-friendly areas, so the personal risk factor goes up. I wouldn’t go back to Ciudad Juárez as that is where I was most uncomfortable. Any other place in Mexico is very safe as long as you follow the standard safety protocols.
:) :) :)
SJG
If you're coming from the US, your savings are small at best by going with pesos unless you're mainly looking to hook up with SGs. The BGs all know the current exchange rate because they are taking in USD for the most part and they almost all have cell phones that they will use to figure out the USD-to-MXN equivalency. Unless you're moving enough cash to qualify as a currency trader, it just isn't worth the effort IMO.
@PutaTester:
I have fond memories of the Zona in Juarez, but that was before their troubles with the cartels started. That emptied out a lot of the clubs along the AZ/NM/TX borders (and made El Paso something of a hotspot). "Drink and Drown" nights at the Derby were something to see...
SJG