Ok, I know this has been asked, but how much money should I bring?

JWK · 06-17-2005

I couldn't find this question on the search function so sorry to be repetitive. How much US $ should I bring? Do I tip in dollars or in pesos? And where should I convert US$ to pesos if I don't go into PDC early in our vacation? Thanks for all the help.

tommy · 06-17-2005

It depends on what you want to do...If you are staying at an AI iI would say figure $50usd per person per day should be plenty....
I would convert at the airport or at the Hotel Desk in a small amount at first...Your best exchange rate is at the cambio's in town....I would tip in Pesos as it is the currency in that country and easier for the people who recieve the tip to use....Just make sure and tip as that is a huge part of their income.....

JWK · 06-17-2005

Thanks for your quick response Tommy. I thought we would just brint $500 cash and use credit cards for any tours we do. Does that sound reasonable? The cash would be for tips and any knick knacks at the hote. If we went into PDC I would just use the atm to get pesos for any purchases. How does that sound?

tommy · 06-17-2005

That should be fine....If you eat mostly at the resort you probably wont even spend all that.....But its fun trying....Have a great trip....What resort did you choose?

Nerak936 · 06-17-2005

If you don't have a chance to exchange dollars into pesos before you find yourself in a tipping position (like at the airport), feel free to use dollars. Better to tip in US than to skip it altogether (which I'm sure you wouldn't want to do, since that is a concern of yours). We didn't have a chance to exchange until we got into Playa, so we used dollars at the airport and to tip our transfer driver.

tommy · 06-17-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommy

It depends on what you want to do...If you are staying at an AI iI would say figure $50usd per person per day should be plenty....
I would convert at the airport or at the Hotel Desk in a small amount at first...Your best exchange rate is at the cambio's in town....I would tip in Pesos as it is the currency in that country and easier for the people who recieve the tip to use....Just make sure and tip as that is a huge part of their income.....

Change a small amount like $20 at the airport!

jeffandbecky · 06-17-2005

If you want Pesos before you get to Mexico, you can exchange at an American Express office. Not the greatest rate, but a little better than the airport. In Texas, we can get Pesos for a 2% exchange charge from some of the local banks. You might want to call some of the larger banks in your area to see if they handle currency exchanges.

I agree with Nerak on the $1 bills. Sometimes the 10 Pesos coins are hard to come by. I haven't found a good way to get small change in quantity outside of waiting in line at a bank. I always try to use pesos over dollars, but always take about $20 in ones for tipping.

mommagroom · 06-17-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWK

I couldn't find this question on the search function so sorry to be repetitive. How much US $ should I bring? Do I tip in dollars or in pesos? And where should I convert US$ to pesos if I don't go into PDC early in our vacation? Thanks for all the help.

Your best bet is to take $1 bills and not $20 bills. It is very hard to get small amounts in Mexico

JWK · 06-18-2005

Thanks all, we will be staying at the Lindo. 7days and counting!!!

06-19-2005

Bring it all...you can always make more! Have fun!

suzg · 06-21-2005

I say take as much as you can afford to take!!

I am kicking myself at the things I wish I had bought. I bought enough stuff...but WHY did I NOT buy that Don Julio Tequila????? And why didn't I buy more stuff??? I think I had lost count of how much I'd spent...

Nobody turned down my US dollars anywhere!!

birdman · 06-22-2005

Just make sure and tip as that is a huge part of their income.....[/quote]

Check your bill to make sure the tip is not already on it, that seems to be the standard practice there & we found ourselves double tipping most of the time while in PDC.

06-17-2005	#1 (permalink)
JWK way into it Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 162	Ok, I know this has been asked, but how much money should I bring? I couldn't find this question on the search function so sorry to be repetitive. How much US $ should I bring? Do I tip in dollars or in pesos? And where should I convert US$ to pesos if I don't go into PDC early in our vacation? Thanks for all the help.

06-17-2005	#2 (permalink)
tommy Rastaman Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Austin Tx Posts: 12,845	It depends on what you want to do...If you are staying at an AI iI would say figure $50usd per person per day should be plenty.... I would convert at the airport or at the Hotel Desk in a small amount at first...Your best exchange rate is at the cambio's in town....I would tip in Pesos as it is the currency in that country and easier for the people who recieve the tip to use....Just make sure and tip as that is a huge part of their income.....

06-17-2005	#3 (permalink)
JWK way into it Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 162	Thanks for your quick response Tommy. I thought we would just brint $500 cash and use credit cards for any tours we do. Does that sound reasonable? The cash would be for tips and any knick knacks at the hote. If we went into PDC I would just use the atm to get pesos for any purchases. How does that sound?

06-17-2005	#4 (permalink)
tommy Rastaman Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Austin Tx Posts: 12,845	That should be fine....If you eat mostly at the resort you probably wont even spend all that.....But its fun trying....Have a great trip....What resort did you choose?

06-17-2005	#5 (permalink)
Nerak936 añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Shore of Baahhstun, Massachusetts Posts: 23,229	If you don't have a chance to exchange dollars into pesos before you find yourself in a tipping position (like at the airport), feel free to use dollars. Better to tip in US than to skip it altogether (which I'm sure you wouldn't want to do, since that is a concern of yours). We didn't have a chance to exchange until we got into Playa, so we used dollars at the airport and to tip our transfer driver.

06-17-2005	#7 (permalink)
jeffandbecky añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Driftwood Posts: 2,101	If you want Pesos before you get to Mexico, you can exchange at an American Express office. Not the greatest rate, but a little better than the airport. In Texas, we can get Pesos for a 2% exchange charge from some of the local banks. You might want to call some of the larger banks in your area to see if they handle currency exchanges. I agree with Nerak on the $1 bills. Sometimes the 10 Pesos coins are hard to come by. I haven't found a good way to get small change in quantity outside of waiting in line at a bank. I always try to use pesos over dollars, but always take about $20 in ones for tipping.

06-18-2005	#9 (permalink)
JWK way into it Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 162	Thanks all, we will be staying at the Lindo. 7days and counting!!!

06-19-2005	#10 (permalink)
bufante Guest Posts: n/a	Bring it all...you can always make more! Have fun!

06-21-2005	#11 (permalink)
suzg lost on fifth Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 15	I say take as much as you can afford to take!! I am kicking myself at the things I wish I had bought. I bought enough stuff...but WHY did I NOT buy that Don Julio Tequila????? And why didn't I buy more stuff??? I think I had lost count of how much I'd spent... Nobody turned down my US dollars anywhere!!

06-22-2005	#12 (permalink)
birdman añejo Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wa state Posts: 2,856	Just make sure and tip as that is a huge part of their income.....[/quote] Check your bill to make sure the tip is not already on it, that seems to be the standard practice there & we found ourselves double tipping most of the time while in PDC.

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