Pay in Pesos versus dollars?

[ggunn]

I always use Dollars to pay for diving and tipping the divemasters. But I also almost always get reservations ahead of time for a 4 or 5 day dive package, which usually requires reservations and a deposit up front. If I happen to overtip DMs by tipping in Dollars, I usually give $15-$20 a day for a two-tank dive, that's one cost I am more than happy to live with. Too many DMs do a great job and get stiffed by Divers who are still living in the 1980s and think $5 for a two-tank dive is plenty.

I have been diving Cozumel for nearly 20 years, and IME, unless folks are being more stealthy than I am about it when I slip the DM a tip, more people do not tip at all than tip at any rate. I'm not saying it's right, but that's what I have seen.

 

[mstevens]

What about diving costs?

Those are nearly always quoted in US Dollars, so you'll usually pay in US Dollars. If you have a mess of pesos and no dollars, know the conversion before you go in to settle up. Keep in mind that there are separate "buy" and "sell" rates for each currency (the moneychangers have to get their vig).

DM's?

The main thing is to tip. We do 200 pesos per 2-tank dive per person per day. At the moment that's 15-ish bucks to me, but it's always 200 pesos to the boat crew. Remember that if you tip in dollars (which, I re-emphasize is great compared to no tipping - and, yes, they'd rather get 20 bucks than 200 pesos), the DM has to pay a little to convert that to pesos to use for school uniforms or tortillas.

Isis?

Margarita quotes prices in dollars. She'll take whatever you have. When she charges our credit card, it actually gets charged in pesos (at a very good exchange rate) then our bank converts that to dollars (plus their cut).

This is not complicated. As happy as I would be to accept pesos in payment (if anyone around here were to have any...) it would simply be impractical because the US economy uses dollars. It's slightly more practical by comparison to use dollars in Cozumel because there are so many Americans, but the Mexican economy uses pesos.

I doubt anyone would even consider going to Stuttgart and expect to use dollars (at least, we never did when we lived in Germany). Why do people assume Mexico is so different?

 

[DandyDon]

I doubt anyone would even consider going to Stuttgart and expect to use dollars (at least, we never did when we lived in Germany). Why do people assume Mexico is so different?

Simply because we are encouraged to do so. The Bank of Mexico sponsored the original development of Cancun which had a population of 3 some 40 years ago and they've been encouraging us to bring our dollars every since.

Either is usually fine. Pesos will work better generally if it's convenient to exchange them, keep up with them and their relative values, and exchange leftovers later. Not a big deal either way.

The way I book my trips, almost everything is booked in USD anyway.

 

[kixy1]

Chief? At the risk of sounding stoopid, what's a MAC card?

 

[cvchief]

Chief? At the risk of sounding stoopid, what's a MAC card?

Oh. I guess I dated myself. An ATM card. We used to call them MAC machines....

 

[divingpyrate]

Oh. I guess I dated myself. An ATM card. We used to call them MAC machines....

where you get MAC "duckies"

 

[BettyfromToronto]

For my Jan & April 2012 trips I used US dollars for everything. Then when we decided to move to Cozumel next year I figured I should learn and get familiar using pesos so I brought some with me on our Nov 2012 and Jan 2013 trips. It does save money here and there and that adds up over a whole week. I still pay my tips at SCC in US dollars and pay for our massage in US $ but everything else is in pesos. I have to learn not to negotiate so much (especially with the taxi drivers) as it is usually only for a buck or less.

Betty

 

[NullNullSem]

Best exchange rate is open a free online Bank of America checking account with a MAC Card.

Wow... BofA is actually doing something that their customers like.... That's freakin' amazing!

 

[cvchief]

Wow... BofA is actually doing something that their customers like.... That's freakin' amazing!

I do think with the free online check i can be shot if I try to talk to a live teller though.....

 

[BRT]

My experience is where the price is quoted in dollars use dollars, that is what they want and the exchange to pesos will cost you. Where it is in pesos likewise. The exception will be the Chedraui. Pay there with a $100 bill and you will get a great exchange rate on your purchase and the change. The other exception will be a rental car and some hotels. The price will be quoted in dollars and when they charge your card they use a high exchange rate which really costs you.

Brian