Use of pesos being discouraged?

[scubawife]

I just read something on a non-diving board that sounded odd. Haven't seen any mention of it in recent trip reports here.

Someone who was in Cozumel last week said to bring USD and not bother exchanging for pesos because "all the stores" are pricing in USD and changing the peso prices to match it at a bad rate (10:1 maybe?). He said the resort they were at and some places in town wouldn't even take pesos.

Sounds to me like maybe there were at an AI and their venture into town was to the souvenir and t-shirt shops on Melgar and right around the square on a busy cruise ship day?

I sure hope this isn't actually becoming common practice in Cozumel...

 

[tedgarner]

Most places post their exchange rate so you should know what you are getting for you usd. Mega usually has a very good exchange.
If the exchange rate isn't good move to the next place.
I agree sounds like they didn't get out much.
When someone makes the statement "All stores" are doing one thing or another that usually means that is what they encountered.
Just for the record this is still Mexico and the peso should be taken everywhere.
Most places take USD and many people hold on to the dollars and wait for a better exchange rate. That could be what the post was about you mentioned.
I do see the prices change when the dollar is up but you still do better if
you exchange dollars to peso.

 

[betsyinczm]

Scubawife------I may have seen that post as well but just wrote it off as......well, nevermind.
Just FYI------I believe it is illegal for any enterprise to refuse to accept the local currency. I've read about too many people being TOLD that they must pay in USD.........those people should make a stink IMHO, and I bet the tune would change fast...........Betsy

 

[Christi]

Sounds to me like maybe there were at an AI and their venture into town was to the souvenir and t-shirt shops on Melgar and right around the square on a busy cruise ship day?

This sounds like the case.

I can't imagine anyone not wanting pesos...especially with as hard as it's become to deposit dollars here and the hit we now take since we have to change our dollars to pesos at the change house and then deposit the pesos to our business accounts. There's only one bank still that is accepting deposits in dollars for locals.

 

[underachiever]

Did not see anything like that a couple of weeks ago. Did try to use pesos mostly. But most places were converting at the current rate. Might have benifited at El Pique using pesos.

 

[scubawife]

betsy and Christi, thanks. I thought it was probably a case of inexperienced traveler going to only the tourist shops, being told they get a better deal paying USD and believing it.

I haven't been down since mid-Dec and no plans in sight. Just wanted to get a reality check. Couldn't imagine something had changed that much and nobody here mentioned it.

 

[mstevens]

During February '09 we "needed" something that could only be found in the souvenir shops near the square. Every time we asked for a price, it was quoted in dollars. When I said we only had pesos, they computed the peso price from dollars (using a 10:1 conversion). Eventually, I just gave up and haggled in dollars.

 

[DandyDon]

Most places post their exchange rate so you should know what you are getting for you usd. Mega usually has a very good exchange.
If the exchange rate isn't good move to the next place.
I agree sounds like they didn't get out much.
When someone makes the statement "All stores" are doing one thing or another that usually means that is what they encountered.
Just for the record this is still Mexico and the peso should be taken everywhere.
Most places take USD and many people hold on to the dollars and wait for a better exchange rate. That could be what the post was about you mentioned.
I do see the prices change when the dollar is up but you still do better if
you exchange dollars to peso.

I think you got it. I kinda doubt that it could be legal to refuse Pesos in Mexico.

During February '09 we "needed" something that could only be found in the souvenir shops near the square. Every time we asked for a price, it was quoted in dollars. When I said we only had pesos, they computed the peso price from dollars (using a 10:1 conversion). Eventually, I just gave up and haggled in dollars.

I hate those. When I see prices in USD and I have Pesos on me, I whip out my cell phone, go to calculator mode, multiply by the going rate, and suggest my price in Pesos: "Ok that'd be 13X in Pesos, right?" hoping that they'll just agree. It often works. I suspect the clerks sometimes use 10:1 in part for convenience even if they are allowed to use the real rate and don't share directly in the 30% difference, but like that 10:1 is easy to do mentally.

But then my big expenses of hotel and dive op are priced in USD and those don't seem to change with currency conversion rates.

 

[tedgarner]

I agree Don I hate the dollar amount when I have pesos.
I get close and if it is a big deal to them I just move on.
One thing I am guilty of sometimes is setting a price in dollars and when the exchange is low and not thinking of the of the time like now when the exchange is high.
That is why I just try to use pesos. Too much for my little brain