I am in the middle of getting my currency for Mexico. I have a cash card so I don't haev to carry too much cash on my person. Just realised though that when I withdraw from an ATM, will I get dollars or pesos? And if I get dollars, they will come out in 10s & 20s won't they, which I won't be able to break for tips? Am I right? Or am I worrying unnecessarily? Thanks
We had that issue last year... I think the ATM's will let you get either dollars or Pesos (at least the ones in the airport), but the resort didn't have the ability to make change for tips which I thought was odd. We wound up going across the street to a convenience store and buying small stuff to get change.
We just bring $150 in ones and $150 in fives for tips. Plus the cash needed for the Boobs Cruise. It all fits in Melissa's purse and the we put it in the safe. There are atm's in the airport but the one that gave dollars was broken on our last trip.
ATMs in town give out pesos (at least the ones I ended up with) - and I heard that you can ask the bar for change for tips if they've already gotten some tips...but i tend to over-bring $1's. I'm a stripper at heart.
The ATM in the gift shop at the resort gives out US $20, I took out $200 and had not problem getting the waiters to make change for tips. But I got stung huge! I just looked at my bank statement and that ATM charged me $387 Canadian for the US$200. For us Canadians the money gets exchanged twice, first to Pesos then to US dollars. Next time I'll find an ATM somewhere else. I tried the one in the airport but it didn't work.
The ATMs do give US and Pesos but like here it's bigger values and they charge for it. I'd ask Marks and Sparks for some small value US$ bills they usually have some.
Thanks for all the tips and advice everyone. We have gotten a lot of small bills from ASDA (Walmart) and M&S for tips and 20s for the Boobs Cruise so, hopefully, we shouldn't have to use the card.
You can get either, but if you have not seen my recent thread. HIT A SCOTIA bank, or Bring cash. 400 USD cost me 520 US
We are at kukulcanan Plaza there Is a hsbc bank and atm,behind the mall Is santander two atms work great,the scotia atm near la isla wasnt working and another two local ones wouldnt work inc the One in the Shop across the road