family moving to mexico: HELP!

[synthia]

Originally Posted by pedro

i suggest,mamacalidad, that you carry on with your vastly superior knowledge in financial matters as they apply in mexico. after all,i've only been coming here since 1978 and only actually lived here for 2 years.
carry on, passing only yanqui $'s everywhere.
the utility companies , municipalities propery taxes and 99% of merchants which are primarily paid in cash will be extactic when you don't pay in pesos.
this is not the excited states or any other country. mexico actually has it's own currency.
when you use an atm in mexico to draw from your us bank account-it will pay you in pesos-gee,i wonder why.
now i must leave for the market to get some fresh meat, fruit and veggies.
i'm sure if i ask, as per your suggestion, they will gladly accept yanqui bucks. ;-)

No need to get nasty, pedro. This isn't some sort of competition. No one here, except maybe you, is claiming to be an expert. We are just relating what we have experinced or believe to be true, trying to help other people. So there is no need for you to take an attitude.

In some places you can use dollars, and in some you can't. That's not unusual in countries with areas that exist on tourism or border trade. I've been across the border from Thailand to Myanmar several times, and have no idea what the local currency is even called. They use baht. I'm sure it's different in other parts of the country, just as it is different in different parts of Mexico.

In many countries it is common to withdraw money from ATMs in more than one currency. Many ATMs in Costa Rica, for instance, issue US dollars on request.

[MamaCalidad]

Originally Posted by pedro

i suggest,mamacalidad, that you carry on with your vastly superior knowledge in financial matters as they apply in mexico. after all,i've only been coming here since 1978 and only actually lived here for 2 years.

Ah, well, that explains it. I've only actually lived in Mexico for eight years. And not in a community sporting several English websites devoted to American and Canadian retirees. Real Mexico where Telmex has yet to bother with and I'm the only expat around. Even my three kids were born in Mexico. Regardless of whether you appreciate it or not, I do actually know what I am talking about.

And I never said that we always use dollars. We use whichever currency is going to get us a better deal in each individual transaction. Sometimes it is pesos. Other times it is dollars. Some vendors are more likely to have an unfavorable exchange rate and others are generally equal to or better than the rate at the bank (Soriana generally fits on this side). Like I said, let the buyer beware.

I've met people who still have completely worthless old pesos. We're only fourteen years past el error de diciembre. Many who lived through these events (among others) keep their squirreled away money in dollars. They feel more confident that by saving dollars instead of pesos that their money will not suddenly become worthless. I've honestly never met anyone who was offended by being paid in dollars or pesos. Most merchants are, surprisingly, ecstatic about making a sale regardless of agreed upon currency.

[leegleze]

In Puerto Vallarta, for example, the locals would usually RATHER take U.S. Dollars. I imagine that most tourist areas would.

[RVGRINGO]

You may also note that many tourist area restaurants have English menus for tourists. Beware! Ask for the Spanish language menu and you may be surprised to see that the prices are not the same. We've found that often and now insist on the Spanish menu and always pay in pesos.