No US Doollars at Ace hardware

rockyptjoe

Well Known Member
Just tried to spend some money at the Penasco Ace Hardware....they are not accepting US dollars....just pesos or credit cards.....a sign of times to come???? I don't know if any of the banks are changing dollars to pesos anymore.

Sorry about the spelling in the title....sticky fingers!!!
 

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
Except for the McDonalds in Nogales AZ I have a hard time spending pesos in the US. The banks are making it difficult and expensive to deposit dollars in Mexico. I closed my dollar account for that reason and only use pesos unless I am at an American establishment but I think that may change in the future too.
 

rockyptjoe

Well Known Member
You used to be able to walk in and get pesos at the federal reserve bank in Phoenix....used to be 1st Interstate(goes back a few years)...then Wellsfargo. The last time I checked, you had to give the bank an advanced notice. I don't know of any of the banks in Penasco that are willing to exchange dollars to pesos...none have the exchange rate posted in the window.... so you're stuck with using an ATM to get cash (pesos), or your credit card where it is accepted. You can use the few remaining money exchanges (Calle 13, or a new one I saw on Benito Juarez).

So is this another "shoot yourself in the foot" for Mexico/Penasco????
 

JimMcG

Well Known Member
No fee, Penasco ATMs which dispense pesos from an Az/ US, $ credit union account, would now appear to the best bet, since credit card purchases can come with a 3% transaction charge.
 

rockyptjoe

Well Known Member
Jim...I've got a credit union account....and have been getting pesos from the ATM at the bank across the street from the Pemex on Fremont and Sinaloa....still get charged a foreign exchange fee.
 

Wood Spinner

Well Known Member
Hey Rosie
What the heck is going on there. Is this a Rocky Point thing or what? It sure is making things tough for a lot of us. Is this another GRINGO STAY HOME ??

If it is a Rocky Point thing posibly I need to find another place to spend my money.
 

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
I am no Rosie, but I will say that when you read that Mexicans are coming to the US to spend money on school supplies or clothes or whatever I assure you that they have to change whatever pesos they have for dollars for their USA purchases. If they have credit cards they can of course use those as well. The Mex Feds are clamping down on US dollars as a way to hit the cartels. Americans dont buy their illicit drugs using pesos, it is all in dollars. So when you have a big store like Socoada ACE in Penasco, and there is a monthly limit on dollars deposits imposed by the banks (not because of anything but anti-laundering policies) then it makes sense for them to not accept dollars anymore. All American establishments here in Penasco probably have stateside bank accounts so handling dollars is no big deal for them. But the local establishments are probably doing 100% of their banking in Mexico. After all we are in Mexico and it just makes sense.
I do not believe this is another shoot yourself in the foot move, rather another way to slow down the flow from nefarious enterprises.

When you go to JJ's take dollars, BooBar, same etc etc. When you go buy block at Blockmex or pipe at ACE or steel at Fetasa, take credit cards or the money of Mexico, pesos! Not that hard to do. There are many money exchange houses in town for that very reason! This has nothing to do with bashing Arizonans lol!

Hey Rosie
What the heck is going on there. Is this a Rocky Point thing or what? It sure is making things tough for a lot of us. Is this another GRINGO STAY HOME ??

If it is a Rocky Point thing posibly I need to find another place to spend my money.
 
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dmcauley

Well Known Member
It is aimed at the narco traficantes. Along with killing channel 26 on the radio and registering Tel Cel phones. Every one feels the pinch except for the narcos. Thanks for the input Russ but that is pretty common knowledge
 

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
DM looking at the comments it did not appear to be common knowledge. I just thought I would tear off a piece of my mind for a moment sorry if it offended!

It is aimed at the narco traficantes. Along with killing channel 26 on the radio and registering Tel Cel phones. Every one feels the pinch except for the narcos. Thanks for the input Russ but that is pretty common knowledge
 

dmcauley

Well Known Member
I wrote this at the same time as Russ was posting so did not see his post first, Thanks again for your input Russ but Mexico needs to know that MOST Americans feel better spending their dollars. Me, I use pesos but will still boycott the ridiculous followers of this new trend!!!
 

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
Thats all fine and good DM about how Americans want to spend their dollars, they should have no problem in the places that they hang out in. I am simply saying that when you live in and do business in a foreign country you need to drop the attitude and ride the bus with everyone else. IE spend pesos. I carry equal peso to dollar amounts typically. When I go to the US I spend dollars (they wont take anything else period) when I am in Mexico I spend pesos. It just makes sense to me and does not seem to be all that complicated.

I wrote this at the same time as Russ was posting so did not see his post first, Thanks again for your input Russ but Mexico needs to know that MOST Americans feel better spending their dollars. Me, I use pesos but will still boycott the ridiculous followers of this new trend!!!
 

dmcauley

Well Known Member
Russ, I know you are very pro PP as are a lot of us. The input I'm talking about is that it is hard to spend pesos in the US. This goes for yen , lira and other currency also. Mexico is definitely shooting itself in the foot over this and the other new changes. Mexico needs to cater more to the casual visitor than folk like ourselves whom have become comfortable with the peso. I respect your love for Mexico but the fact is that PP has become home for many undesireables and something more than making it hard for a gringo to spend dollars needs to be done. After all, PP went after the buck, now they should accept it.
 

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
DM All due respect here, I contend that the casual traveler will have no problems using their dollars at the touristy places, hotels, restaurants etc. Their experience will be hampered if they must use dollars everywhere though as this is Mexico and it is sovereign and can enact its own policies.

Penasco did not enact this rule, this is from the Federal Task force on money laundering through the federal government of Mexico. It is a countrywide mandate. Not a local smack at Americans. Smart travelers understand that when they go to a foreign country there are some adjustments to be made, this is a simple one.

Regarding PP going for the buck you kind of have to put that in perspective of the time....towers were being built by not only Mexicans but Canadians and Americans and Japanese and others....these guys and gals knew their market to dump this stuff on was primarily Americans so they had to accept US dollars. All of the companies had Stateside accounts to handle the transactions. They did it so they could sell the crap out of these projects in the shortest time possible.....those days are gone senor'.

From your argument I get the feeling that the USA should adopt a policy that merchants should accept other country currency for purchases made by travelers to enhance the experience of the foreigner. So you could go buy T-shirts in Sedona and they had to accept your lira or whatever. It makes no sense.

On a trip several years ago I was surprised (only been to Sonora and never further south at that time) when you get to Mazatlan the buck stops there. I being a semi wealthy American (at the time but no more) (I cant even afford to pay attention) (church mouse poor hombre) was maddened by the fact that I could not pay for my petrol south of Mazatlan with C notes. I was forced to comply and buy pesos. It was a good lesson for me and enhanced my travel from that point forward. That was many years ago but I never will forget the feeling that this country would not accept my "special" money and I had to use theirs...... Oh well I got over that in a hurry!


Russ, I know you are very pro PP as are a lot of us. The input I'm talking about is that it is hard to spend pesos in the US. This goes for yen , lira and other currency also. Mexico is definitely shooting itself in the foot over this and the other new changes. Mexico needs to cater more to the casual visitor than folk like ourselves whom have become comfortable with the peso. I respect your love for Mexico but the fact is that PP has become home for many undesireables and something more than making it hard for a gringo to spend dollars needs to be done. After all, PP went after the buck, now they should accept it.
 
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JimMcG

Well Known Member
Jim...I've got a credit union account....and have been getting pesos from the ATM at the bank across the street from the Pemex on Fremont and Sinaloa....still get charged a foreign exchange fee.
Some do and some don't. According to my permanent Penasco neighbor, Az State FCU is one which does not charge for pesos in Penasco when using a debit card..
 

rockyptjoe

Well Known Member
The "problem" as I see it, is that now it is getting harder for Americans to get pesos in penasco.....no banks, and additional charges for using ATMs (in addition to non-bank member fees). I have no problem using either currency....if I can get the peso and can get pesos at the official rate (not the cambio exchange). I also don't "expect" merchants to take the USD.....my OP was just to let people know the situation if they went to the Ace Hardware.

From talking to a couple business people in Penasco, the banks are cracking down on the amounts of USD they can deposit in any month.
 

beachgirl

Well Known Member
We too belong to a credit union and use the same ATM in PP that Joe does. This is how it works for us.........we know which places prefer dollars and which places prefer pesos (these of course are places that we frequent). We take enough cash to cover the "dollar" places (and vendors and for tips and what not) and we use the ATM to get pesos for the rest. Yes, we're charged a very small fee at the ATM.............we do not care. We also use the debit card at times at places that except them, which is many. And again, we're charged a small fee...........and again, we do not care. We are in a foreign country and we just go with the flow to make things as easy going as possible...................
 

InkaRoads

cronopiador
the fact of the matter is that around the world most countries will take the currency of the neighboring countries along the border town/cities, drive to the interior of such countries a bit more, even 10 miles and they will not take any other currency than their own, just a handful of countries will take dollars, we should consider ourselves lucky that Puerto Penasco has been taking dollars all these years but like everything it also has and end and it is starting now and I do not think that will stop tourism, people that travels understand that!! it's always been that way all over the world!!
 

rockyptjoe

Well Known Member
the fact of the matter is that around the world most countries will take the currency of the neighboring countries along the border town/cities, drive to the interior of such countries a bit more, even 10 miles and they will not take any other currency than their own, just a handful of countries will take dollars, we should consider ourselves lucky that Puerto Penasco has been taking dollars all these years but like everything it also has and end and it is starting now and I do not think that will stop tourism, people that travels understand that!! it's always been that way all over the world!!
Most foreign countries have an official currency exchange right at the port of entry/airports....which makes it convenient. Many of us that travel to Penasco frequently are able to manage the situation....we know where to go....and like Beachgirl said, she is willing to pay the small fee.

But the more difficult the traveling situation is made, particularly with the events involving Mexico/Penasco (swine flu hysteria, violence...real or otherwise, etc.) the more it will impact tourism in Penasco.....just another "nail in the coffin".......IMHO.
 
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