subject: Research Before You Send Money To Mexico Prior To Your Vacation [print this page] Plenty of people go on vacation to Mexico throughout the year, and even if you have been several times before, it is always best to plan a bit before you go. One of the major details to work out is how to deal with money once you get there. You probably know that in many areas, U.S. dollars are accepted by some vendors, but you should plan to bring a backup form of payment so that you are not inconvenienced when a retailer takes only pesos. For example, you could send money to Mexico on a prepaid debit card before you even leave, or you can just bring lots of cash to exchange. Decide what is best for you when you research your options a bit.
As you probably already know, the currency here is the peso, so you should plan on exchanging at least some of your money for this legal tender. You can use a casa de cambio for this; be sure to get a lot of small bills if possible. If you bring U.S. dollars with you and plan to use them, you should also bring mostly small bills since most vendors do not accept more than $20 bills. Additionally, you should know that U.S. coins are not accepted anywhere, and you will get your change in pesos even when you use U.S. dollars to pay for items. In general, it is okay to keep a mix of pesos and U.S. dollars on your vacation to Mexico, but be sure to keep mostly smaller bills when possible.
If you do not want to bother with cash much, you can send money to Mexico via a prepaid debit card before you leave. You can use it like a regular debit card, but you just need to add funds to it from your bank account first. You can take it to any vendor that accepts plastic, but you will find that most small shops and vendors on the street only take cash. Furthermore, if you plan to barter for goods, you should expect to use cash only. You can get pesos out from the card at any ATM, which can usually be found in major cities like Mexico City.
If you plan to just relax during this vacation, you will probably want to head to resort towns that are located on the beach. Mexico is known for having tons of large hotels and nice resorts within walking distance to the ocean, and there are plenty of things to do in such areas, ranging from spear fishing to tanning. If you want to shop and enjoy the nightlife of this country, Mexico City is a good place to start. If your plan is to check out bars and parties until the early hours of the morning, Cancun and Rocky Point are known to be perfect for such activities. Before you go, just be sure that you know how to either send money to Mexico on a card, or bring enough cash to last you the whole trip.
