Shopping in Puerto Vallarta. (pesos, credit, expenses, charges)

[albion]

My wife and I are travelling to Puerto Vallarta soon, this will be our first visit there. Can anyone suggest where the best shopping is and whether you can use dollars in stores?

We usually go to Playa del Carmen but we thought it was time for a change.

[SeanOLee]

don't have any tips..
but i can tell you this.

DO NOT USE DOLLARS!
You'll lose out on the conversion.

The current exchange rate is around 17.50%
So for every $1 USD = $17.50 Pesos ($100 USD = $1750 Pesos)

when i first came to Mexico.
i was using Dollars in place of Pesos..
Mexicans loved me..
until i discovered why.

FYI: Mexicans know this and will be more than happy to take your Dollars

[LeoMex]

Originally Posted by SeanOLee

don't have any tips..
but i can tell you this.

DO NOT USE DOLLARS!
You'll lose out on the conversion.

The current exchange rate is around 17.50%
So for every $1 USD = $17.50 Pesos ($100 USD = $1750 Pesos)

when i first came to Mexico.
i was using Dollars in place of Pesos..
Mexicans loved me..
until i discovered why.

FYI: Mexicans know this and will be more than happy to take your Dollars

LOL I'm sorry but I couldn't resist that's because the U.S. currency is higher over the Mexican peso.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by SeanOLee

don't have any tips..
but i can tell you this.

DO NOT USE DOLLARS!
You'll lose out on the conversion.

The current exchange rate is around 17.50%
So for every $1 USD = $17.50 Pesos ($100 USD = $1750 Pesos)

when i first came to Mexico.
i was using Dollars in place of Pesos..
Mexicans loved me..
until i discovered why.

FYI: Mexicans know this and will be more than happy to take your Dollars

This is true for regular shopping, but on a short tourist trip where one may use credit cards for many expenses, the cost to get pesos may not be worth it. My bank charges me about $4 to get any foreign currency and the ATM usually adds a charge too. So I'm out $6-7 just to make the exchange. If in the end all I'm going to need to spend is 1000 pesos for a trip in cash then the ATM is quite expensive.

I usually take USD and exchange some small amount, $40-60, and then use cards with no foreign fee whenever possible. Thankfully the high need for exchange gets one a good rate in most of Mexico.