Question...Converting Dollars to Peso's

[Selketchina]

When I am on the US side, I generally get the best quotes when I exit the southbound 805 freeway at San Ysido Blvd. At the end of the exit ramp, I make a left and travel under the freeway. As soon as I can make my first right turn (after traveling under the freeway) I am placed immediately in front of four different NO COMMISSION cambios (two on each side of the street). Three have electronic signs near their doorways quoting immediate exchange rates.

Only on rare instances have I found a better rate than these four highly competative exchange houses offer. Often, but not always, exchange rates in the US are superior than those in TJ when the consumer is giving up dollars and receiving pesos. Long ago I stopped even bothering to go to exchange houses that did not state at their door or window they were a "NO COMMISSION" cambio. Those that charge commissions never offered me a competative "after commission" rate on either side of the border.

However, when in TJ, I've found the best rates I've obtained for pesos exists...
where five different exchange cambios are all located within a few steps of the intersection of Constitution and 4th street in downtown TJ.

I find it easy for me to carry both currencies, ask for prices in dollars or pesos, and quickly figure out at current exchange rates which currency offers the lowest price. But not everyone works with numbers all day long and can do this easily.

Since the biggest portion of my TJ spending is on street girl servicing fees, and I believe I can work out better fees in pesos, I tend to exchange more than half the money I intend to spend on each TJ trip into pesos, in San Ysidro, before crossing into TJ.

I may not be able to hold a conversation in spanish, but I always negotiate en espanol and talk pesos with the chicas.