We use DEBIT cards to get cash at ATM (Cajero Automatico) in Mexico. We try to only get our cash at an ATM at an actual bank - not at kiosk type freestanding ATM machines - if anything goes wrong we can go in the bank to try to resolve problems. We almost never use a Credit Card in Mexico as we get charged some sort of international exchange fee - not every credit card has this type fee but ours does. Many areas of Mexico have stores and gas stations that do not take credit cards so we always have cash on hand. No - we do not carry a ton of cash - only what we think we might need - and we replenish as needed at bank ATMs. The only thing we use our credit card for is our vehicle deposit at the border - for which we are charged the mentioned fee - which is reimbursed along with our deposit when we exit Mexico. We have a couple different joint accounts at a couple different credit unions in the US and we carry extra debit cards for these accounts in case there is a problem - always have a back-up plan. There is a large difference in what various different ATMs charge to give us cash - we have learned to go to the low fee ones - last winter we saw from 15 pesos to 85 pesos per transaction - don't get ripped off. Be prepared with cash on hand but only get and carry what you will need for the immediate future - we get cash every few days - never ever carry large amounts - we usually get around 3,000 pesos and never more than 5,000 pesos - and we do not carry that on our person. NOTE - we have never been robbed in Mexico and as far as we know we have never even come close to a threat - we use the same rule in the US and anywhere else we go - this is not just about Mexico.
