Mini-lights?

Quote: rxwine

I have the least trouble with a machine taking a dollar. Some practically take a crumpled up and nearly shredded one. But on the other hand I routinely come across machines which spit out other denominations for the slightest reason it seems, like a curled edge. I swear they seem to hate newer 5s the most though. It's easier to get 20s in than a lot of 5s.

oh yeah ive had this experience with the newer 5s countless times.

In Mexico City automated parking lots and garages are all the rage now. Instead of paying an attendant sitting in a booth at the exit, you pay at an automated teller which gives you a ticket you then feed an automated gate at the exit.

Mexican currency is more variable. We used to have American style bank notes (all the same size) but of different colors. Now we've gone european, with different sizes for the 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 peso bills (there's a 1,000 peso note, but it's the same size as the 500). In addition the 20, 50 and 100 are made of plastic rather than paper. Frankly I'm amazed any bills make it through at all.

For some reason, 50 peso bills are the most troublesome. Once I had to feed a 200 bill because the machine wouldn't take the 50. Unfortunately they only give change in coins, and there are no convenient stacks of plastic cups to carry your change around ;)

FYI the current rate of exchange is about 12.50 to 13 pesos per US dollar