ATM's

YES,

The banks and exchange houses in the center usually ask for your " documento " so bring your passport. I know what you mean about the exchange problems. I was in Ecuador about 2 years ago and they were having all kinds of problems with fake notes and you simply could not change 100 dollar bills at most places.

That problem isn't an issue here in BA, and also remember, you can exchange money at just about any supermarket, restaurant or shopping mall. Very few places have refused to accept my money:D.

Good luck,

Bad

Mongers-

My place of business will exchange any denomination of just about any hard currency no questions asked, 24 hours per day. We exchange dollars on a daily basis and frequently exchange euros, pounds sterling, and less frequently Reais, Chilean Pesos, and Uruguayan Pesos. My guess is that any bar, restaurant, or other hospitality industry site will accept at a minimum dollars at 3-1 rate and possibly euros at 4-1. When Argentinean pesos are the local currency in circulation, business owners certainly do mind stockpiling some "real" money at an advantageous rate for that next crisis that will happen within the next year or two.

Suerte,

Dirk Diggler

Changing $100 bills is not a problem at all, even without a passport or DNI.

I used a cambio place at one of the side malls at Florida street. There is a "Metropolis" exchange place which gives you like 3.00 (or even 2.98) to 1, while outside that same place there are a few touts trying to get you to another cambio which is located in the same block in the side mall. When Metropolis was giving 3.02:1 I got there 3.10:1. At Metropolis they want your passport, at the other place they do not ask for it. However at the other place you have to negotiate the exchange rate. What worked best for me was telling the tout outside Metropolis what rate I wanted to get, and he would normally call the place and come back with a rate very close to the rate I wanted.

Just make sure the moment you get your money at those places (also the official banks etc) that you check the amount and the bills the moment you get them. Do not walk away from the counter before you have checked the bills!

When I was in lima I recieved my first fake bill anywhere. The locals couldnt even tell by looking at it but after awhile of touching it etc. They were able to tell. The only way I was able to tell it was fake was by smelling it. The fake smelled like regular paper. I guess the same goes for argentina?

I did rtff where someone explained the difference between a fake and a real bill but it would be much better explained in person. The member wrote a really good report but I'd have to see what he is talking about.

Just learned this from the security guy at my see you.

Each bank sets its own withdraw limit. By default, it is a max per transaction.

But if you ask the bank they can set it up as a max per day. The bank usually will not tell you. You have to specifically ask the bank. The whole idea is that to prevent scams, if they get repeated $200/$300 withdrawals from the same ATM one after the other, they may block the card.

Having said that, each bank may set their own policy for their own ATMs. Sometimes withdrawals are limited by security reasons; sometimes simply because it is a heavily used ATM, and they do not want to run out of cash nor service the ATM more than once per day. However, there may be another reason-- profit! They'd like to have as many withdraw fees from you as possible! Fees are the surest way the bank improves the bottom line, because, most times, it is just cream on top. If they run out of cash they cannot collect fees.

Again, according to this guy, if the network / bank notices that there is a large number of fake transactions in a particular ATM, they will limit the amount, not matter what, or they may even close the ATM.

HTH,

Y50

How do you get the best rates, is it cheaper to exchange in cash, or better to use ATM, how do I save the most dollars. I hope the currency rate is good, looking for atleast 3-1 to pay those little heinas.

KOS

I'd say bring dollars in 20's and 10's for the chicas then a little extra for cabs misc. etc. Use your credit card for the rest.* Visa would be the wisest choice.

I found ATMS to be a hit or miss and travelers checks are a real hassle if you can get them cashed at all.

I must of tried at least 10 different banks and their max out put was 300p. Banks are not stupid they know what they are doing. Most banks here are North American banks and the travelling public from the USA have to pay at least 2usd for every transaction. So do the math then multiply by 100k and you will see why they lowered the max out put on pesos.

After some detective work I found a bank that will put out 500p on ALEN as soon as you exit from subte be ALEM. Just before you reach Lavalle.

Good luck.

Tiger

The ATM on the corner of Pellegrini and Paraguay lets me withdraw 1000 pesos every time (choosing Cirrus network) I have not tried the other networks available in this bank.

I have also found that choosing Cirrus gives me a better exchange rate than Banelco.

[QUOTE=Teddybear]The ATM on the corner of Pellegrini and Paraguay lets me withdraw 1000 pesos every time (choosing Cirrus network) I have not tried the other networks available in this bank.

I have also found that choosing Cirrus gives me a better exchange rate than Banelco.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the info.

Tiger

I used my Visa / Debit card at "Banco Ciudad" (Cirrus) at Esmeralda 660, for a $1000 peso withdrawal yesterday.

[blue]Greetings everyone,

Let me bring some clarity to this subject.

First, many of you will be surprised to find when you examine your bank statements that you will have been charged more in the area of $5.00 per ATM withdrawal in BA, not the $2.00 charge you expect when using an ATM in the USA.

Second, this is suspected to be the primary motivation for Banelco having reduced the amount you can withdraw to $300 pesos at any one time. A $5.00 USD charge on a $97.00 USD withdrawal nets them more than 5%.

Third, the "secret" to avoiding this problem is relatively simple: Don't use the Banelco system. Yes, I know that 80% of the ATM's in BA are on the Banelco system, so you need to be a little dilligent and look for the ATM's with logos for other systems.

I personally use the ATM's on the LINK system, which allows me to withdraw $1,000 pesos at a time with no problems.

Thanks,

Jackson[/blue]

Thank you for clearing it up.

Chase bank charges me an average of $7/8 for every $200 u$ dollars that I take out anywhere in the world.

Chase takes a cut and so does whatever logo that appears on your debit card mastercard / visa. I've never really calculated what a local bank would take on top of it.

All in all its just another way to make life difficult for people. Who would have thought that taking out your own money from a bank would be big business.

Its a shame because if I had more access to my money I'd use alot more of it when I'm away.

Bring your Citibank ATM card and use it at a Citibank in BsAs. No fee for withdrawals and 3,000 pesos per day. Exchange rates vary with the dollar but in the past month have received 3.08 to 3.10 pesos per dollar.

Make sure you're using the Citibank ATM and not the Banelco ATM machine which can also be in the same room and may give the impression of a Citibank ATM. Use the blue ATM booths built into the wall.

[QUOTE=Jackson][blue]Greetings everyone,

Let me bring some clarity to this subject.

First, many of you will be surprised to find when you examine your bank statements that you will have been charged more in the area of $5.00 per ATM withdrawal in BA, not the $2.00 charge you expect when using an ATM in the USA.

Second, this is suspected to be the primary motivation for Banelco having reduced the amount you can withdraw to $300 pesos at any one time. A $5.00 USD charge on a $97.00 USD withdrawal nets them more than 5%.

Third, the "secret" to avoiding this problem is relatively simple: Don't use the Banelco system. Yes, I know that 80% of the ATM's in BA are on the Banelco system, so you need to be a little dilligent and look for the ATM's with logos for other systems.

I personally use the ATM's on the LINK system, which allows me to withdraw $1,000 pesos at a time with no problems.

Thanks,

Jackson[/blue][/QUOTE]Yes, I forgot I do use the LINK system ATM's, and I use credit union Visa and/or Mastercard Debit cards. I pay no fees, now or later.