Exchanging Currency

[Gandolf50]

Is there any point in exchanging currency before making the trip? I would think there would be competitive rates in NYC but I am still doing research. Never been before. Arriving in a few weeks just for a few days. Then a side trip for a few days. Then BA for one more night. Apologies if this is a dumb question.

LOL!!! I really doubt you could find anyone with ARS (pesos argentinos) for sale in N.Y.. The spread is no longer that big. Worst case, change a little at the bank in the airport.

[MessiFan]

Is there any point in exchanging currency before making the trip? I would think there would be competitive rates in NYC but I am still doing research. Never been before. Arriving in a few weeks just for a few days. Then a side trip for a few days. Then BA for one more night. Apologies if this is a dumb question.

[Bobby Doerr]

Moving to Palermo on 3900 block of Cervino near Calle Arabia de Syria. Who is the best cambionista in the area? Thanks Bobby Doerr.

[TejanoLibre]

Some of you may know or surely have seen or noticed Victor on the corner of Florida and Marcelo T de Alvear.

He has been there for about 10 years and he is wheelchair bound.

Today I just happened to be walking past him and I was looking for a quick and decent exchange rate but it was a national holiday and I only had a few bucks to exchange.

He gave me $14.60 to 1. Good enough. I had just finished a walking tour of BA and we had walked about 8 miles.

I'm sure you could find a better rate but it was a tiny amount and when I talked to him and thought about his situation I could not think of a more deserving individual.

He gave me the pesos and I told him that I didn't even need to count it but he insisted.

He had overpaid me. Of course I gave him the difference and asked him for his Whatsapp info.

Victor the Cambio Guy.

+54911 3604 1677.

Florida and Marcelo T de Alvear .

7 days a week .

In a wheelchair for life.

Thanks ,

TL.

14 to 1 on Saturday.

TL.

[WorldTravel69]

After you get through baggage claim, walk through the doors, you will see different stands on both sides, turn right at the end of the wall, sharp. There should be a bank with ATMs.

Unless it has changed in five years.

So, I will be arriving to Ezeiza at 22:00 and want to check into my hotel and go for a chica. I dont have pesos.

How could I exchange currency at this time?

Where in microcentro would you recommend me to exchange my USD?

Thanks.

[Guacamole]

So, I will be arriving to Ezeiza at 22:00 and want to check into my hotel and go for a chica. I dont have pesos.

How could I exchange currency at this time?

Where in microcentro would you recommend me to exchange my USD?

Thanks.

[AllIWantIsLove]

Maybe I haven't been reading messages here carefully enough, but when I needed some pesos today I thought I'd go to a bank which is a lot closer to me than any cueva that I am aware of. I went to the Superville on Las Herras and near Pueyrredón. As soon as I got inside I was faced with a kiosk asking me (I think) for an account number and what I wanted to do - deposit, withdrawal, pay a bill, etc.. Having no account number, of course, I went to the desk of the cutest employee I saw and asked her if she spoke English. Her English wasn't great but way better than my Spanish. She asked me if I wanted to change dollars into pesos or the other way around and then asked me to wait while she consulted another employee. When she came back she said that no I could not do a currency exchange. I think she said something like because I did not have a claim. I am guessing she meant because I did not have an account.

So I went to the cueva at Cerviño y Ortiz and got a rate of 13.8 (for $600).

Bob.

[Member #4112]

How about this touchy issue of paying chicas pesos, this still apply?

It is not a touchy issue, rule of thumb you work in the currency of the country you are in. I can't tell you how many times a chica would ask for some outrageous number in dollars then when you asked for the price in pesos the number was much less than that quoted in dollars at the prevailing exchange rate. It's the KISS principle - use pesos.

[Riina]

How about this touchy issue of paying chicas pesos, this still apply?

[Gandolf50]

If the credit card rate is now within a couple percent of the blue rate, why do you need all that cash in the first place? Other than a few things like taxis and some mongering I assume just about everything else can go on a credit card.

A lot of places dont accept credit cards, or they are always " sin sistema" . Which is another way of saying they dont accept cards. That and credit card cloning is fairly common, etc, etc. . Take the word of people that live here. Bring cash. The lines at the ATM,s will astound you at times and most machines are empty most of the time. Besides, the girls want CASH!

[Moore]

If you're here for a week or two I'd say use the ATM, accept the lower rate for the security of not having to travel with as much cash just make sure to top off a lot. If you live here then you have to decide if bringing the money in is worth the higher rate you would get from a cueva once you add in the bank fees if you have them.

If the credit card rate is now within a couple percent of the blue rate, why do you need all that cash in the first place? Other than a few things like taxis and some mongering I assume just about everything else can go on a credit card.

[BadMan]

If you have dollars on hand and have an exchange house with good rates near by, I would take advantage of those 30 centavos while you can. They won't last. But if you have to use an ATM, there really isn't much of a difference. And that difference keeps getting smaller every day. Not the opposite. Your only real benefit now is saving on bank ATM and FX fees. Just like in any other country. Cash is still king, but the Dollar just isn't what it used to be with no real blue rate.

Macri has staked his entire presidency on reining in inflation and Sturzenegger is already looking past the unification and adopting a free float foreign exchange policy and an inflation targeting monetary policy. Interesting to say the least.

After reading Sturzenegger' proposed changes to Argentinas fx and monetary policy. I know a " blue" rate would never work. It's a non starter. They're mutually exclusive. Not to say a completely black market dollar won't exist. " Criminals " always need to " evade taxes ". We will see. Time will tell.

http://www.bcra.gov.ar/Pdfs/Politicas/ObjetivosBCRA_2016.pdf

Thanks. So, it hardly seems worth the effort and risk to deal with the arbolitos for a 2% spread, however, do ATMs really disburse at the 13.75 rate and are there any substantial service fees or exchange rate adjustments when using an ATM? Thanks again.

[Daddy Rulz]

Thanks. So, it hardly seems worth the effort and risk to deal with the arbolitos for a 2% spread, however, do ATMs really disburse at the 13.75 rate and are there any substantial service fees or exchange rate adjustments when using an ATM? Thanks again.

Everybody I have talked to has said that when they use their ATM they are getting less than the published official rate plus are having to pay fees. Some were as low as 2 pesos per dollar lower but most in the high 12's to low 13's plus fees. They have also reported only being able to withdraw a certain amount (usually around 2,000 pesos) per transaction. Given that the highest denomination bill in the country is worth around 8 bucks there have also been a fair amount of problems with machines being empty, especially on weekends.

If you're here for a week or two I'd say use the ATM, accept the lower rate for the security of not having to travel with as much cash just make sure to top off a lot. If you live here then you have to decide if bringing the money in is worth the higher rate you would get from a cueva once you add in the bank fees if you have them.

[De Chicago Soy]

I just looked online.

Official 13.75.

Blue 14. 05.

That's it?

Thanks. So, it hardly seems worth the effort and risk to deal with the arbolitos for a 2% spread, however, do ATMs really disburse at the 13.75 rate and are there any substantial service fees or exchange rate adjustments when using an ATM? Thanks again.

[BadMan]

I just looked online.

Official 13.75.

Blue 14. 05.

That's it?