Exchanging Currency

[Toymann]

I will be traveling to Argentina the end of next week, and I just signed up for an account with Xoom, and I was wondering if I can send myself Argentine Pesos at the Xoom rate (approx 5. 97 pesos presently) using my USA Credit card, transacting in dollars (If I read Xoom correctly, their transaction fee for this type of transaction would be 4% plus about $4. 50 USA.

I am wondering, does Xoom allow a USA citizen to pick up the funds at an Argentine pickup using a USA I'd such as a passport, and to charge the transaction to their own USA credit card? In particular, this is of interest to me since my point of arrival in Argentina is Mendoza, not Buenos Aires, and Xoom's solitary pick up location in Mendoza is near the Sheraton where I am staying.

Even with the transaction fees, I'd be getting an effective exchange rate of around $5. 70 using Xoom if this works, and I doubt I could easily find that sort of rate anywhere in Mendoza

Bring your dollars to mendoza dude, forget the credit card. Cash talks and credit walks. You will have little trouble exchanging dollars at just below the blue rate in medoza dude. The demand is not specific to buenos aires in the slightest. Argentines sense a devaluation and WANT to convert whatever they have away from pesos. Last April when I was in corrienties the stores had signs asking for dollars at better rates than the boys were getting in Buenos Aires (at that time 4. 8:1 in BA. 5.2:1 in Paso la Patria, a small town just east of corrienties). Just go from business to business in Mendoza asking about "cambio". You'll do just fine. The whole Xzoom thing only seems to be of value if you are timid about bringing dollars with you. Monger On Dude. Toymann.

Ps. How are you entering Argentina in Mendoza. Not long ago I was not allowed to deplane in mendoza because they didn't have immigration services when my BA flight was redirected due to the volcano, had to go to Santiago. Would have loved to deplane in mendoza and taken the bus to BA, spent 3 damn days in shitty Santiago! Did something change as my info is relative to June 2011?

Ps. Make sure you bring "clean 100 dollar bills" with you, No rips, tears or teller stamps. Good Luck. Toymann

[Member #2041]

I will be traveling to Argentina the end of next week, and I just signed up for an account with Xoom, and I was wondering if I can send myself Argentine Pesos at the Xoom rate (approx 5.97 pesos presently) using my USA Credit card, transacting in dollars (If I read Xoom correctly, their transaction fee for this type of transaction would be 4% plus about $4.50 USA.

I am wondering, does Xoom allow a USA citizen to pick up the funds at an Argentine pickup using a USA ID such as a passport, and to charge the transaction to their own USA credit card? In particular, this is of interest to me since my point of arrival in Argentina is Mendoza, not Buenos Aires, and Xoom's solitary pick up location in Mendoza is near the Sheraton where I am staying.

Even with the transaction fees, I'd be getting an effective exchange rate of around $5.70 using Xoom if this works, and I doubt I could easily find that sort of rate anywhere in Mendoza

[Daddy Rulz]

7 pesos?

Damn it. That really was a missed opportunity!

I don't think they had much more than pocket change. The point though is if you go to a couple expat places and listen for the accent you might run into people that will give you the selling price instead of the buying price because they don't know any better.

[DavieW]

It should be closer to 9. 3 to 1.

You did not miss much.

TL

I'm buying, you muppet.

So I missed a helluva deal.

*shakes head*

[Morgando69]

I get 9 pesos per pound here. Delivered to my door on receipt in overseas bank account.

It should be closer to 9. 3 to 1.

You did not miss much.

TL

[TejanoLibre]

7 pesos?

Damn it. That really was a missed opportunity!

It should be closer to 9. 3 to 1.

You did not miss much.

TL

[DavieW]

When I was at the bar with Casa in it's name that may not be mentioned on this forum I saw two birds selling pounds to an American guy at some complex formula that worked out to 7 pesos per pound. The sold him several hundred pesos worth. My point being go to a couple expat places and offer to take pounds off their hands for them.

7 pesos?

Damn it. That really was a missed opportunity!

[Daddy Rulz]

Anybody got some they want to get rid of?

I'm off to the mother country for the first time in over 3 years and would like to have a few quid in my pocket when I arrive.

I'll pay a good premium over what you'll get at a cueva (if you can even sell them at a cueva?).

When I was at the bar with Casa in it's name that may not be mentioned on this forum I saw two birds selling pounds to an American guy at some complex formula that worked out to 7 pesos per pound. The sold him several hundred pesos worth. My point being go to a couple expat places and offer to take pounds off their hands for them.

[DavieW]

Anybody got some they want to get rid of?

I'm off to the mother country for the first time in over 3 years and would like to have a few quid in my pocket when I arrive.

I'll pay a good premium over what you'll get at a cueva (if you can even sell them at a cueva?).

[AllIWantIsLove]

There's always some open at the weekend. I've never wandered down there on public holidays, but I imagine the shops will be open, so the cuevas should be also.

I don't know about all, but the place I was using the last time I was there was always closed on holidays. (But it wasn't on Florida.)

Bob

[Daddy Rulz]

There's always some open at the weekend. I've never wandered down there on public holidays, but I imagine the shops will be open, so the cuevas should be also.

I have changed money on the weekend. You will pay a slight premium due to the lack of competition, but will still be far ahead of using your bank card. I have never changed money on a Sunday, and off the top of my old addled head I don't recall hearing "cambio, cambio, cambio, dolares, reales, cambio, cambio" whilst walking in el centro on Sunday but I could be wrong.

[DavieW]

Are the cuevas on Calle Florida open in weekends and on public holidays?

There's always some open at the weekend. I've never wandered down there on public holidays, but I imagine the shops will be open, so the cuevas should be also.

[Chicago Guy]

Are the cuevas on Calle Florida open in weekends and on public holidays?

[Daddy Rulz]

It sounds like I've been extremely lucky regarding fake bills. I've never checked a single bill and I've changed many thousands of dollars over the last 5 years, and I've never had a fake one.

Or maybe I _have_ been slipped some fakes and I've unknowingly passed them on without even realizing it!

I got a fake 100 peso bill from an ATM at Banco Frances at Cabildo why LaCroze once. I took it inside and the tool of a manager just kept saying it was impossible. This was way back before there was much of a gap between official and blue rates.

[DavieW]

It sounds like I've been extremely lucky regarding fake bills. I've never checked a single bill and I've changed many thousands of dollars over the last 5 years, and I've never had a fake one.

Or maybe I _have_ been slipped some fakes and I've unknowingly passed them on without even realizing it!