Exchanging Currency

[DavieW]

I am arriving Dec 25. Where can I easily change money on either the 25 or 26 of December with a good rate? Would any members who know me like to change money for me at a competitive rate?

Bob inMiami.

I would have Bob, but I'll be out of the country myself.

[Miami Bob]

HELLO ALL,

It's been over one year since I visited BA. I would like to use this place on Junin because it is a few blocks from where I will be staying. Is it still open and easy to do business there?

Where is it exactly: address or description of location. Is there anything special needed to change $500+ there. Eg passport or photocopy of passport?

I am arriving Dec 25. Where can I easily change money on either the 25 or 26 of December with a good rate? Would any members who know me like to change money for me at a competitive rate?

Bob inMiami.

[Gringo Verde]

The cuerva in Galaria Colon on Florida gave me 9.8 pesos per dollar on a $500 exchange on Friday; the same rate as last week. Three French girls in front of me exchanged smaller amounts of Euros with no problems and I don't think they spoke a word of Spanish. They just passed their money to the cashier.

GV.

[DavieW]

With the sacking of Moreno and the talk of his replacement being a hard-line Marxist and with a bunch of big bills coming up I was out in a panic yesterday to change a big wad of USD. Especially when I found my usual place on lock-down by AFIP!

I ended up back at the same place in the galeria at the very start of Florida and got 9.75. Was initially disappointed, but talked to my usual place later that day and was told that's all they could have offered me also, so I reckon that's as good as was available yesterday.

[Gandolf50]

When I was last in BA it was P5 to the £, and you could buy a beer in El Alamo for P5. You could get a girl out of Exhedra or NP for P200 for an hour.

Just so I can get a feel for how BA has changed, What is the going rate for the above now?

Also do banks accept Travellers checks, and when you cash them do the give you $ for $, or do they only exchange into Peso?

You can change travelers checks at the American Express office near Retiro, only for pesos at the official rate. In other words, a bad idea. As for pricing. Ill let others give you the bad news.

[Bold Focker]

When I was last in BA it was P5 to the £, and you could buy a beer in El Alamo for P5. You could get a girl out of Exhedra or NP for P200 for an hour.

Just so I can get a feel for how BA has changed, What is the going rate for the above now?

Also do banks accept Travellers checks, and when you cash them do the give you $ for $, or do they only exchange into Peso?

[Esten]

Agreed DR.

BTW, I was getting 9.7 quotes on Lavalle today.

[Daddy Rulz]

I just exchanged $300 at 9.4 on Lavalle. While not the best rate, it's Sunday and I just need enough for a day or two, for now. Far better than using the ATM. The place was by 835 Lavalle, two guys were outside a couple doors down, a spanish guy and a black guy. The black guy walked me down the strip of stores in 835, into one of the stores, so we had some privacy. I exchange 100 first so I could check the bills. Then did the other 200 which I also checked. The 100 peso notes had the expected faint "face" in the white area when you hold the bill up to the light.

I still would not recommend doing this for somebody on their first trip. You know what pesos are supposed to look like and your spanish is good. Good info for the vets.

[Esten]

Does anyone know if there is any place open on a Sunday to change USD to pesos?

I just exchanged $300 at 9.4 on Lavalle. While not the best rate, it's Sunday and I just need enough for a day or two, for now. Far better than using the ATM. The place was by 835 Lavalle, two guys were outside a couple doors down, a spanish guy and a black guy. The black guy walked me down the strip of stores in 835, into one of the stores, so we had some privacy. I exchange 100 first so I could check the bills. Then did the other 200 which I also checked. The 100 peso notes had the expected faint "face" in the white area when you hold the bill up to the light.

[Daddy Rulz]

Does anyone know if there is any place open on a Sunday to change USD to pesos?

There are usually people out on Lavalle on Sunday offering but it's individuals not the office cambio's, they generally want to do the exchange on the street, and it's often hurried and the rate will be bad. It's the perfect mix for getting fake bills. If you're going to be here for awhile and just need pocket money for today you might want to bite the bullet and use an ATM to pull out a couple hundred pesos and exchange a larger amount tomorrow.

DR.

[IndoSpurs]

Does anyone know if there is any place open on a Sunday to change USD to pesos?

[Jackpot]

Went to a reliable Cueva on Lavalle and THREE times I was asked to leave because the PIGS were out to bust this joint.

Finally, after 2 one hour waiting periods I was able to get 9.75 for $500 USD.

Be careful guys.

Jackpot.

[Gringo Verde]

I got 9.8 pesos to the dollar today for a $500 transaction at the cuerva in Galaria Colon, on Florida between Corrientes and Sarmiento. Last week they paid 9.6 for the same dollar amount. Send me a message if you need the full address.

GV.

[DavieW]

So we're almost back up to the high of 9.80 of May this year.

Will we hit 10 soon? Or will the government find another way to pull it back, albeit temporarily?

I reckon it's a psychological barrier that they're not keen on seeing broken.

Not sure how they've done it, but it looks like they're managing to keep it under that psychological barrier! (Everybody knows to ignore Walter Mitty with his stories of 10.2 right?) I got 9.90 on 24th Oct, but forgot to post about it after seeing the thread soiled. I heard of a friend of a friend who got 10.05 the day before, but that was very short lived.

On Friday 8th Nov I went to 'Western Union' on Lavalle and was offered 9.60 and was so pissed off that I just walked out! I asked a couple of randoms on Florida but couldn't better it until I ended up back at the first place I ever used on the 100 block of Florida. A cell phone accessories shop in a galería where they offered 9.65 and eventually went to 9.70 for USD500.

[Big Boss Man]

I received 9.55 for 500 on November 7 at the place I used last year that gave good rates. November 8, I received 9.65 for $500 at a place in the Microcenter. Today's spot might not be tomorrow's.