Exchanging Currency

[Vegas Vic]

I haven't been to BA in a few years, but am returning in a few weeks. For the best exchange rate, is it still best to bring USD cash (new $100s) and exchange on Calle Florida or are the banks (via ATM) better these days? What kind of rates are you seeing? Can you recommend any specific locations? Thank you in advance.

[Jim Bob]

I am paying 1000 pesos to bang nice looking chicas. And I can eat a regular meal with a beer in a café for 200 pesos. I was paying roughly the same a year ago, or there has been a moderate increase maybe 20%. So from what I can see, dollar prices are often about half what they were a year ago. The peso prices increase due to inflation, for food and pussy at least, not the change in the dollar exchange rate. Or possibly at some point inflation will catch up with the drop in the pesos versus the dollar, however so far they are not and I find myself paying 50% less.

[Gandolf50]

I see the exchange rate is now 30 pesos to the dollar. Do things seem cheaper??

I see many things here have increased by as much as %50 in the past six months. Cheaper??? Not really.

[Tres3]

I see the exchange rate is now 30 pesos to the dollar. Do things seem cheaper??

My sources tell me that Argentines dollarize their pesos very quickly, such that most prices stay about the same in dollar terms. There are too many government employees, and the Macri administration is having a difficult letting them go.

Tres3.

[BayBoy]

I see the exchange rate is now 30 pesos to the dollar. Do things seem cheaper??

[BayBoy]

Whats the exchange rate now, dollar to Argentine Peso. I'm seeing and hearing stories of hyper inflation there in Argentina. And also the Blue Note where is that now?

[Pishqa]

BTW Platinum AMEX gets you into Delta airport lounges as long as you are flying on Delta, even in peon class, and you don't have to use the AMEX to pay for the ticket.

Amex Platinum also gets you into the Amex Centurion Lounge at Ezeiza. Also Gold status with Hilton, Starwood, Marriott, free Global Entry and other travel benefits.

[Dickhead]

Well, yesterday I transferred money from E-Trade to Schwab and it showed up in Schwab this morning. First time that has happened. So maybe technology has advanced.

[Dickhead]

What's a 'branch'? Like an olive branch? Oh, you mean a BANK branch. I sort of vaguely remember those. Last time I went to Argentina I went to the AMEX office in Panamá City and they charged me $30 to hand me $10,000, and I ended up paying two days' interest as well before the E-Trade payment hit the AMEX account. One thing I don't like about AMEX is they will not allow you to create a credit balance. Maybe all credit cards are that way. I guess they have to make money somehow. I ran out of the AMEX office back to my hotel to pay off the $10k but I could not pay it off until the next morning, and then it took another day to hit. It was about seven dollars of interest.

BTW Platinum AMEX gets you into Delta airport lounges as long as you are flying on Delta, even in peon class, and you don't have to use the AMEX to pay for the ticket.

[Tres3]

I transfer money among E-Trade, Schwab, Vanguard, and a conventional bank and all the transfers take three days, normally. Sometimes two days, but that is rare. Even if I sell a security and have the funds go into another institution besides the selling institution, it's three days. Not sure if that can be improved on.

The only way I have found to speed up the transfer process is to go personally to a branch (a pain in the ass). I get same day funds if I deposit a Schwab Bank check (less than $10,000) into my JP Morgan Chase savings account at the branch that is walking distance from my house. Most of the time I just use an ATM for cash, but when I need a large amount of dollars (like a trip to Argentina) I go the deposit route.

Tres3.

[Dickhead]

I transfer money among E-Trade, Schwab, Vanguard, and a conventional bank and all the transfers take three days, normally. Sometimes two days, but that is rare. Even if I sell a security and have the funds go into another institution besides the selling institution, it's three days. Not sure if that can be improved on.

[Slipknot]

I got a Schwab account to take advantage of the no foreign transaction fees and no ATM fees. It was easy to set up on line while stateside and I seem to recall the card came within a week. You also have a brokerage account if you want to do trades, etc. The only slight drawback is that they sit on your money for three business days if you transfer from another bank account. In my case my Chase account. Not a big deal, as long as you plan ahead, but worth knowing about.

[Dickhead]

My Schwab card refunds my ATM fees, world-wide, the very next business day. But I am probably more good looking and have a huge dick. Or not. E-Trade also rebates ATM fees but charges 1% foreign transaction fees if you use the debit card for purchases. One guy I talked to recently did say that Schwab opened accounts for him and then immediately closed them because they were not satisfied with his credit. We found that puzzling since all you are doing with an ATM card is taking out your own money. Even if they give you margin privileges, they can just liquidate your securities to satisfy your overdraft. So that was weird. He actually suggested that Schwab do something physically impossible to itself, so he might have been a little peeved.

Either a Schwab or an E-Trade ATM card, or both, plus a Capital One credit card that charges no foreign transaction fees and gives you cash rebates or travel points, should be in the wallet of all international mongers, and indeed all mongers, and indeed everyone.

[Tres3]

While it will not stop the local bank thievery, the Schwab ATM card rebates the ATM fees at the end of each month. In addition to an almost worldwide ATM card, Schwab Bank also charges NO foreign currency conversion commission. Schwab Bank is an Internet bank that gives you access to your bank account anywhere in the world that has Internet access.

Tres3.

[Daddy Rulz]

It's ridiculous, banks now charge AR$196 , about US$10 ATM fees with a limit of AR$3,000 withdraw. It happened to me at HSBC, maybe there are other banks with other fees? I will report if I find out. But it looks like cash or credit card are the best options.

Fucking banks here have always been thieves.