brbrock
1/15/2015 16:45 EST
Hello! I'm Brittany, and I will be traveling abroad for school at the end of this month. I will have some pesos with me, but I do not want to have to go to the atm all of the time and pay those espensive fees. Does anyone know of a trustworthy cambio in Buenos Aires? I will be staying close to Palermo.
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panamajames
1/15/2015 18:51 EST
Go to Florida street in Buenos Aires and you will find dozens of money changers and they are all good. It is bad for business to be anything other than professional. They are most concerned that you leave happy.
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brbrock
1/16/2015 11:51 EST
How much cash would you recommend that I bring with me, to the cambios, that is?
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panamajames
1/16/2015 12:00 EST
I would recommend not taking any more cash with you than you need to exchange, unless you have safe transportation to and from. Because in Argentina, the largest bill is 100 Pesos, if you are going to exchange a thousand dollars, you are going to have 13,500 pesos or 135 bills to stuff in your pocket. It can bulge a bit.........There are banditos in Argentina who look for such bulges..........
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panamajames
1/16/2015 12:22 EST
Only as much as you can afford to lose, if attacked by banditos. There is very little chance of that happening, but it wouldn´t be the first time when someone was watching you go into a Cambio office and come out with bulging pockets........There is safety in numbers. Go with friends.
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TomP
1/16/2015 13:41 EST
I agree with Panama and this is why I strongly recommend using a Cambio and not some guy on the street who can have buddies ready to rob you or unload a bunch of bogus AR 100 pesos bills.
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panamajames
1/17/2015 00:14 EST
There are some very professional Cuevas out there offering over 13 pesos per one US dollar so I never used a Cambio who only offer 8.5 or so. After you do one or two transactions the cloak and dagger aspect is lifted. It is black market but in broad daylight and no one seems to care. It is another day at the office. The reason I mentioned Florida Street is because there are so many people to choose from. I never felt any concern for my safety except for my first transaction which was $100 and that was all I brought with me. Second transaction the same and by then I felt very comfortable and in charge. I was slowly becoming an expert to this art form. They want your business and to send your friends. No worries. They worship the US dollar these days.
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brbrock
1/17/2015 20:50 EST
Okay, thanks so much for the advice! How much money would you say you spent a day, rather, every week? I just want to know how much money I need to bring to Argentina overall.
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brbrock
1/17/2015 20:56 EST
I'll be staying for 3 months. So I just just wondering how much money I should bring. And the cuevas. Where would I be able to find them?
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panamajames
1/18/2015 09:11 EST
Ask anyone in the neighborhood where to exchange money. They are everywhere. It is big business. I spent a month with my wife and we spent $4000 US dollars for hotels and food and drinks and tango shows and souvenirs as well as taxis and subways and buses. It is big country.
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panamajames
1/18/2015 09:21 EST
You can spend 12 dollars a day on a room or 100 dollars a day. You can spend 5 dollars a day on food or 20 dollars a day. Entertainment can be zero or 200 dollars. It is a similar cost to what you pay in your hometown for services. Maybe a little cheaper now with your US greenbacks or blue dolar..
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brbrock
1/18/2015 10:04 EST
Well, I'll be doing the home-stay, so my room and board will be pretty covered. Does 5000 seem sufficient?
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panamajames
1/18/2015 22:46 EST
$5000 for a single person with home stays should be quite sufficient. That is probably 67,500 Pesos.......that is lots.
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JerryinBA
1/20/2015 08:10 EST
The best way to get Arg. pesos is to open a XOOM account. They debit you U.S. bank account and giive you pesos at their local office.The rate that they pay is a little less than what is paid at "blue money" stores. Google XOOM
If you plan to come with U.S. money, make sure that you have absolutely PERFECT US$100.00 bills. US$50.00 s might work, but smaller bills are not accepted.
A good way to find a cabio is to ask the conciierge at a 5 star hotel for a referral. No, you don't have to be staying st the hotel.
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panamajames
1/20/2015 08:47 EST
Make sure your American bills are in good condition. Bills that have pieces out of them or ripped will not be accepted in many parts of South America. We found that out yesterday in Peru. I found that cambios or cuevas do not like change but have accepted small bills however they prefer the new blue 100 s
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TomP
1/20/2015 13:24 EST
Panama is right. Many times I have taken many $100s to Argentina and the Cambios don't even want any writings, notations, phone numbers etc. of the bills.
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RussellO
2/1/2015 12:47 EST
May i suggest this consumer web page about xoom. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/xoom_money_transfer.html
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RussellO
2/1/2015 12:47 EST
May i suggest this consumer web page about xoom. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/xoom_money_transfer.html
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