best way to get USdollars? help pretty please

[Kate Cohen]

I may be wrong but I believe you can withdraw USD or Pesos in most of the major banks- Try a Citi Bank. I can on my card at least and I have a GBP account. I can also have my money sent via Western Union transfer to be collected in USD or in Pesos and there are many many branches of Western Union and it would be ready for instant collection as soon as you do the transfer via telephone banking with your bank. There is a fee for a Western Union transfer, and there is also a fee in Citi Bank of $16 pesos per withdrawal if you opt for that option. I would avoid carrying cash and exchanging cash depending on your amount, especially regularly on a given day or in the same place. If it was me, I'd take it from an ATM in dollars from a VISA debit or a credit card whatever you have, or do a Western Union. Whatever works for you. I hope it helps

 

[thebookcellar]

Banco Piano - its a casa de cambio and bank in one. It has good rates of exchange, also i believe they let you take money out against a card. Cabildo 1100ish. The Banco Piano in Ezeiza gives AWFUL rates, but in the city it's fine. I do not recommend goign to the one in the centre - pretty busy

 

[citygirl]

You can't withdraw USD unless you have a USD account here. I have no idea how the poster above can withdraw USD if she doesn't have a local account. I have never heard of that being possible.

For example, I have a Citi account in the US. Even if I use my Citi card at a Citibank here, I can't withdraw USD b/c I don't have a local dollar account.

 

[JHRWilliams]

I have a CitiBank account in the US, and every time I use a CitiBank ATM at a CitiBank branch, it automatically gives me the option to withdraw in USD (or Pesos, of course). This does NOT work for the Bancelo ATMs which are often located in CitiBank branches, nor for the so-called "Citi" ATMs in stores and around town -- just the "official" ATMs (they look like the American ones) at the "official" branches.

If you don't have a Citi account, maybe a teller would do it for you? Not sure on this one, though.

 

[citygirl]

I think you would find if you attempted to take out dollars, you would not be able to (unless it has changed recently). Again, I have a US account with Citi and I CAN NOT take out dollars. Just because the option comes up on the screen doesn't make it possible. Have you tried to take out dollars?

 

[cscott123]

yea, i dont think you can take out USD from atms, even the citi ones. i tried today and it didnt work. i think im going to suck it up, take out pesos, and then exchange for dollars. losing out twice on currency conversions is fine with me so long as it makes me life easier. thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[windy]

That branch of superville is very good if you have visa or mastercard. You just go to the counter with your passport and get Dollars or pesos. But it is just that branch of superville not all of them.
Also banco piano in the micro center was doing the same service but i am not sure if they still are.
We send all our customers to the superville in Charcas and have never had a problem

 

[Napoleon]

yea, i dont think you can take out USD from atms, even the citi ones. i tried today and it didnt work. i think im going to suck it up, take out pesos, and then exchange for dollars. losing out twice on currency conversions is fine with me so long as it makes me life easier. thanks for the advice everyone.

There's always the option of becoming friends with someone who gets paid in US dollars. Like a City Tour Guide for instance.

Things like private city tours are often paid for in US dollars and many of those guides then go to Casas de Cambio themselves. As long as you have legitimate pesos, I'm sure you could find a monthly dollar source that keeps you from heading to a C.d.C., take a ticket and waiting for 10 to 20 minutes.

These trades could also happen after 5pm and on weekends. Just saying.

 

[Magno]

I withdrew pesos from the Citibank ATM on av. Santa Fe and Libertad(I think), and exchanged them to Dollar in the bank. Probably not the cheapest option, but easy enough.

 

[darmanad]

There was recently a debate here http://baexpats.org/expat-life/12313-apt-qs-agencies-safest-how-long-do-they-take-usds.html about whether rent could be legally required to be paid in US$ or any foreign currency. In my opinion based upon the statutes cited it is an unenforceable contract clause to insist that rent be in $. Pesos may always be substituted.

If you like your apt, are renting it for a long term, think the rent is fair and/or want to maintain a good relationship with your LL you can seek to acquire US$ to accommodate her request or ask her if she will accept the equivalent amount in pesos to buy the US$. If you don't need to maintain a good relationship with her for any reason, for example, this is the last month of the rental term, then you can tender the rental amount in pesos (splitting between the buy/sell prices) and you will be within your legal rights and on safe legal ground even if she refuses to take the rent. She would not be able to evict you. Just my free legal opinion. (You know what they say free legal advice is worth.)