Coin shortage in Argentina - WSJ Article

[Quickroute]

Coin shortage in Argentina is something we all live with but why?

http://adjix.com/jip

Paddy in BA

http://paddyinba.blogspot.com/

 

[Napoleon]

I don't believe it exists.

 

[KatharineAnn]

You don´t believe what exists? SOMETHING exists, because if I have to plan the way I spend my money in such a way that I can receive enough coins to get to work the next day, I DO believe that SOMETHING is wrong. Of course, I COULD stand in line for 4 hours at the Once train station to change my coins...

 

[tangobob]

Interesting article, but I wonder how much of it is true.
One obvious "fact" that is wrong is where it says the smallest note was ten times as much as the ten shillings wages. while this may be true today, at the time there was a Ten Shilling Note as well as a Pound note.
For those who do not know how our old currency worked, there were twenty shillings in a pound. Making ten times as much a Five pound note.

 

[jp]

"Put the federal government in charge of the Sahara desert," Milton Friedman said, "and in five years there'd be a sand shortage."

That made me laugh.

I never have a problem with change, but then I make sure I always have lots of it. Once you adjust and get to know where you can get change from its not such a big deal. More of a teething problem you have to face when you get settled...

 

[beba]

I went to the bank this morning to get some much needed change and they told me they are only changing 2-3 pesos!!!!
how do they change 3 peso?????i give them one and they give it back?!
Not to mention the ammount of people in que doing the same thing.
And now that bus ride has gone up to 1.25, things aren't getting easier.
never lived in a place where getting on a bus would make me so anxious.

 

[igor]

I went to the bank this morning to get some much needed change and they told me they are only changing 2-3 pesos!!!!
how do they change 3 peso?????i give them one and they give it back?!

I assume you give them 5 pesos and they give you 2 pesos note and 3 pesos in change.

 

[criswkh]

Best place I found getting coins is on the freeways. If you know someone who drives go to Wal-mart south of BA near Quilimes. Those are the best changers.

 

[Lenny]

Here is what you do to get change. Every time you buy groceries use a large bill and never give change...they will have to give you coins. If they complain just stare at them and shrug your shoulders. Do this a few times a week and in no time you have a whole bowl of change.

That wonderful attitude is part of the problem.