Excited/scared About Moving To Ba...!

[nshyi0321]

Hi!

I'm moving to Buenos Aires in a couple of months and up until yesterday I was ridiculous excited about my move! But... I've been doing some research and it seems like it's nearly impossible to exchange ARS back to USD once I'm ready to come home??? I'll be working as an English teacher, getting paid in ARS, but paying rent in USD... PLEASE BE HONEST AND TELL ME IF I'M MAKING A MISTAKE!!!

The only solutions I've found online were somehow related to two things: HSBC and account in Uruguay. Can someone help me understand how exactly having an HSBC account or account in Uruguay would help my situation with exchanging ARS into USD?

I love to travel and I'm really not looking to make any money while I'm in Buenos Aires, but I would hate to leave such a beautiful country with a bunch of money I can't use...


Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Just spend the pesos you earn here, I wouldn't bank on having a bunch of them to leave with !

 

[NYKate]

Are you moving here or just staying here for an extended vacation to teach English? The reason I am asking is the confustion over why you are paying rent in USD? It will be very difficult if not nearly impossible to obtain USD here to pay your rent. I know it is difficult (almost impossible) to get an apartment here without a guanrantia but maybe the company you are teaching English with could help you out so you could pay in pesos? Maybe look on craigslist for someone who needs a roommate? To be honest, I think it is nuts to pay rent in USD. You will be the one getting the crap end of the stick.
The account in Uruguay would probably enable you to exchange dollars easier but to do that trip every month is not cheap in itsself. Others here are more versed in this than I am. Maybe look into posts on the forum about Xoom accounts etc...

 

[Rich One]

One comment , your rent in US$ will go up every day in AR$ as the Dollar blue oscilates, your salary in AR$ will diminish in dollars every day as the Blue dollar goes up...!! Therefore your disposable income will decrease daily.

Your option is to convert your saved pesos monthly (if any) at the blue dollar rate $7.60? Going to Colonia, will cost more!

 

[starlucia]

Trust me, I don't think you'll have that many pesos left over at the end of each month As an English teacher, you'll be making, on average, 40-60 pesos per hour... maybe enough to get by on, but almost certainly not enough to save.

As far as paying rent in dollars, the only realistic way of doing it is by bringing a wad of cash with you from the States. Personally, I'd just look for a landlord willing to accept pesos.

 

[Rich One]

Trust me, I don't think you'll have that many pesos left over at the end of each month As an English teacher, you'll be making, on average, 40-60 pesos per hour... maybe enough to get by on, but almost certainly not enough to save.

As far as paying rent in dollars, the only realistic way of doing it is by bringing a wad of cash with you from the States. Personally, I'd just look for a landlord willing to accept pesos.

Lucia your comment is an eye opener, if someone were to teach 100 hours per month(20 working days average 5 hours per day), at $60/hr. means $$6000 per month gross income enough to survive...!!

 

[Iznogud]

Add traveling time between teaching locations to keep up those average 5hs a day and you have created a practical, enslaving nightmare to keep you busy on an ever dissolving income, with an almost daily increasing rent.

Sincerely don't think that teaching english for ARS while on a USD is a winning combination. Teachers are a dime a dozen and word of mouth counts for a significant part of their portfolio. That takes time to build.

OP, how old are you and how long are you planning to stay?

 

[germanb68]

Trust me, I don't think you'll have that many pesos left over at the end of each month As an English teacher, you'll be making, on average, 40-60 pesos per hour... maybe enough to get by on, but almost certainly not enough to save.

As far as paying rent in dollars, the only realistic way of doing it is by bringing a wad of cash with you from the States. Personally, I'd just look for a landlord willing to accept pesos.

In VIlla 31 maybe 1Br for 900 pesos!!! of course you do not pay: Electricity, Gas, fees, City Taxes, Water

 

[Yogur griego]

In VIlla 31 maybe 1Br for 900 pesos!!! of course you do not pay: Electricity, Gas, fees, City Taxes, Water

Indeed, why pick Recoleta if you could also choose to settle in Villa 21-24, another favourable option with a close proximity of potable water.

 

[stephensonle]

Hey there,

Don't be nervous, but there are some things you should know about apartments here. Many landlords charge rent in dollars and will either demand dollars (impossible for you to regularly provide while living here and earning pesos, you are not allowed to buy them as a tourist) or they will let you pay the price of your rent in pesos, either at the full blue dollar (black market) dollar rate, which is around 7 pesos for 1 dollar, or they will give you a rate somewhere between the blue dollar rate and the official rate (around 5 pesos for 1 dollar).

It sounds like you have a place lined up for yourself; if you can get out of it or only stay for one month, do so. Check the shared apartments/piso compartido section of craigslist and you will find a variety of rooms. Many of those landlords are fair and will charge you a price in pesos (expect to pay between 1,800-whatever the hell you want to live in fancy neighborhoods such as Palermo).

No worries about getting "stuck" with extra pesos when you want to leave the country; as an English teacher myself, I can assure you they will fly out of your hands faster than you ever imagined in this city!! Worse comes to worst, you can always buy dollars (illegally) at the blue dollar rate or spend them in Bolivia.

Don't get scared, get excited!!