How do you pay in Argentina?

This is something I wonder about... it's great opening the borders for tourism, but how are the tourists going to live and pay for stuff when they get here?
They are going to do what they do in every country- go into one of the many storefronts that have big signs saying "change money" and get pesos with their credit cards. Lots of those in Recoleta and Florida, and they were always busy two years ago when there were tourists.
 
Here is what you have to do as a tourist. If you don't do this, you will pay almost double for everything:
SEND YOURSELF CASH VIA WESTERN UNION. Pick it up at any of the many Western Union pick up points, showing your passport. DONE.
OR
Bring PHYSICAL DOLLARS and swap them at black market exchange places (called cuevas) in Florida street in Buenos Aires. This is not as scary as it sounds, it's like going to any other money changer and scams are not common provided that you inform yourself on the rate you should be getting beforehand.

If you do not do this as a foreigner with no Argentine bank account, and you swap money at 'legal' exchange places or pay with your foreign debit or credit cards, you will be given the official exchange rate, which is much lower. As of right now, 1 dollar at the official rate is 99 pesos, while sending money to yourself via Western Union or swapping at a cueva is minimum 185.

So you DO have to use cash, but it's a small inconvenience to pay for getting a 50% discount on everything.
 
Here is what you have to do as a tourist. If you don't do this, you will pay almost double for everything:
SEND YOURSELF CASH VIA WESTERN UNION. Pick it up at any of the many Western Union pick up points, showing your passport. DONE.
OR
Bring PHYSICAL DOLLARS and swap them at black market exchange places (called cuevas) in Florida street in Buenos Aires. This is not as scary as it sounds, it's like going to any other money changer and scams are not common provided that you inform yourself on the rate you should be getting beforehand.

If you do not do this as a foreigner with no Argentine bank account, and you swap money at 'legal' exchange places or pay with your foreign debit or credit cards, you will be given the official exchange rate, which is much lower. As of right now, 1 dollar at the official rate is 99 pesos, while sending money to yourself via Western Union or swapping at a cueva is minimum 185.

So you DO have to use cash, but it's a small inconvenience to pay for getting a 50% discount on everything.

I believe in another thread someone mentioned there’s a way to exchange crypto for the blue rate as another option. Is there no way to pay in most places using crypto or some other option and to not have to carry cash around, without a DNI?
 
I believe in another thread someone mentioned there’s a way to exchange crypto for the blue rate as another option. Is there no way to pay in most places using crypto or some other option and to not have to carry cash around, without a DNI?
Very few places take crypto and those that do immediately convert it to dollars at the official rate and price things at the official rate. When you pay with crypto usually you aren't actually paying with it, you are selling it for fiat currency in exchange for what you're buying.

It's really not hard to just send yourself money via WU and carry cash.
 
Very few places take crypto and those that do immediately convert it to dollars at the official rate and price things at the official rate. When you pay with crypto usually you aren't actually paying with it, you are selling it for fiat currency in exchange for what you're buying.

It's really not hard to just send yourself money via WU and carry cash.

So it sounds like without a DNI you have to pay with cash or use the official rate. It’s the carrying cash part I don’t like. But I guess that sounds like the situation currently. Now maybe I need to invest in a bigger wallet. Currently I have a minimalist wallet which is very comfortable and light to carry around, and even hold cash but not a ton.


Was actually shopping earlier today for a replacement wallet and got the idea to ask this question, in case I have to carry lots more cash. Oh well. Maybe I can use a small wallet and carry the cash in my pockets. That way it’ll hold the change easily as well.
 
This is something I wonder about... it's great opening the borders for tourism, but how are the tourists going to live and pay for stuff when they get here?

They won't know the difference... They'll use they're usa(or foreign other) credit cards and atm and get screwed every time. I would think most tourists wouldn't care since they're here only for a short time.

The folks who will really care will be those trying to stay for extended times. Most likely those folks will figure out the western union or cueva routes.

Less than 3 weeks I think will be taken for a ride in Arg.
 
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