How Easy Is It To Change Blue Dollars On Calle Florida?

[am0985]

Firstly sorry for posting as someone who's a tourist rather than an expat, but I figured you guys would be the most help. I looked over the last few pages to see if anyone had asked this lately and couldn't see anything, plus I am guessing this situation might be quite fluid.

I'm heading to Argentina on Thursday and trying to make a last minute decision about whether to use a web based "Western Union" style service (e.g. Azimo, I know WU don't actually do this) or whether to change dollars into pesos on Calle Florida.

If I change 1,000 pounds to dollars and then assume a rate of 13.7, I will get an extra 2,500 pesos when compared to if I transfer with Azimo - not an insignificant amount.

Changing pounds to dollars here in UK is easy obviously, but how easy and safe is the second bit? Does anyone recommend any particular cuevas?

 

[Chet]

You can't walk half a block on Florida without falling over a money changer, or 2.
Safety: Use some common sense, I am female and do this sort of thing alone all the time and never had a problem.

 

[am0985]

I know the rates vary day to day, but are they similar to the rates that are published on the web on any given day?

By safe I don't mean so much about getting robbed (although I know to be extra vigilant when carrying a wad of cash), but more getting scammed.

 

[ElQueso]

You won't get scammed (sure, one can get scammed at any point in one's life, I'm talking probabilities here). They know they have to remain relatively honest because they know they'll lose business if they lose rep.

Go to http://www.dolarblue.net/ and look at the green line. Take the average of the first two value columns (buy/sell) and subtract .10 and .20 as a Max/Min range. You should get at least very close to either one of those numbers. If they try to tell you the Min's too much, shrug your shoulders, say thanks and go to the next one. Often they'll come following behind you asking what rate you want and you tell them what you've calculated. See what they give you back. There are tons of cambio folk on Florida, and on Lavalle.

Keep in mind that the more money you change at one time, the better the price. Discounts on quantity seem to be at $500, $1000 and $2000+. Some will tell you that they don't discount at $500, but I've encountered those that will, at least at times.

Also, the market can fluctuate big sometimes, from hour to hour, and over days or weeks. As a tourist, I wouldn't worry too much about trying to get the absolute best price and then try to come up with some strategy where you try to figure out where the high points are (or are going to be) over a week or more, unless you're really into it. You might lose as much by the lower rates they'd give you with a lesser amount of money at a time if you were only changing a little so your pesos didn't lose value over time. Living here can be a different story because of the amount and quantity of various daily expenses.

If you find that all the cambio guys hanging out are pretty much the same price, and it doesn't match with what you calculated from the website before you went (or even close sometimes), then something has happened to change the price, probably all over the city, and the website will catch up later, or the following day. Take the rate, and if you feel like it's lower than you really want, maybe change less money and see what happens the following day.

Remember, knowing how to get a blue market rate at all is better than getting the unknowing tourist rate, or even the official rate. stay away, for example, from the area around Recoleta Cemetery, particularly along Junin. I haven't seen cambios lately there, to tell the truth, but there were quite a few up until a month ago or so. They will try to scam you to an extent. Prices 1 or 2 pesos (yeah, not centavos) below the blue price. which is still better than the official rate and unknowing tourists would fall for that.

Maybe Cristina cleaned those guys out with the arbolito and cueva raids she was doing.

 

[HenryNisental]

You do not have to change money in the street.
Go to Calle Fllorida 134, it is a large galleria (shopping place). Inside there are 2 shops that are very neat and safe, with good rates.

Good luck