Need Help On Money Situation

[RichardAshby]

My wife and I are arriving in BA in less than two weeks. We have enrolled in a language school and made a 2-week reservation at a B&B (and we hope to find a small furnished apartment to move into after the B&B). We are not sure how long we will stay but originally intended a few months, possibly 6 months or so if we can get an extension on the normal 90-day limit.

HOWEVER, we naively assumed we would be able to use ATMs, credit cards, etc. the same as in, say, Europe. (We are from the U.S. and have a U.S. bank).

The B&B informed us they don't take Argentine pesos, or credit cards, but we could bring dollars/euros in cash or do a wire transfer to their German bank account. We don't really want to carry thousands of dollars in cash on our persons when we travel. We are actually already outside the U.S. (in Europe) and would have to start collecting euros from ATMs up to the max every day in order to accumulate a few thousand.

Then new complications arose for us: Our bank said they don't do wire transfers outside the U.S., and Western Union today declined our online transfer attempt. (The WU customer service person I talked to did not know the reason for the decline, but said we should try going to a WU office and using a debit card to make the transfer.)

The language school also takes only dollars and euros, but said we could pay with a credit card. I assume they perform the credit card transaction in dollars rather than pesos.

Xoom.com says I can transfer money from my U.S. bank account at a good exchange rate and pick up the cash (in ARS) at various locations in BA. However, this won't do me much good for places that only take dollars/euros.

For example, we were looking online for a furnished apartment (for after our B&B stay) and some indicate they only take dollars/euros. No credit cards or PayPal.

HERE IS MY QUESTION: Since we will not be bringing enough dollars/euros in cash with us to last six months, or even a month or two, how can we pay for things that only take dollars/euros? Or is that not as big a problem as it seems to me? We have money in our U.S. bank account, but are having trouble figuring out to how to use it in Argentina.

Thanks very much for your help.

 

[lucha54]

they are both screwing you. you need to find a school and accommodation that accept argentine pesos. (they do exist!!) please go and google "WHAT IS THE BLUE DOLLAR" and learn more. you need to bring as much cash as you can possibly acquire before traveling (preferably in USD) then rearrange a few things in your plan. (unless you don't care to save money or not be taken advantage of, maybe not so much of a priority for you as just enjoying yourselves, in which case, proceed).

 

[sergio]

I think you can pay in pesos if you pay at a mutually agreed on "blue" rate.

 

[French jurist]

Indeed, they are trying to take advantage of you. It's quite normal to get screwed on your first days here (happened to all of us).

That's also the problem when booking in advance from outside of Argentina: you'll find mainly people who try to take advantage of people who have euros or dollars.
The best thing in your situation is to come here, book a place for 1 or 2 weeks, and find the school, etc., once you're here.

To get dollars here:
- Go to Colonia in Uruguay and withdraw as much dollars you can
- Find a "cueva" in Buenos Aires and do a wire with them (you pay them with a wire in USD, they give you pesos at the "blue" rate minus a small commission)

etc.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

As of this moment you will have no problem bringing Dollars here through a cueva. They are all over. You'll pay between 3% & 4% for doing this.

Forget for the moment the issue of the B&B only taking Dollars. Your issue is that your money is outside of Argentina and you need to get it in somehow. You either bring it with you in cash, you use your credit/debit cards, or you use zoom or a cueva. Since you are here for a short time you are going to pay in Dollars or pay in Pesos at the blue rate (or negotiated rate). The other option like was suggested above is to go to Uruguay and withdraw your Dollars there.

Keep in mind that exchanging through a cueva is technically illegal (though everyone does it). Keep in mind also that laws here can change before you've even had lunch. Cuevas could be shut down at a moment's notice. You will want a back-up plan if you go that route. Going to Uruguay is a decent plan B.

 

[dennisr]

Politely tell them to go and pound sand. About time the average tourist started boycotting Argentina as a destination. Think if the BB played everything by the numbers, they could charge you an extra 35% surcharge even by paying with a foreign credit card. These people are in another World. Wake up, Argentina is a rip off for the average tourist anymore.
My rant for today.

 

[Alicia karr]

You CAN access your US accounts here using ATMS but will receive your money ALREADY CHANGED into pesos at the OFFICIAL rate, which means you will get about 30% less for your dollar.
When places quote you their fees in dollars than you should answer that "that would be "x" pesos at the official rate?".....
We all carry cash into this country. You are allowed 10K per person without declaring.. So remember, if you don't mind losing a percentage on your ATM withdrawals you certainly have that option for getting funds from your US account albeit in pesos. Better option is Xoom as it gives a good rate, just not as good if you are comparing it to the blue dollar. Again your money received will be in pesos..have a good trip!

 

[wineguy999]

Then new complications arose for us: Our bank said they don't do wire transfers outside the U.S...

And, for what it's worth, when you get back to the US, you should change banks - never heard this one before, anywhere.

 

[Balvanera82]

I would find it highly satisfactory if your next post in here would be that you've asked them sod off because this forum sorted you out with a proper place to stay - and perhaps an honest language school where providing quality courses has a higher priority than getting their hands on US dollars...

When is the tourist industry in Argentina going to learn that they have to struggle and provide for their clients, not the other way around? There should be a blacklist for such places as these...

My rant for today...

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

Can this institution and B&B place charging in Dollars only, be notified with the govnmnt agency of their unlawful tactic, so to stop this outragious behaviour? If I was trying to pay with the national currency at a X place, and suddenly being told, Sorry, we only take Dollars...WTF, I supposed to be in Argentina and the nation's currency is the AR Pesos..So naturally I should pay in Pesos..