4911 ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos Aires
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 01:31:02 -0300
From: "Janis Kenyon" <Jantango@feedback.net.ar>
Subject: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos Aires
To: "Tango-L" <Tango-L@MIT.EDU>
Banelco ATMs limit withdrawals to 300 pesos. If you want to avoid paying
service fees for debit card withdrawals in Buenos Aires, use the LINK
system. Their menu is slightly more complicated than Banelco, but you can
withdraw the daily limit established by your financial institution in one
transaction.
Bank Boston has been taken over recently by Standard Bank where there are
Banelco ATMs.
Banks are not exchanging dollars as before unless you have an account.
Cambios are the only alternative for those who travel to Buenos Aires with
dollars.
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:58:48 +0000 (GMT)
From: Club~Tango*La Dolce Vita~ <dani@tango-la-dolce-vita.eu>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires
To: Janis Kenyon <Jantango@feedback.net.ar>, Tango-L <Tango-L@MIT.EDU>
That's not exactly true about the banks.
On your previous - similar - advice, I travelled to BsAs in March having previously purchased (exchanged) US dollars at the Bureau de Change in Atlanta at an extortionately bad exchanged rate.
Imagine my horror when I found that on my arrival in BsAs I easily and with no problems exchanged more US dollars at the bank in Ezeiza airport at a considerably better rate.
I lost out financially because of your incorrect advice.
Also, while in BsAs in March, one of my party withdrew in considerable excess of 300 pesos with no problems.
This was the same advice you gave prior to March 2007, and it didn't stand true then.
Dani
----- Original Message ----
Sent: Wednesday, 25 April, 2007 5:31:02 AM
Subject: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos Aires
Banelco ATMs limit withdrawals to 300 pesos. If you want to avoid paying
service fees for debit card withdrawals in Buenos Aires, use the LINK
system. Their menu is slightly more complicated than Banelco, but you can
withdraw the daily limit established by your financial institution in one
transaction.
Bank Boston has been taken over recently by Standard Bank where there are
Banelco ATMs.
Banks are not exchanging dollars as before unless you have an account.
Cambios are the only alternative for those who travel to Buenos Aires with
dollars.
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:46:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rick Jones <rwjones52@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires
When you arrive at EZE, just after your bags go through the x-ray machine (and before you walk out the sliding doors), if you look over to the right, there is a Banco de la Nation exchange that allows virtually unlimited exchange at a great rate.
I changed USD $6,000 there not too long ago, at something like 3.07 or 3.08 pesos to the dollar. I forget the exact rate, but it was relatively high.
Rick Jones
Janis Kenyon <Jantango@feedback.net.ar> wrote:Banks are not exchanging dollars as before unless you have an account. Cambios are the only alternative for those who travel to Buenos Aires with dollars.
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:56:12 -0300
From: Shahrukh Merchant <shahrukh@shahrukhmerchant.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires (Janis Kenyon)
To: tango-l@mit.edu
> Banks are not exchanging dollars as before unless you have an account.
> Cambios are the only alternative for those who travel to Buenos Aires with
> dollars.
True, but misleading because:
(a) Some banks (like, obviously, the one at Ezeiza airport as Dani
points out) DOES in fact exchange. Of course you may arrive on a day or
time when it's closed, which won't help you that much. (By the way, the
exchange booth near baggage claim is a ripoff--wait until you are
outside the customs area in the public part of the airpor.)
(b) Some banks in the center do, but you might have to look around,
since it is true that many of them will only change for account-holders
and there is no obvious sign saying that. You will need your passport.
The spread between buy and sell rate is typically 2-4 (i.e., for a
one-way transaction you'd be paying 1-2% over the official rate). No
recommendations here, since I never use them (I use exchange houses only).
(c) The implication that cambios (exchange houses) being somehow
inferior whereas in fact they are superior for all but the extremely
paranoid since they almost always give a better rate, and are open
longer and at more convenient hours. In addition, there are many stores
along Corrientes near Florida and on Florida that exchange money at even
better rates and aren't official exchange places. Never got a single
fake note or been short-changed at any of them either. (Even the
shady-looking characters calling out "cambio, cambio" on the street in
this same area are mostly barkers for these storefronts, although I
wouldn't recommend changing more than a small amount out in the open on
the street.) Most don't care whether you have your passport or not, so
if you don't have it on you or don't like carrying it around, that's
another advantage. Typical spread 1%, i.e., just about 0.5% charge for
the service.
And indeed, changing any kind of currency in the US (at a retail level)
is a huge ripoff with typical spreads of 8-20%, but I don't believe that
Janis has ever recommended doing that.
Summary: You won't have any problem at all changing USD cash to
Argentine pesos in Buenos Aires. Travellers' cheques, yes--forget about
it (aren't they obsolete anyway?). ATM cards--for more than a few
hundred pesos you might have problems with limits and you're probably
going to have a 3% charge from your bank at least. Credit cards are
accepted at most (but not all) places that charge enough to make it an
issue, but more and more are charging 3% even for purchases.
Recommendation: Carry as much USD cash as you think you may need or are
comfortable having on you and storing at your hotel or wherever you're
staying, change it at money-exchange places, and use ATM and credit
cards for the rest.
Shahrukh Merchant
https://www.LivinginBuenosAires.com/
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:50:45 -0400
From: "Caroline Polack" <runcarolinerun@hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires
To: tango-l@mit.edu
"When you arrive at EZE, just after your bags go through the x-ray machine
(and before you walk out the sliding doors), if you look over to the right,
there is a Banco de la Nation exchange that allows virtually unlimited
exchange at a great rate."
That's exactly what I did. It wasn't immediately noticeable at first. You do
have to look to your right, after exiting customs and see that green machine
inside a little room at the end of the hall. There was a whole slew of
tourists lining up at the cambio exchange booth. I'd been warned to stay
away from that and just use the LINK atm machine. Which I did, no problems
at all. Well, it was a minor cultural difference to using an Argentina bank
machine instead of a North American one but other than that, no problems at
all.
In any country, Cambio exchange booths always charge more than bank
machines. Not just Argentina, ANY country.
Never had a problem using bank machines and I had an excellent exchange
rate. Mind you, exchange rates tend to fluctuate on a daily basis so one
would do well to monitor exchange rates via the internet (if possible) to
decide when it's prime time to withdraw cash.
Fine Dining & Fancy Food. Check Out This Collection Of Good Eats.
https://local.live.com/?mkt=en-ca/?v=2&cid¦D6BDB4586E357F!378
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:25:30 +0200
From: " Christian L?then " <christian.luethen@gmx.net>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires
To: tango-L@MIT.EDU
On 25 Apr 2007 at 15:50, Caroline Polack wrote:
>
> Never had a problem using bank machines and I had an excellent exchange
> rate. Mind you, exchange rates tend to fluctuate on a daily basis so one
> would do well to monitor exchange rates via the internet (if possible) to
> decide when it's prime time to withdraw cash.
better just enjoy your vacation in bs.as., go dancing ...
... but do NOT waste your few days of on the internet to just save a
couple of cents!!!
dance, dance, dance!!!
christian
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:38:04 -0400
From: "Caroline Polack" <runcarolinerun@hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires
To: tango-l@mit.edu
"better just enjoy your vacation in bs.as., go dancing ...
... but do NOT waste your few days of on the internet to just save a
couple of cents!!!
dance, dance, dance!!!"
No worries Christian. I was lucky enough to stay with a friend who had high
speed Internet Access. Only took maximum 3 minutes out of my day just to
check. And I didn't just save a few cents, I actually saved myself about 75
dollars, which meant more money to go dancing - very very bonus for someone
living on a low income! The exchange rate actually did fluctuate that much,
at least between Canada and Argentina, that is.
If one is not so lucky as to have free access to the internet on a daily
basis, then of course, that's a different matter.
Fine Dining & Fancy Food. Check Out This Collection Of Good Eats.
https://local.live.com/?mkt=en-ca/?v=2&cid¦D6BDB4586E357F!378
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:54:15 +0200
From: " Christian L?then " <christian.luethen@gmx.net>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] ATM withdrawals and money exchanges in Buenos
Aires
To: "Caroline Polack" <runcarolinerun@hotmail.com>
Cc: tango-l@mit.edu
Ooops, Caroline,
this wasn't meant personally!!! This was more of a general remark ...
esp. to those who do not have free high speed internet access at their
tango guest house!
But I have to admit that I can't imagine that I could save 75 Euro just by
checking exchange rates. But also I have to admit that my dutch VISA
card only charges me 1 % with a max of 1,50 Euro for any cash
withdrawl as long as I have a positive saldo on their account: I can put
money on it before leaving home and they'd even pay me an interest
rate of (currently) 2,4 percent.
I do not carry much cash to argentina any more. Only some pesos for
the taxi ride from the airport downtown (but also only if I still have
Pesos left from my last trip - otherwise I'd count on the ATM at the
airport), and Euro only if the tango guesthouse owner prefers a real
strong valuta currency. ;-)
Enjoy tango!
Christian
p.s.: btw - where are you from in Canada?
On 25 Apr 2007 at 16:38, Caroline Polack wrote:
> "better just enjoy your vacation in bs.as., go dancing ...
> ... but do NOT waste your few days of on the internet to just save a
> couple of cents!!!
>
> dance, dance, dance!!!"
>
> No worries Christian. I was lucky enough to stay with a friend who had high
> speed Internet Access. Only took maximum 3 minutes out of my day just to
> check. And I didn't just save a few cents, I actually saved myself about 75
> dollars, which meant more money to go dancing - very very bonus for someone
> living on a low income! The exchange rate actually did fluctuate that much,
> at least between Canada and Argentina, that is.
> If one is not so lucky as to have free access to the internet on a daily
> basis, then of course, that's a different matter.
>
> Fine Dining & Fancy Food. Check Out This Collection Of Good Eats.
> https://local.live.com/?mkt=en-ca/?v=2&cid¦D6BDB4586E357F!378
>
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:36:51 -0400
From: Carol Shepherd <arborlaw@comcast.net>
Subject: [Tango-L] exchanges
To: tango-l@mit.edu
I am (happily!) recovering from hosting at a weekend dance exchange, so
I thought I would share a different perspective on exchanges.
In lindy and swing, exchanges are usually just for social dancing: no
lessons, showcases or demonstrations, just non-stop dancing and dancing
with as many different partners from as many different places as
possible. It's a jubilant and inclusive celebration of love for dance.
There is usually an outreach component to the exchange -- several of
the venues involve dancing in a public space so that everyone can see
how much fun it is to learn to dance and be a social dancer. This past
weekend was a soul, blues and Motown exchange and we danced in a
progression of different storefronts and restaurants downtown and at a
street music festival, to promote social dancing to the masses...but
more importantly, because it's really fun ;)
I have been to tango festivals, salsa congresos, and swing and lindy
exchanges. The energy at the tango festivals, to me, is of a different
kind. In tango there seems to be a higher percentage of people who are
focused exclusively on the refining of technique and one's place in the
dance hierarchy. A lot of tango seems to be about constantly learning
learning learning and 'not being worthy'. Are there ever going to be
times when we can drop the student demeanor and just 'come out and
play'? Maybe it's the inclusion of the lessons and workshops in tango
weekends?...they become the weekend's focal point for those who would
rather learn than dance.
I would love to see more exchange philosophy and energy (low-key,
positive, inclusive, non-instructive, pure social dancing) in the US
tango scene.
Make ochos not war,
--
Carol Ruth Shepherd
Arborlaw PLC
Ann Arbor MI USA
734 668 4646 v 734 786 1241 f
https://arborlaw.com
"legal solutions for 21st century businesses"
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:54:53 -0500
From: "Tango Society of Central Illinois" <tango.society@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] exchanges
To: shepherd@arborlaw.com
Cc: tango-l@mit.edu
<cff24c340706260954t6f830667n80ce34d6a2f034b4@mail.gmail.com>
On 6/26/07, Carol Shepherd <arborlaw@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> I have been to tango festivals, salsa congresos, and swing and lindy
> exchanges. The energy at the tango festivals, to me, is of a different
> kind. In tango there seems to be a higher percentage of people who are
> focused exclusively on the refining of technique and one's place in the
> dance hierarchy. A lot of tango seems to be about constantly learning
> learning learning and 'not being worthy'. Are there ever going to be
> times when we can drop the student demeanor and just 'come out and
> play'? Maybe it's the inclusion of the lessons and workshops in tango
> weekends?...they become the weekend's focal point for those who would
> rather learn than dance.
It could be that tango is more difficult to learn than salsa and
swing, so more time is needed to learn.
> I would love to see more exchange philosophy and energy (low-key,
> positive, inclusive, non-instructive, pure social dancing) in the US
> tango scene.
Yes, as long as the quality of dancing is good. At some festivals
there is a significant proportion of dancers who do not take
workshops. Unfortunately, this often includes some dancers who could
benefit from taking workshops.
It is a good quality of tango that many dancers seek to improve their
skills. A good combination of instruction and milonga experience
achieves this. Probably this is an important aspect that makes
festivals popular. That, and meeting a lot of new good dancers.
I think we've having fun at festivals attending both workshops and milongas.
Ron
