right?? yet some to-go restaurants, or grocery stores, or kiosks, or Chinos will demand i show my actual passport (Coto in Belgrano did this, stupidly, and lost my business) for a $8 USD handful of groceries 😛
Yes I also get asked to show my ID at some large chain grocery stores. I asked once and they just said they were following store procedures so I wouldn't take it out on the cashier. I just show my State ID that I carry around.
sure, and no one does, but it makes me 'vote with my dollar' when 10% of places (chinese markets and one Coto, etc.) demand my physical passport. anyone telling you to walk around with your passport is an idiot or lying to you or has never traveled anywhere.
I agree it's totally stupid to carry about your Passport. I can't understand people that do this. The crazy thing is I have seen several in BA carrying them around showing them at stores. It's nuts. I just carry around an old expired driver's license or old Global Entry card that is expired. I don't even carry around a valid driver's license. I have never ever had any issues anywhere. The ONLY time I have carried around my DNI is when I go to Western Union. That is it.
Before I was mostly just using my credit card but I am finding it better to use Western Union and with the 15% cash discounts at many restaurants I am saving more just paying cash again. It will be nice when the larger denominated bill comes out. I hope that is soon.
true, if you have regular places that you go to with 10-20% cash discounts (or Menu Ejecutivo, or 2x1 cash-only drinks) theb absolutely bring your wads of cash when you head out.
Yes. That is the rate I got today with my MC. I sometimes use cash but the biggest hassle for me is that it takes up too much room. I usually just carry an old ID and a credit card. I don't even like to carry a wallet around. I know I can save some money paying cash but I figure the hassles and costs with going to WU aren't worth it most times.
by paying cash you mean paying with the pesos? or paying with dollars? I'm only asking because I heard many restaruants and businesses accept dollars.
I meant I just pay in pesos. I have seen signs for places that will accept USD with exchange rates but usually at bigger restaurants but I don't like to honestly walk around with $100 USD bills except when going to an exchange place. I guess you could ask if they accept USD and what exchange rate but I would make sure to confirm rate before. I don't like to stick out and thought maybe if I was paying in $100 USD bills I would stick out.
agreed, unless there are bigger bills like 20k this year, and if the WU/MEP gap continues to be such a huge difference!
@1031Brah you can't get $100 bills in Argentina that i know of (i've tried for 4 months), so if you bring some, for sure, any human being will gladly take them off your hands! i would also be wary of carrying them, as @Katherina says, since they're so valuable. and for sure you'd be the only one using $100 bills where i'm at, and you'd stick-out (and risk getting scammed on change or exchange rate). if you're taking cash out of an ATM as a tourist, you're getting Peso $1000 notes, which are worth $1 USD, and that's the biggest bill 😛 you can withdraw a maximum of 35 or 36 notes, from what i've been able to determine (and make sure you use a Schwab ATM card for the huge $9 USD fees refunded back). i just carry 10,000 Pesos with me unless i have specific plans to go to a cash restaurant. for the rest, i use my iPhone's ApplePay.
Totally agree with all of you. I wouldn't recommend walking around with $100 USD bills. First of all, the bills are noticeable when you are paying and nothing screams gringo tourist more than walking around or paying with $100 USD bills. Sure in a pinch if you can't get to an exchange house or if it's the weekend or something but almost all restaurants will take credit cards. I agree with @Katherina best to avoid except in exchange houses.
That is a good piece of advice. Thanks! I will try it. WU fees add up.
But $1,000 USD transfer via Western Union I think is like $49 USD or something like that. On larger amounts it just makes sense to use a cueva typically. Plus Western Union has limits to how much you can send each month.
good point, i forgot the fee scales so high (haven't done a large cash pickup myself, since credit cards have been so easy, and Airbnb is convenient, and some Landlords take US/EU Zelle)
Wow that is a great deal with them waiving the WU fee for a $1,000 transfer. Have you never used WU before @StatusNomadicus? Will that code work if you try to sign up for a duplicate account? I wonder what the maximum you can get waived on WU fees for first time transfer?
