Expanish Volunteer Blog
How to Successfully Use the Bank’s in Buenos Aires
So you have come to volunteer in Buenos Aires and you are looking to take money out of the bank, exchange money, or cash in traveler’s cheques. What do you do?
For a foreigner, figuring out the best way to take money out of the bank can be challenging so we have put together a short list on How to Successfully Use the Bank’s in Buenos Aires.
1. Make sure that before you leave your home country you have a fully functioning, internationally accepted, bank card.
2. It is best to use bigger, international banks in the city, they are less problematic, and easier to use as they offer options in English. (HSBC, CIBC, etc)
3. If you are going to the bank during the weekdays, try to do it out of the lunch time hour, as that is when everyone on their lunch hours head over.
4. Once you put your card in the ATM you should automatically be asked to enter your pin or to choose the language. These ones interchange depending on the machine. If you are more comfortable using English, it is highly recommendable to choose English and not challenge your Spanish skills on an ATM.
5. Regarding money, the majority of the ATM’s in the city will only let foreigner cards take out either 300 pesos or 600 pesos at a time. This rule was applied after the 2001 crisis when banks lost too much money to foreign cards, and the rule has stayed in place.
6. Keep in mind that banks dispense big notes, so you will receive mostly 100’s, which can be difficult to change in Buenos Aires, unless you buy something from the supermarket, etc. If you want to receive smaller notes, you can input figures like 295 pesos, or 595 pesos.
7. When the machine the money, always count it right there. If there are any discrepancies, grab your receipt and head into the bank to speak with someone.
8. Only go to the bank during daytime hours and preferably with someone; it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Are you volunteering in Buenos Aires? Put your questions or comments below?
