Exchanging money at the supermarket

Before the days of the Blue Dollar, we often used the Scalabrini Coto to exchange dollars. We always gave them a $100 note for maybe $10 worth of groceries. Change was in pesos. Better rate than the exchange house, and no waiting.

But as I said, that was years ago, and their policy could well have changed. Let us know what you encounter?

We used to pay part of shopping in Dollars . Normally a 100 dollar note for 20 dollars of shopping . Change is always in pesos.

The exchange house we used from 2005-2018 was across from the Santa Fe entrance to Alto Palermo. I ran into the receptionist in December, and she told me they were closing after 20+ years in that location. Rent was increased.

Have you seen any new ones in the ‘hood, serafina ?

Quote from serafina

and issue a receipt.... print with an inkjet printer and in Comics Sans. Seriously?!

That’s hilarious! What next, PT Barnum? Appropriate for the circus they run.

Thanks for the tip on this location.

I get the feeling the dollar here, although obviously still very important, isn't as sought after as it used to be in normal everyday life. My mother in law still has an obsession about acquiring them at every given opportunity however my generation don't seem to be as concerned. Could be wrong though.

Maybe that is a HEALTHY obsession?

If I earned in pesos, for the past 18 years, I’d have been exchanging as many as possible into dollars or euros, and stashing them in a safe place, though I haven’t thought exactly where that would be. In the bottom of a bin holding fresh cat litter?

Other ideas? Here’s the challenge: if you had foreign notes, where would be the ideal hiding place a) in a house and b) in an apartment?

You didn’t engage in my challenge. Anyone?

Spend, spend, spend is the way to do it.

Although if you were going to buy a fine English made briar pipe much sought after by collectors 10 months ago on Mercado Libre you'd have lost out. I saw said pipe all those months ago on sale for 1000 pesos but decided not to buy it. The other week it was still for sale at the same price...I couldn't resist and took delivery of it the other day.

IIRC 1000 pesos 10 months ago was worth around £26. Today it's worth around £16 so my patience was rewarded. Wish all ML sellers would keep their prices the same.

Right you are, serafina - I’d never ask forum members to disclose their actual hiding places. The exercise was really just to imagine an ideal hiding place for city dwellers and/or one for people with gardens, garages or yards (Under the roof of the dog house?)

One place I wouldn’t choose is the freezer. Just ask former New Orleans congressman, “Dollar Bill” Jefferson, who famously was caught with $90,000 USD in bribery money stashed under the lasagna in his freezer. Perhaps the FBI agents searching his house became hungry and raided the fridge?

I remember that, at the time, there were lots of lasagna jokes going around.