Money Exchange Peru,Bolivia, Chile

fichillie

Hi guys,

Just wondering where you got your currencies for the above when travelling? Went in to my local AIB branch the other day to order some and they said they don't order them at all.

I'll be carrying USD/Euro's throughout anyway which I should have no problem exchanging, but I'd at least like to have a small amount of local currency.

themacman

Just withdraw the money from ATMs? There's no good reason to be carrying around wads of cash from different countries!

matrim

themacman wrote: »

Just withdraw the money from ATMs? There's no good reason to be carrying around wads of cash from different countries!

Using the ATM over there is definitely better than carrying around wads of cash but not all cards work in Peru and Bolivia. However Chile should be fine.

My AIB Laser card didn't work there as AIB have withdrawn services from Peru and Bolivia because of fraud. I ended up having to use my mastercard, which was fine for me. But my GF had the same problem with her laser and her BOI visa kept getting disabled every 3 days, so it was a major hassle for her to get money because she didn't know if it would work. If it didn't work she would then have to find a call shop and spend 10 minutes on the phone to BOI.

Regarding getting $ or € changed, there are money changers all over the place. Just make sure to check what you get given as there are counterfeit notes in circulation.

HankScorpio1985

Make sure the notes aren't damaged either as they will be reluctant to change them. Especially dollars.

themacman

matrim wrote: »

Using the ATM over there is definitely better than carrying around wads of cash but not all cards work in Peru and Bolivia. However Chile should be fine.

My AIB Laser card didn't work there as AIB have withdrawn services from Peru and Bolivia because of fraud.

This isnt true dude. I live in Peru and use my AIB card several times a week. Also never had any problems in Bolivia.

Backpacking with cash is more trouble than its worth!

fichillie

Yeah I know, I only want to carry a small amount of cash. I've heard that visa doesn't work a lot of the time of there, which is the only credit card I have, and my laser is with AIB too.

I'll just have to ring them before I go to find out if its gonna work or not.

matrim

themacman wrote: »

This isnt true dude. I live in Peru and use my AIB card several times a week. Also never had any problems in Bolivia.

Backpacking with cash is more trouble than its worth!

I was there about 5 months ago and neither mine or my GFs laser cards worked. We also met another Irish couple who had the same problem. When we called AIB we were told they had stopped services there because of fraud.

Do you use your laser or a credit card? It is laser that they told me didn't work.

The OP should contact his bank to ask them what their policy is at the moment and notify his bank that he will be traveling in those countries.

I agree that backpacking with a load of cash is not worth it. Keep a small bit hidden in different places as emergency money but don't carry loads with you if it is in any way avoidable.

R.D. aka MR.D

You can pretty much get any currency at Dublin airport. Just make sure it's the big long one opposite the check-in places and not any of the smaller ones.

As long as you have US dollars you'll be grand.

themacman

matrim wrote: »

I was there about 5 months ago and neither mine or my GFs laser cards worked. We also met another Irish couple who had the same problem. When we called AIB we were told they had stopped services there because of fraud.

Do you use your laser or a credit card? It is laser that they told me didn't work.

The OP should contact his bank to ask them what their policy is at the moment and notify his bank that he will be traveling in those countries.

I agree that backpacking with a load of cash is not worth it. Keep a small bit hidden in different places as emergency money but don't carry loads with you if it is in any way avoidable.

I use both AIB Laser and AIB Visa Card regularly and successfuly.

Yeah, no harm having an emergency 50 euro hidden in your backpack.

dory

I'd always have a few 50 Euros hidden somewhere. No need for dollars. I never met a place in which it was easier to change dollars than Euro so no point to change from Euro to Dollar to local currency. I mostly used my Mastercard in SA. I put money on using internet banking and then it was free for me to withdraw.

R.D. aka MR.D

dory wrote: »

I'd always have a few 50 Euros hidden somewhere. No need for dollars. I never met a place in which it was easier to change dollars than Euro so no point to change from Euro to Dollar to local currency. I mostly used my Mastercard in SA. I put money on using internet banking and then it was free for me to withdraw.

I don't know about many other places but i'll share my experience.

In argentina it can be quite difficult to change euros. We were refused several places and had a lot of hassle showing passports and stuff. But dollars are really easy to change and some places will accept them as payment no questions asked.

sarkozy

themacman wrote: »

This isnt true dude. I live in Peru and use my AIB card several times a week. Also never had any problems in Bolivia.

Backpacking with cash is more trouble than its worth!

I had this problem with my BOI Laser/Cirrus/Maestro card. It was only a problem because for a different reason, my Mastercard had been blocked due to suspected fraud. This was resolved by a quick phonecall.

Otherwise, we travelled Argentina/Uruguay/Bolivia/Peru and never had a problem with Cirrus/Maestro and Mastercard.

Definitely they way to go. And have one card in one wallet and another in the other.