Getting out cash at an ATM in Buenos Aires can be quite the endeavor, especially if you are trying to do it on a 
Saturday night, or just after the entire country has gotten paid (the 15th and 30th of each month).
ATMs can be found all over the city, and so you would think that getting out money would be no big deal. Here’s the thing, Monday is the refill day, so by Saturday the funds in the ATMs are usually limited. You may end up visiting quite a few ATMs that blink INSUFFICIENT FUNDS back at you before you find one that spits out your cash.
Going right after pay day is annoying just because of the extremely long lines. If you can avoid it, go just before everyone gets paid.
It’s interesting that every ATM is basically out of cash over the weekend, which is when banking hours are limited and we need cash more than ever. Why don’t they just put more money in each week, I ask myself. Seems like the kind of thing an American would do.
One tip I do have for the ATM is to withdraw an odd amount of cash, such as 290 pesos instead of 300, that way you won’t get just 100 peso notes which are hard to find change for. (That’s right, in Argentina you can take out such an odd amount from the machine.) If you do get stuck with only 100 peso notes, pay with the large bill on the Subway, that way you can get the 90 centavos back. (Crazy money situation in BA!)
The Big Gringo travel Central and South America trying out new things and reporting back to you – my faithful readers – so that you might enjoy your travels. Here is some information you might also find valuable:
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