Money exchange help please.

adrienne79 says on Sep 6, 2007, 07:51:

if you must deal with cash only, it sounds like the exchange houses are your best bet. Most banks in Colombia won't exchange money and if they do, their rate is about the same as the exchange houses. I use my ATM card and get a great exchange rate every time and only pay the 1% transaction fee each time.

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webmanco says on Sep 6, 2007, 08:01:

There are lots of places near Citi TV or The Emerald trade center where they would buy your dollars, or even a few optimistic posters here will be willing to buy all of your dollars.

If you go downton there are a lots of trusted money exchangers on the street, but as usual there might be a few crooked ones. Most of them got offices as well.

Avenida Jimenez con carrera 5ta.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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viajero says on Sep 6, 2007, 08:30:

Thanks for the responses but I still would like to know if I can get exchange, close to the official rate and where? cash money, no credit cards.
Thanks

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Gator says on Sep 6, 2007, 08:46:

!!!!!!!!!!! Non No, Nein Nee Oxi Não nyet I-ie Bu !!!!!!!!!!!!

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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viajero says on Sep 6, 2007, 08:57:

Okis, thanks, I get the message.
I remember when I was in bogota in 2001, I got the real official rate at the banks and at casa de cambios (like 2600 plus or almost 3K, not sure), Now I see times have changed.
AZB

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Gator says on Sep 6, 2007, 13:55:

Have they ever

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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viajero says on Sep 6, 2007, 14:43:

I had people make calls in colombia to casa de cambios and to my disappointment, they were quoted in one place : 1650 pesos to dollar
another place: 1880 pesos to a dollar.
So i guess the rate fluctuate quite a bit. Listening to both rates, made me depressed. I guess I will change a few dollars at the airport to get to town and then change some more the next day at a place of my choice.

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ernesc says on Sep 6, 2007, 16:09:

Viajero,

Adrienne77 gave you the best answer. Don't use casa de Cambios. You'll get ripped off 'cause they'll give you less than $1,800.00 per US$. If you use your ATM, you will get just about the OFFICIAL going rate which today is $2.174,56 minus the US bank fee (BofA is 1%).

Colombian in Hollywood, FL

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tabla says on Sep 6, 2007, 18:29:

I had so much trouble using ATMs in Colombia
My cards rarely worked, and it got worse.
I wonder if cards get blocked in Colombia when they're still OK back home?
In the end I had to get funds sent to me by Western Union
Plus it's such a waste of time trying loads of ATMs for a relatively small amount each time

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RAAAY says on Sep 6, 2007, 19:17:

Problems with ATM's.............??
They are probably one of the few things that work effectively here...........

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

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Robert Jorge says on Sep 6, 2007, 20:06:

The only problem I ever had with Colombian ATMs was an occasional, no service due to lack of physical cash in said ATM.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

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adrienne79 says on Sep 7, 2007, 07:05:

In order to prevent a problem with your ATM, call your bank before you leave and warn them that you will be using the card abroad. This will allow their fraud department to flag the account so they don't put a stop on the card.

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Gator says on Sep 7, 2007, 07:45:

Never had a problem with an ATM-except lack of available funds.

Please-to save yourself time and inconvenience -follow adrienne79's advice

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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panthdave says on Sep 7, 2007, 09:39:

ATM Service has been excellent almost better than the States...Yes I would think it would be smart to call your Bank to activate international service....

500.00 a day is perfect...Can't spend that anyways...well my style..

panthdave Miami

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CristalM says on Sep 8, 2007, 19:45:

Also never had a problem with ATMs here. I used my visa debit card as well as cash advance on mastercard. Not one problem ever except that with the 500 $ withdrawl limit per day I have to get the money for rent and utilities over a period of days.

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panthdave says on Sep 9, 2007, 05:50:

Cristal that happened to me too Funny...I use to pay three months at once for rent and would have to go on a daily basis to the ATM but now I just pay once a month changed that...so don't have any hassles about getting to the ATM....for that daily limit...

panthdave Miami

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Noelito40 says on Sep 12, 2007, 07:07:

a slight tangent to the thread so perdon, pero! I'm moving to Bogota in a few weeks (from Europe) for a year and with the euro hitting a high against the US$, is it a good time to buy pesos, and secondly, is it possible to open a US$ account in Colombian banks...

Noelito

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