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Old Jan 23, 2015 | 11:33 am
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BuildingMyBento
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Originally Posted by jnamiyo
A few questions for the group.

I want to save the fees associated with exchanging currency at a bank. Is it possible to arrange to buy Euros from a traveler, say, at the airport as I am arriving or departing?

Does it make any sense? Will the traveler and I be able to save money by avoiding the fees?

I assume that it is black market, possibly illegal, but I know that travelers to South America readily exchange dollars for local currency at a much better rate than the posted exchange rate.

Are there any resources online about this?

Thank you in advance for any information.
I don't think it's legal, but I've been rescued a few times by folks willing to make a trade.

I was in Myanmar before ATMs were around, and wandered around one of the local market hoping to find an exchanger. Same in Venezuela earlier in this month. Not everyone wants to take the risk - and in those two situations, the countries would have been prohibitively expensive if you went by the official rate - but it is possible, even if it shouldn't be.
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