Years ago I started exchanging my money before I traveled from this small money exchange shop down the street from my place. It’s run by a grumpy sounding old man who always gave me great exchange rates, had odd currencies which I needed but nobody else had plus he memorized my name which is why he’s been my go-to guy ever since. Recently a bunch of new exchange places started popping up. I think there are around 2 or 3 in his same building, around 2 across the street and 2 more in the building next door. Not sure why all these exchange places started opening up on my street but it seems it’s affecting the business of my money exchange guy. So recently he’s been trying to attract more customers. One way is by giving guests water or a fruit drink but the other thing he’s been doing which caught my interest was trying to get people to spread the word about his shop. When you exchange money he now hands you back your money in an envelop with his businesses card and a small paper with the following message on it:
Friends, (His first line was definitely a lot more embellished)
Please use your phones to photograph Masood’s Exchange in Al-Salmiya business card and send it to all your friends and family. Please be sure to ask them to forward that image to their friends and family members as well. If it’s possible, post the photo of the business card along with the above paragraph on Viber, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and Tango.Thank you!
Your brother,
Masood
I thought that was cute and since I like the place I figured I’d help him out by posting about it here. His shop is located near Burger King and Pizza Hut in the old Salmiya on Salem Al Mubarek Street. Here is it on [Google Maps] I don’t know where everyone usually exchanges their money, probably at the airport but if you’re in the neighborhood check his place out. Thats the picture of his shop on top.
19 replies on “My Money Exchange Guy”
That’s really a nice gesture Mark. God Bless You
ditto
That is very noble of you.
god bless u
You’re adorable.
Jeremy Piven is a wanker
You sweetheart.
Mark, that’s very sweet! 🙂
Most people I know go to Mubarkiya.
I don’t want to put a damper on this lovely story, but I stopped using money exchange shops 10 years ago. My Kuwaiti Bank ATM card works everywhere, even Russia. All I need to do is call the bank before I leave and alert them of my travel plans so they don’t confuse my withdrawals for hacking.
That’s what everyone does but it’s always good to have cash with you on arrival in case you need it for cabs, or whatever else comes up like your bank blocking your cards for illogical reasons.
Of course it’s always useful to have pocket money for a day or so, but realistically you cannot depend on that for the entire trip. You need credit and ATM cards. I was blocked only once because the bank thought it was a hack. Since then, I simply call them and share my travel plans before I leave. They enter the data in my account and I’m done.
I know, I never said thats what I depended on, I think majority of people exchange money for pocket money and not to use for the whole trip.
Buzz Siraj for yourself. Especially that there are withdrawal limits per transaction at ATMs abroad and a 2kd charge per withdrawal makes this option expensive. It’s the last resort. I’d go marks way or take Kds with me to exchange since its the most powerful currency
What James said. Boy, those 2 kds really add up too.
Anyhoo, I’ll share it on all my groups and fb. If you posted a picture of the grumpy lil ol guy you woulda won my instagram too.
don’t you mean, “here it is”, not “here is it”?
Free Advice to those who do not use shops like this:
These tiny whole-in-the-wall places have MUCH BETTER exchange rates than those Money Exchange offices and airport branches (that give you receipts).
The worse place to do your money exchange is at the airport because (as I was told by one of the money exchange guys working at the Airport) the rates are the most expensive there; in fact the advised me that unless its urgent, if I went to the same company’s branch in Farwaniya, I would be saving money.
So, unless absolutely necessary – try to avoid changing money at the airport.
I use this guy as well. Always has good rates, especially for USD.