Discount Cards in Buenos Aires

I’m a sucker for checking out new restaurants and nightspots here in Buenos Aires. I literally have a 3-page list of places on my fridge at home that I have been told to check out. The only problem with all this is that I have a never ending battle between desire and budget.

The past few weeks a friend and I have strategically dined out based on the discounts provided by the cards pictured above. La Nacion Club and La Nacion Premium Club Cards are associated with La Nacion Newspaper, one of the biggest newspaper publications here in Argentina. Every week La Nacion Club Card website lists participating establishments who give discounts to card members. Although many of the restaurants offer the deals Tuesday or Wednesday only, I still think it’s a great deal because the discounts range from 5 to 50% off. We ate at a solid Mexican Restaurant called El Salto de las Ranas (The jump of the frogs) for 40% off and at an amazing Thai food spot called Empire Thai for 30% off. Although at Empire Thai, I think 30% meant that the service was discounted as well… because she was a miserable little women.

You can get this card when you buy the newspaper every week ($40/month) and 2 magazine purchases. If you go out to dinner once it pays for itself. Also, they have discounts on cafes, ice cream parlors and movie tickets.

Some of these might not be worth it for tourists just passing through for a few weeks but if you are on an extended stay this is definitely something you should look into. Here are some other cards I have heard about that might be worth your while as well.

OTHER DISCOUNT CARDS: (provided by Argentine friends)

Tarjeta VIP – Card to a lower socioeconomic level than La Nacion.
http://www.tarjetavip.com.ar/index.asp

ISIC – International Student Identity Card – If you’re a student secondary, tertiary, university degree or post master. From age 12 and no age limit. From age 30, you may find yourself with some restrictions in some categories, mostly in air travel. Each company imposes its own restrictive policy.
http://www.isic.com.ar

IYTC ó GO 25 – International Youth Travel Card – If you are under 26 years. It is not necessary to be a student.

ITIC – International Teacher Identity Card – If you are teaching at all levels of education (primary, secondary, tertiary, university … No age limit.

Tarjeta Guia Oleo – Restaurant discounts.
http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/faq.php?mark=offers#offers

Tarjeta Tentaciones – Only for Telos!
http://www.tentaciones.com.ar/

Tarjeta GCard – Gay Card
http://www.gcard.com.ar/terminos.html

Tarjeta de Beneficios de Argentina Viajera – Discounts on various kinds of accommodation in Argentina. Card very little known.
http://www.argentinaviajera.com.ar/beneficios.html

SanTelmo Online – Card very little known San Telmo neighborhood, few benefits.
http://www.santelmoonline.com/perfil/perfil_notag.php?sit=B&id=220

*Always bring a student ID with you no matter if it’s old, expired or you have an ugly picture.

What else is out there?