Overseas Cash Flow

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

What has everyone done to get money over to their SO for visa, physical exam, plane fair etc?

[john_and_marlene 162]

Western Union. Expensive, but safe and fast.

[William33 110]

You could also send an ATM card, on a separate savings account.

If you bank online, you can transfer funds in seconds, for immediate withdrawal.

[ramos96 1]

Have you considered PayPal ?

Humbly,

Ramos

Edited August 14, 2006 by ramos96

[dwar49 0]

I would check the regional boards and ask the question there again for easiest way to send money to Russia.

Wire her money is one way (can be expensive)

Money orders (hard to cash and may be wait for the money)

I simplified the problem and had my credit card company issue her a card and then she can pull money from ATM or charge it direct to card.

[bebop + rocksteady 0]

PayPal all the way. We've done Western Union when we needed the money ASAP, but PayPal is the cheapest.

Cass (bebop the great)

[Chuckles 0]

Unfortunatly Russian Citizens and/or Russian Banks cannot use paypal Your best bet for Russia is the seperate debit card. It can be in your name and your SO can use it at any ATM with no problems.

[Jim_Tanja 1]

Did the Western Union thing when needed... But it is very expensive.

Second trip I left an ATM card... That works great.

[Satellite 1]

What has everyone done to get money over to their SO for visa, physical exam, plane fair etc?

I was there personally for this process and paid for it with cash on hand. I just combined my second visit with the end of the visa process and departure to America.

[mendeleev 68]

ATM card at first, then later, I gave her a credit card which she used once, in a real emergency, when she couldn't take with me and needed cash immediately.

[Perseverance 1]

in our case ATM is not an option, I use Money Gram to wire $$$ it is not nearly exspensive as Western Union, only about $10 to send up to $500

[akdiver 3]

What has everyone done to get money over to their SO for visa, physical exam, plane fair etc?

Nothing. My (then) fianceé paid her own bills.

But if you want to send her cash, just western union it on over. For small amounts, the rate is reasonable and competitve with wire transfers through the bank and the like. Alternatively, you could always send her your ATM card in the mail.

Good luck!

Cheers!

AKDiver

[slim 1,525]

For the plane fare, I called Aeroflot and put it on my Delta Skymiles Amex card. (That got me both Skymiles and Aeroflot Bonus points.) They took her passport info to reserve the ticket in her name, then my cc info for the payment. Electronic receipt for me, and she picked up the ticket at the local office in her city. I did have to fax in a credit authorization form. No big deal.

As far as cash for the medical fee, etc., I sent it Western Union. $500 cost $42 to send or something like that back in June.

Next time (and there shouldn't be a next time) I'll send her an ATM card connected to my account.

I like AKdiver's method best... have her pay her own bills! (His wife was an international bank-robber though!)

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

For the plane fare, I called Aeroflot and put it on my Delta Skymiles Amex card. (That got me both Skymiles and Aeroflot Bonus points.) They took her passport info to reserve the ticket in her name, then my cc info for the payment. Electronic receipt for me, and she picked up the ticket at the local office in her city. I did have to fax in a credit authorization form. No big deal.

As far as cash for the medical fee, etc., I sent it Western Union. $500 cost $42 to send or something like that back in June.

Next time (and there shouldn't be a next time) I'll send her an ATM card connected to my account.

I like AKdiver's method best... have her pay her own bills! (His wife was an international bank-robber though!)

Thanks well I suppose I could have Elena pull some gold fillings out of her patients and cash those in for some extra money. She might get into trouble with the clinic though. I suppose I can send her an ATM Card. Ill have to think about it.

[slim 1,525]

One thing I forgot yesterday was I sent an AMEX traveller's check a couple of years ago for her birthday. It took her a couple of weeks to cash it because the only bank that would actually accept it was the large branch headquarters bank in the big city. (And that was 29 hours away by train!)

They are readily accepted in Moscow at most larger bank branches. But, if she's from "the sticks" then you're better off using Western Union, Money Gram, or the ATM method. Or yeah, gold fillings will work too. I'm sure they've got some kind of kick-back program over there that as long as the clinic got their take, it would be all good. There's an infomercial here about "order your free gold-kit right now... you could be making hundreds, even thousands of dollars from your old gold fillings, jewelry, and coins that are just taking up space around the house. Don't delay, act now!" You could order that gold-kit, put a couple hundred bucks in it, send it to her, and have her fill it up with gold teeth then send it in!

Problem solved!