# Best/Cheapest Way To Send Money From USA To Europe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944 "2009-10-24T06:15:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/1 "2009-10-24T06:15:51Z")
Helping a family friend, I want to send about $100 to $200 a month to Germany. The problem is, if I send a personal check, the German bank will cash it but charges about $22 to do so! If I send a hundred dollar bill in a greeting card it might get lost or stolen, but even then, there will be a fairly large fee to exchange it. My bank here in Las Vegas (BofA) does not even sell Euros!!! Does anyone have an idea, or tip, on how to transfer this relatively small amount of money, every month, to Europe (specifically Germany)? I suppose the best answer is to hold off and send ONE large amount and have the $22 dollar fee just slide but that isn’t particularly practical in this situation - I really only want to/and am able to send the small amount every month for other reasons. Any tips on sending $$ to Euros would be helpful. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/2 "2009-10-24T06:39:14Z")
I looked up Western Union and they also charge $22. Does Germany have credit unions? Normally their fees are a lot lower so if the person in Germany can join one they could possibly pay less to cash a US check. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/3 "2009-10-24T06:45:10Z")
Set up a checking account with a debit card and send him/her the card. I’ve found atms to end up being one of the most efficient ways to change currency in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/4 "2009-10-24T07:17:18Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Set up a checking account with a debit card and send him/her the card. I’ve found atms to end up being one of the most efficient ways to change currency in Europe. Hmm..that might not be a bad idea! Not bad at all!! Anybody knows what it costs at a “normal” ATM in Germany to yank out 100 or let's say, pull out 100 Euros if if comes from a account? In other words, if that German takes out 100 Euros from the debit card, approximately what will it charge me in the USA? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/5 "2009-10-24T08:12:19Z")
PayPal is actually quite good for sums around this amount of money. They charge around 3 percent but you’ll also pay close to or more than that for overseas withdrawal fees with a debit card. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/6 "2009-10-24T13:28:25Z")
I second PayPal. When you send money to someone as a gift there are no fees if you take it from your bank account. If you send it using a credit card, they give you the option to pay the fee yourself. It costs $3.02 for $100 via credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/7 "2009-10-24T15:54:03Z")
With the debit card it might be better to buy things than pull the money directly from the machine - there’ll be a currency exchange charge most likely for the cash, it’s different when you use it in a shop. I don’t know about Germany specifically but a cheque sent over might take weeks to clear. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/8 "2009-10-24T16:03:54Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > With the debit card it might be better to buy things than pull the money directly from the machine - there’ll be a currency exchange charge most likely for the cash, it’s different when you use it in a shop. I don’t know about Germany specifically but a cheque sent over might take weeks to clear. You also get charged overseas transaction fees when buying purchases with a debit card, these can be significant, at least I did with both Au and Uk cards recently when using debit card in various asian countries. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/9 "2009-10-24T16:20:25Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > My bank here in Las Vegas (BofA) does not even sell Euros!!! I’ve never understood this in the US, but I believe Wells Fargo sells EUR. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/10 "2009-10-24T16:53:52Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > With the debit card it might be better to buy things than pull the money directly from the machine - there’ll be a currency exchange charge most likely for the cash, it’s different when you use it in a shop. I don’t know about Germany specifically but a cheque sent over might take weeks to clear. > [@coremelt](#): > > You also get charged overseas transaction fees when buying purchases with a debit card, these can be significant, at least I did with both Au and Uk cards recently when using debit card in various asian countries. That depends on the bank, so please in any case check. I recommend using Visa if you go this way. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/11 "2009-10-24T17:03:34Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Set up a checking account with a debit card and send him/her the card. I’ve found atms to end up being one of the most efficient ways to change currency in Europe. I had a co-worker who did this to get money to his mother in Mexico. He put money into a Citibank account and she withdrew it at home. ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/12 "2009-10-24T17:15:10Z")
Nevada State Bank charges me 1% for overseas transaction when I use by card from Kyrgyzstan. Also get charged a $1.50 ATM fee. So for $100 you will pay $2.50. When I do need to get cash I try to get several hundred to offset the ATM fee. The 1% overseas transaction fee is for anytime I use my card over here. Used it for dinner at the Hyatt once, and the charge was there. Also does not matter if I pull USD or COM. -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/13 "2009-10-24T17:17:56Z")
Check out [Xoom](https://www.xoom.com); they advertise that they’re less expensive than Western Union ---
**Author:** ![ruritanian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@ruritanian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruritanian)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/14 "2009-10-25T14:41:30Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Set up a checking account with a debit card and send him/her the card. I’ve found atms to end up being one of the most efficient ways to change currency in Europe. I know several people who have tried just about all of the alternatives and this one is the most convenient. The fees will depend on the bank that issued the card, but should be in the ballpark described above by **Otanx**. Note that some American banks have partnerships or even offices in Europe and in such cases the fees may be even lower; look around, you may find something really cheap. ---
**Author:** ![cplif](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@cplif](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cplif)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/15 "2009-10-25T17:43:36Z")
Don’t know the solution, but do shop agressively, even between euro countries bank fees can be unthinkable both on cash or on purchases. Also those fees differ both from bank to bank on the receiving side so local care must be taken in choosing even an ATM. Western Union and PayPal are fast, bank tranfers, even with a SWIFT code can be cranky and irregular, simple tranfers suddenly go through several intermediairies, taking useless days. Fees are country and bank dependant, get specific information. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/16 "2009-10-25T18:38:37Z")
Thank you all for your suggestions! Although xoom looks pretty fair, and interesting, I think I am going to try the debit card idea. Now I just have to see how difficult it will be to get another card on my account - if I have to have some paperwork signed by that German friend, or if I can just order a card with their name on it and send it over. At any rate, ALL of the suggestions are better than sending a personal check or cash! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/17 "2009-10-25T18:56:18Z")
If you need Euros in the future, we were able to get them from the American Express office in Vegas. It was a few years ago, but the office was at the MGM. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cheapest-way-to-send-money-from-usa-to-europe/514944/18 "2009-10-25T19:37:42Z")
I have never used it myself, but I have seen XE ([www.xe.com](http://www.xe.com)) praised for cheap money transfers on a British expatrate board.