# Money order in UK Pounds from USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 27, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582 "2003-11-27T16:00:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/1 "2003-11-27T16:00:52Z")
I just won an auction on eBay and the seller is in the UK. Is there a place online to buy with visa a money order in pounds and have it mailed to the seller? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/2 "2003-11-27T16:07:01Z")
The easiest way would be to use [pay-pal](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/sell/mc/mc_intro-outside) if the seller accepts it. If not, you can use [western union](http://www.westernunion.com/index_consumer.asp?language=en&origination=global) to send the $. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/3 "2003-11-27T16:08:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \* > \*\*The easiest way would be to use [pay-pal](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/sell/mc/mc_intro-outside) if the seller accepts it. If not, you can use [western union](http://www.westernunion.com/index_consumer.asp?language=en&origination=global) to send the $. \*\* Yeah, Paypal would be sweet but no dice with that seller…I couldn’t figure out how to send it via Western Union. It would let me buy one in US dollars but not UK Pounds (unless I’m missing something) ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/4 "2003-11-27T16:14:54Z")
Western Union also offers [BidPay](http://www.bidpay.com/) as an online method of sending international payments. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/5 "2003-11-27T16:16:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stpauler \* > \*\*Western Union would let me buy one in US dollars but not UK Pounds (unless I’m missing something) \*\* Go to the link I posted, divide the total amount by 1.71390 (current market rate) and put that amount in the box on the right hand side. Alternatively, you call call them on 1-800-CALL-CASH and they should be able to help you. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/6 "2003-11-27T16:31:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \* > \*\*Go to the link I posted, divide the total amount by 1.71390 (current market rate) and put that amount in the box on the right hand side. > > Alternatively, you call call them on 1-800-CALL-CASH and they should be able to help you. \*\* Ok, I just called 1-800-CALL-CASH and they said that they don’t handle the [bidpay.com](http://bidpay.com) and gave me the following number: 1-800-350-5952. I called up the second number and they said the seller has to be registered with their service to receive the money order. I’d rather not bother the seller to do this and just make it simple as possible to send this. Are there any other online options? ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/7 "2003-11-27T16:39:01Z")
If it isn’t a large amount, could you send the payment in US cash, well-wrapped, in a registered letter? I know it seems risky, but I do a fair amount of eBay sales to UK and Europe, and most customers there sent me US cash (I’m in Canada). None went astray. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/8 "2003-11-27T16:40:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rodd Hill \* > \*\*If it isn’t a large amount, could you send the payment in US cash, well-wrapped, in a registered letter? I know it seems risky, but I do a fair amount of eBay sales to UK and Europe, and most customers there sent me US cash (I’m in Canada). None went astray. \*\* Well, if the conversion weren’t the problem, then yes, I could. But the fact that the seller wants UK Pounds only that’s a no go. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/9 "2003-11-27T17:19:00Z")
I would contact the seller and ask her if she is willing to take payment in US$. The times I’ve done this, the seller usually just converts for me adding the shipping and insurance. Since the reasoning I’ve heard behind this, is the huge finance charges for cashing US money orders but not exchanging currency, it shouldn’t be a problem for the seller. e-Bay gives you an approximate total in US$ anyhow, so it should be pretty easy to see if the total with shipping and insurance is reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/10 "2003-11-27T17:26:13Z")
Yep, I’d try and negotiate with the seller. I’m in the UK and sell stuff on eBay. I take PayPal, but if I didn’t I’d happily accept US$ cash, rounded up slightly to cover exchange commission of course 🙂 Take the relevant UK£ price, convert to US$, add 5% and round up to the nearest $5. If they don’t like it, tough! ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/11 "2003-11-27T17:49:49Z")
Ah. Well, you could send Sterling: if you are in the Twin Cities downtown area, most large banks’ main branches should have some British money on hand; although you may have to round up a little…but just think of the lovely colours! (And it would save the cost to you of a money order, so it might come out even). Seller wont take Euros, either? His/her bank probably takes them! You probably already have this website to check the latest quotes, but: [http://www.xe.com/ucc/](http://www.xe.com/ucc/) ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/money-order-in-uk-pounds-from-usa/215582/12 "2003-11-27T18:12:08Z")
You can usually places where you can purchase foreign currencies in any large city. Bar that, you can ask your bank to make a transfer for you. Your bank can either wire transfer the amount or instruct their foreign correspondent to issue a draft. Look up Thomas Cook (Travelex). They are a reputable foreign exchange business who should be able to issue a draft in pounds.