Sending a small about to USA.

You need to get an international money order (IMO), which is effectively an international cheque. Will probably cost about a tenner on top of the $60. Dont know if you can just buy one from any bank, I've always used my own so the question has never arisen.

IIRC the cost of a banker's draft is 10! Natwest should have been able to tell you this.

Rob Graham

OK, so I take it I just go into NatWest say "please make me a US$ bankers draft for $60 and I will pay you in cash for it plus your fee", and then get it and send it to the USA?

Do I need an account with them? The issue I have is that quite often if you are asking for anything slightly out of the ordinary, staff have no idea what you are talking about - hence these questions now to save time and energy in the future.

Try the Post Office.

Yes, that's what I've done.

I don't know. I used my own bank, LloydsTSB

Rob

American express travellers cheque is just the same as a bank draft. Send them international recorded.

Most banks sell a banker's draft (money order) to non-customers, usually while you wait in bigger branches, or where they have a foreign exchange desk. 10 charge is common, and whatever they add to interbank exchange rates. HSBC is quite good and their charges are reasonable.

Alec

X-No-Archive: yes In article , Sovereign writes

Hi, I was thinking of doing this as well - to send 40-50 USD to a friend in the states.

I realise travellers cheques are readily acceptable by businesses out there in place of cash, but would my friend, as a private individual, encounter any difficulties trying to cash or bank it?

Presumably I would have to write his name as the payee, and my second signature (i.e. the 'signed in presence of the payee' - which of course it won't be - signature). Is there any thing else that needs to be done before sending it ?

There is no problem doing this at all, but make sure it is American Express cheque. He will have to pay it into a bank account. It is just as safe as a crossed cheque as only the name recipient can use it

X-No-Archive: yes In article , AK writes

Many thanks for your reply. I now have to ask why an AMEX travellers cheque is different from any other. I already have (4-5 year old) cheques issued by both VISA and Master Card - in USD obviously, and was hoping to be able to use one of those. Any commission on these has already been paid so there would be no further charges.

The Americans only really recognise Amex cheques, they don't recognise others. I once took thomas cook cheques to the US and couldn't get local banks to cash them at all because they didn't recognise them. In the end I had to go to a major bank in Boston to cash them (and ended up cashing them all as it had proven so difficult). Amex cheques can even be spent like cash in supermarkets and restaurants etc. You could try sending another one, but don't be surprised if they reject it

If you don't want to use a credit card, so be it, but why not use a debit card? That is sign on as a customer of something like PayPal, and register your debit card .... and sending money internationally is extremely easy.

Recently I needed to send someone US$9 ... they basically received it instantly.