ProudmuminUK Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Hi all... Can anyone advise the best way to send money - not large amounts, we're talking birthday present money - over to Australia from the UK? I've sent via my bank before now and that obviously attracts charges and I'm not sure whether the exchange rate is the best. What other options are open to me? many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I must admit over the last 7 years my kids have received money in cards sent via Royal Mail, i know there is a chance things can 'go missing' but if you want to avoid bank fees etc then i dont think there is really another option. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Why not buy a gift card online from an Aus store and have it sent to them? Or send a lump sum via one of the companies that don't charge fees. You don't have to use your bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 My girlfriend (new immigrant) had her first ever birthday card with cash in it sent to her here in Melbourne. It arrived open, lacking the 50 pounds that was in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Paypal - chances are the recipients have an account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 We Have maintained an English bank account, and we opened an extra account with our bank here in Oz, so if anybody wants to send money over for birthdays Xmas and the like they just put the money into our English account and we then use our money here to pass on to the gift recipient, so no fees and charges involved, we then use our English one for the gifts from us (either internet banking or buying), We also have an extra bank account here which is useful for when relies come over for holidays, they can transfer their spending money into it then use the account as theirs for a while, or like with our parents they put all their spending money in our English bank that is then ready as our spending money for when we go over, and we put the equivalent Aus $ into the extra account here for their use, save heaps on exchange fees and charges. Also in the past as an added security we have (my mothers tip from years ago) sent cash money folded in a sheet of paper in an ordinary envelope completely separate from the card and sent at different times to, usually cash 1st then the card sent unsealed later and we just slip the money in once we have both and seal the card envelope and hand it on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 1st Contact do international money transfers and I used them quite a bit when I first came over to the UK and was sending money back to Australia (when the exchange rate was amazing and i had the spare money - neither of which exists at the moment with such a poor exchange rate and two kids!!!). They charge £7 per transaction but I think after five the sixth is free, or something similar. Mind you those fees were from about three years ago so it may have changed. I found them really easy and simple to set up and use and I figured the £7 charge per transaction wasnt too bad when you considered I was sending over £100's at a time. For birthday money though obviously it may not be so great. Sorry. Have you considered having your family in Aust create an account where you can do one lump sum transfer of a couple hundred £'s to cover the whole year of birthdays/christmas etc and then they take out the appropriate amount for each birthday/special event? That way you only get charged one fee and dont have to worry about sending money through Royal Mail/Aust Post or doing repetitive transfers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudmuminUK Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 Thanks all, some good ideas here. I have sent money buried in a present before, which did get to her. Recently though, I've sent a pair of boots over, which 2 months later haven't arrived... So that made me a little concerned about sending money in a card. So, card was sent last week and arrived today (she was waving it in my face on our Skype call earlier!) and I'll transfer funds separately. I might check out some of the money transfer companies and see what their rates are... Best regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Hi all... Can anyone advise the best way to send money - not large amounts, we're talking birthday present money - over to Australia from the UK? I've sent via my bank before now and that obviously attracts charges and I'm not sure whether the exchange rate is the best. What other options are open to me? many thanks There is no way to avoid currency conversion fees, they will either be very transparent or they will be buried in the exchange rate given, but they will be there as nobody provides this service for free. For that reason I recommend the secure money transfer approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasepom Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I also recommend buying a gift card online from either Myer or David Jones. Alternatively you could use eBay or amazon online store. They do an electronic gift card which can be redeemed from an email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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