Money transfer methods UK > US

Hi.

Can anyone suggest a safe, cost effective way of transferring approximately $800 US that isn't paypal? Western Union want about $60 to do it and offer a horrible exchange rate anyway, the UK post office wants nearly as much for a postal order and don't state the exchange rate. Bank to bank transfers, based on the last one I did, are also expensive. There must be some way of doing it that's a little cheaper.

pca

Mmm.. let me know (email) what you want done, and perhaps I can mediate or something. Is Paypal right out, or just not accepted at the US end?

Cheers

I have done bank transfers from Lloyds TSB for £6 using their "economy" method, it was supposed to take 5 days but actually took just 3. All the other decent ones I have tried (eg. energyflow.com) have disappeared now.

If you end up sending payments fairly regularly then you can open a dollar account in the IoM with Nationwide International. You can easily send funds to it by BACS although sending payments out usually need a fax or letter written. They can write dollar cheques for $15 and wire transfers are a flat $25 (I think).

Gareth

Is this a possible method from UK to US?
http://www.payko.com

Conveniently, the site is somewhat down at the moment, so I can't see what the order form looks like.

They only seem to allow transfers up to a maximum of $200 or $300, depending on method.

pca

Look in to Firepay. Supposedly you need to be a citizen of North America, but I know people who have gotten around this. I can get a hold of a particular guy I know in Europe and ask him how he got his account, if you want.

Moneybookers.com might also be an option for you.

You wouldn't be related to that guy in Nigerian would you!