Thread: Sending money to the Ukraine from the USA

Hello,
I have to pay someone who lives in the Ukraine some money. Any suggestions for the cheapest and safest way to do it?


Thank you,

Scott

Western Union, MoneyGram (the former is preferable)

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Western Union, MoneyGram (the former is preferable)

Thank you for the reply - MoneyGram has an Economy Service which would cost me $10 but Western Union is $27 to send the same amount of money. Can I send a check from my bank?

Thank you,

Scott

FYI it's just "Ukraine", not "the Ukraine".

Originally Posted by fortheether

Can I send a check from my bank.

What needs to happen with that check is would have to go through what is called international clearing and that can take up to 6 weeks. The fees on this is pretty heavy and sometimes it is better to go back to the person who wrote it to see if they can do a Western Union transfer . . . I live and work in the Ukraine and have worked in the financial industry for 10 years in foreign exchange.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 252AAK6He4

You can also consider using iKobo, where you can send up to $1000 for a $5 fee. However the first time iKobo must send the person a bank card, so there is a charge for that, and also the person using the card is charged each time they withdraw money. See https://www.ikobo.com/fees.html

Western Union has many more locations and is convenient for the person receiving the money. You can also verify online when the money is picked up. You can't do that with Moneygram.

You can check to see if there is a Moneygram location near the person at this link: http://www.moneygram.com/eFindUs/findUs ... ageCode=en If you get a Moneygram card number and write that number on your transfers then Moneygram will start discounting their fee as you send more Moneygrams.

Both Western Union and Moneygram permit you to write a test question and answer. Both allow you to cancel and request a refund before the money is picked up. But there are different time limits and rules with each service, there are charges, and it takes a signifcant amount of time to receive your refund.

Originally Posted by Ken Watts

Originally Posted by fortheether

Can I send a check from my bank.

What needs to happen with that check is would have to go through what is called international clearing and that can take up to 6 weeks. The fees on this is pretty heavy and sometimes it is better to go back to the person who wrote it to see if they can do a Western Union transfer . . . I live and work in the Ukraine and have worked in the financial industry for 10 years in foreign exchange.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 252AAK6He4

You can also consider using iKobo, where you can send up to $1000 for a $5 fee. However the first time iKobo must send the person a bank card, so there is a charge for that, and also the person using the card is charged each time they withdraw money. See https://www.ikobo.com/fees.html

Western Union has many more locations and is convenient for the person receiving the money. You can also verify online when the money is picked up. You can't do that with Moneygram.

You can check to see if there is a Moneygram location near the person at this link: http://www.moneygram.com/eFindUs/findUs ... ageCode=en If you get a Moneygram card number and write that number on your transfers then Moneygram will start discounting their fee as you send more Moneygrams.

Both Western Union and Moneygram permit you to write a test question and answer. Both allow you to cancel and request a refund before the money is picked up. But there are different time limits and rules with each service, there are charges, and it takes a signifcant amount of time to receive your refund.

Thanks for the information. I'm also looking into Paypal.

Thank you,

Scott

Originally Posted by TATY

FYI it's just "Ukraine", not "the Ukraine".

хм... а меня вот учили, что есть страны, которые по-английски употребляются с артиклем the. И Украина среди них.

I suggest that after you have found a receive agent close to your friends you have them call the agent to make sure that they still are MonyGram agents. Otherwise your frind may end up walking around town looking for agents. Also call them first to make sure that they have enough funds in the currency to give you. The addresses on MoneyGrams' website and their book are not updated.

Originally Posted by ruPashka

Originally Posted by TATY

FYI it's just "Ukraine", not "the Ukraine".

хм... а меня вот учили, что есть страны, которые по-английски употребляются с артиклем the. И Украина среди них.

Not really. Please have a look at http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ukraine.html

Originally Posted by DDT

I suggest that after you have found a receive agent close to your friends you have them call the agent to make sure that they still are MonyGram agents. Otherwise your frind may end up walking around town looking for agents. Also call them first to make sure that they have enough funds in the currency to give you. The addresses on MoneyGrams' website and their book are not updated.

I did have them call as it's a good suggestion!

Thank you,

Scott

Update - I used the regular Moneygram service where I could use my credit card. It cost so far $14. They said my credit company could also charge a fee to use the service. If they do I'll post the cost. Anyway I was able to send the money and it was received.

Thank you for the suggestions,

Scott

Originally Posted by fortheether

Update - I used the regular Moneygram service where I could use my credit card. It cost so far $14. They said my credit company could also charge a fee to use the service. If they do I'll post the cost. Anyway I was able to send the money and it was received.

Thank you for the suggestions,

Scott

If you used a credit card then you will have extra fees from your bank because the transaction is considered a cash advance with a much higher APR than the one for purchases... check your statement after it drops. An option is the use of a debit card, I have used this method and the only fee that could be charged, if it is ever charged, is a withdrawal fee plus the $14 for MoneyGram.

César

Originally Posted by Cesar

Originally Posted by fortheether

Update - I used the regular Moneygram service where I could use my credit card. It cost so far $14. They said my credit company could also charge a fee to use the service. If they do I'll post the cost. Anyway I was able to send the money and it was received.

Thank you for the suggestions,

Scott

If you used a credit card then you will have extra fees from your bank because the transaction is considered a cash advance with a much higher APR than the one for purchases... check your statement after it drops. An option is the use of a debit card, I have used this method and the only fee that could be charged, if it is ever charged, is a withdrawal fee plus the $14 for MoneyGram.

César

Good idea. Moneygram also offers a way to send for $10 but I'd have to give my bank account numbers to them. I'm leary of that (not because of Moneygram but I did have a problem a few years ago with a different company) but I will talk to my bank to see if another account can be setup with not much money in it. When I need to send more money then put money into that account and then Moneygram it. I won't have to send money for a while but will update the thread of that way works and is cheaper.

Thank you,

Scott

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by ruPashka

Originally Posted by TATY

FYI it's just "Ukraine", not "the Ukraine".

хм... а меня вот учили, что есть страны, которые по-английски употребляются с артиклем the. И Украина среди них.

Not really. Please have a look at http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ukraine.html

Well, that one website doesn't change the fact that many English speakers still use the article "the" in front of the Salo-eating country "Ukraine". I guess it is a little like the war in Russian about "на" and "в" "Украину"

Originally Posted by fortheether

Originally Posted by Cesar

Originally Posted by fortheether

Update - I used the regular Moneygram service where I could use my credit card. It cost so far $14. They said my credit company could also charge a fee to use the service. If they do I'll post the cost. Anyway I was able to send the money and it was received.

Thank you for the suggestions,

Scott

If you used a credit card then you will have extra fees from your bank because the transaction is considered a cash advance with a much higher APR than the one for purchases... check your statement after it drops. An option is the use of a debit card, I have used this method and the only fee that could be charged, if it is ever charged, is a withdrawal fee plus the $14 for MoneyGram.

César

Good idea. Moneygram also offers a way to send for $10 but I'd have to give my bank account numbers to them. I'm leary of that (not because of Moneygram but I did have a problem a few years ago with a different company) but I will talk to my bank to see if another account can be setup with not much money in it. When I need to send more money then put money into that account and then Moneygram it. I won't have to send money for a while but will update the thread of that way works and is cheaper.

Thank you,

Scott

I did create a separate bank account and only keep a little bit of money in it. I linked my moneygram account with this new bank account and using the "eMoney Transfer Economy Service" it costs $10 to send my teacher $160 dollars. No other fees. So far it's the cheapest way to send money I've found. If anyone knows a cheaper way please post it.

Thank you,

Scott

I don't know about USA but the cheapest way to transfer money from Europe to Ukraine is the usual bank transfer. The trick is that recipient should give you the requisites of his dollar (or whichever currency you transfer) account in any Ukrainian bank. Another tricky point may be to find a clerk in your bank who knows how to make such transfer.