Obtaining English Currency: Banks ?

[Bob]

Hello,

Live west of Boston near Framingham.

Wish to convert some US money into a single 20 Pound note to send to an
organization in England.

What's the easiest way ?

Do local banks carry English Money ?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

[Julian]

Some local banks do stock foreign currency, but you'd have to pay a
fee for it. (I bank at Citizens Bank, and only some branches have
it.)

Given the relatively small sum you're dealing with, you might find it
cheaper to pay by credit card. Yes, you'll probably have to pay a 3%
foreign transaction fee, but that may be cheaper than the combination
of the fee and the difference between the exchange rates used by
the credit card company and the rate that a bank would give you.

It's very difficult to cind out what exchange rate is being used for
any given transaction, so it can be hard to compare.

Is it possible that the organization in question can accept US
currency, or that it has a US presence that can do so? Some
do, but it may only be the big ones. For example, the UK National
Trust has a US affiliate called the Royal Oak Foundation.

Julian

Post by Bob
Hello,
Live west of Boston near Framingham.
Wish to convert some US money into a single 20 Pound note to send to an
organization in England.
What's the easiest way ?
Do local banks carry English Money ?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob

[Dick Margulis]

Easiest: PayPal. Specify the currency you wish to pay in.

Second: Go to the post office and send an international money order.
Check the conversion rate before you go so you know how many dollars to
make it for.

Third: Call a few downtown Boston banks (big ones) and ask. Most banks
have gone out of that business altogether, but you may find one. If so,
and if they have a branch near you, they may be able to accommodate you
locally after a day or so. Or you may have to go downtown yourself.

Fourth: Search for <foreign exchange framingham> on Google. You'll find
several dealers who will handle the transaction. You'll pay a higher
exchange fee than you would with a bank, but it may be your most
convenient choice.

Post by Bob
Hello,
Live west of Boston near Framingham.
Wish to convert some US money into a single 20 Pound note to send to an
organization in England.
What's the easiest way ?
Do local banks carry English Money ?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob

[John Levine]

Post by Dick Margulis
Easiest: PayPal. Specify the currency you wish to pay in.
Second: Go to the post office and send an international money order.
Check the conversion rate before you go so you know how many dollars to
make it for.

Nope. The list of countries that accept international money orders
is short, and the UK is not on it:

http://www.usps.com/money/sendingmoney/sendmoneyinternationally.htm

If the receipient doesn't do Paypal, calling around to find a bank
or forex place with a 20 pound note is really the only option.

I happen to have one here left over from my last trip to England, but
unfortunately I am in upstate NY these days, not very convenient.

Regards,
John Levine, ***@iecc.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies",
Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. http://jl.ly