On 21 Apr 2001, at 10:39, Marsha Graham wrote:
> Does anyone here know what the least expensive way is to send money to
> South Africa? Reliability of delivery is also an issue.
I think you already answered your own question:
> The Post Office there is unreliable and our last attempt at this took
> so long we thought the money was lost. The IMO was found in a dead
> letter bin. The recipient had to fight to get it, convincing the P.O.
> that "Norm" was the same as "Norman."
An IMO is the right approach. Was the IMO found in the dead letter
bin separate and apart from the envelope you mailed it in?
> A wire transfer from our bank is very expensive at both ends.
>
> A western union transfer is less expensive and only billed on our end,
> we are not yet certain if the receiving party is close a western union
> outlet there.
>
> Are there safe, relatively low-cost alternatives that we have not yet
> discovered?
You had the right idea, but next time you need to improve your
mailing methods:
(1) Make sure you have the correct address, including the correct
name on the outside of a sturdy envelope and make sure you have your
return address showing.
(2) Take your sturdy envelope to your local post office and tell them
you wish to Register the envelope for the lowest amount they offer.
I don't have that amount at hand now, but it will probably cost you
an extra $4.00 or $5.00 on top of airmail postage. The clerk will
seal your letter and date-stamp all around the seals. Then the
registered letter will be recorded at every stop between you and the
designee.
Understand in all of this, the purpose is not to insure you against
loss in this case, but rather to make sure the package you are
sending is sent in the best presentation in order to improve the
chances of it reaching the addressee.
There are a few other mailing alternatives, but those would cost you
more money. In any event, the IMO was your best method to give
money. I think you need to work on how you package the IMO when
sending to a foreign country.
> Unfortunately, Pay-Pal or Credit Card transfers are, at this point,
> out of consideration.
Some day, maybe. :-)
Alan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
