The best way to transfer money to Spain (Seriously)!

We have been using Currencies Direct with no problems at all but are considering a dual purpose account.

Am I right in thinking that the Abbey have linked up with Santander?  Does anyone know if they work as one with dealings in both currencies?

Ta

Laury

Thanks Conrad.

Well that blows that idea out of the water.

Laury

We are due to complete on a property in Vera Playa hopefully in 2 months time.  Because we are buying off plan we don't have a definite date and have the funds here in the UK.  We would like to book the completion monies transfer in advance if possible to get a better rate but not sure if we can do this without a confirmed date?

Can anyone advise if we can do this?

Most of the currency transfer companies will allow you to lodge the funds with them and they will hold it until you tell them to transfer it

https://www.currenciesdirect.com/individuals/contractoptions.php

http://www.hifx.co.uk/personal/property_purchase/your_options.aspx

Many thanks to you for your advice.  We went with Currencies Direct and only needed to pay them 10% in advance (similarly for Moneycorp but quoted a lower rate) so I went with the best deal.

Sorry Maggie your message came through too late for me, but will bear them in mind for future - do Currency Solutions also do regular monthly payments ie for utulity bills etc?   

However, we  will also look at the monthly utility bills we will be getting and see if its cheaper to draw the money out of my UK bank each time I'm in Spain and put into my Spanish bank myself or do it when exchange rates are most favourable!

Hello all,

I know its a bit micky mouse when you guys are talking about serious tranfers, but Im out here teaching english and had most of my cash stolen the other night, when I say most I mean I ran out today! My folks have tranferrred some to my spanish account today but I fear it will be monday before it clears, Im with BBVA.

Anyone know how I can get a small sum ( say 200 euros ) transferred same day??

Best and quickest way, although not cheap would be to use MONEYGRAM or the WESTERN UNION.

Western Union I think goes from Travel agents......From Spain it goes from post office, so I assume that is where it is sent to. Moneygram is from any office here in Spain and goes to the post office in England but I don't know where it goes the other way roung. But if you ask at an English post office, they will know. Costs here about 20€ for 200€ sent.........don't know charges from England tho.

Thanks for the info.

Yeah I went to the bank but as I have only been in Spain for like three weeks and only had the account for two they said there was nothing they could do. Doesnt help my Catalan is weak either, Im in Barcelona. 

I definitely look at western union though, muchas gracias

PS beware of the pickpockets, they are professional!!! haha

Didn't quite understand Karen's post about Western Union (never used it, so that's probably why) but they do have offices here in Spain, so if someone goes into a WU office in UK and sends money to you at a WU office here, you should get it almost immediately. I thought they just send a fax office to office, but I could be wrong.

Slightly off topic, I was in Cash Converters in Malaga yesterday when a young couple (German I think) came in asking if they could "convert" GBP into euros. Obviously not, but I suggested they might try a bank. Incredibly, they had tried all the nearby banks, and apparently none of them would change their money. Has anyone ever heard such a strange thing? If you can't buy money from a bank, where the heck are you supposed to go?

In the UK you might also have this difficulty if you do not hold an account with the Bank concerned.

It is due to Financial Crime & Anti Money Laundering regulations.

Noreen

Roberto

I have worked in Banking in the UK for 29 years & you wouldn't believe the "hoops" that have to be jumped through these days, together with the potential for staff to be prosecuted if they don't adhere to regulations.

Even if it is a tourist wanting to change a few notes, they would find it difficult to do with many of the high street banks.

Noreen

I knew things have got a lot stricter, but this really amazes me! Obviously it's been a while since I've strayed far from home. Thank God for the Euro, and the fact that I still maintain a bank account in the UK.

I remember (& it doesn't seem that long ago) when I was a young backpacker, part of the experience of travelling the world was all the different currencies that you had to handle, regularly seeking out banks or money changers to change your Ringit into Baht or Rupees. I suppose today's Gap year adventurers just carry a characterless slip of plastic? Some years ago, I ran a busy yachtie bar in Palma, catering to a constantly & globally mobile clientele. We accepted Pesetas, Sterling and Dollars, occassionally Deutsche Mark, and sometimes even Mount Gay Rum shipped from Antigua in someone's bilges (since it was hard to source on Mallorca). Sometimes a beer would be exchanged for an exotic bank note to add to our collection on the ceiling above the bar, which all added to the fun and atmosphere of the place. I suppose nowadays I would have to ask for ID, fill out reams of paperwork and run a security check on every customer who wants to actually pay in cash?

The times, they are a changing!