StCirq

Don't send cash in the mail. I think that may even be illegal (though I'd need to check on that). At any rate, it's insanely risky.

MmePerdu

Insanely risky? All things being relative and taking into account the amount one is willing to lose, I don't think so. Everyone's threshold for possible loss will be different but I think the odds are in favor of the letter arriving safely. Travel, in itself, is probably riskier than staying home so a bit of convenience may be worth a small risk. It's only money.

rialtogrl

I've used xoom.com to do a bank transfer a few times - very easy, and the fees aren't too terrible. You might check them out.

crckwc1

I recently sent a deposit to UK via MoneyGram -- inexpensive, easy, did my transaction at our local WalMart. The money arrived at the UK pickup point (which was the local post office) in 10 minutes. The B&B owner wasn't familiar with MoneyGram but inquired locally and was pleased with the easy transaction.

Carlux

French post office says sending cash in the mail is illegal. Don't know about other countries

eliztravels

I've never used Western Union but very often read about it in warnings re fraud prevention, which say never, ever use it to send money to someone you don't know. I would say the same about cash, bank transfers, and money grams. 99.9% of those you deal with over the internet are honest, but the .1% that isn't is very accomplished at convincing you otherwise.

MmePerdu

I agree in principle to not sending cash. But again, having done it successfully once, I'd say never say never and send only what you can lose without going off the deep end. Travellers are, by nature I think, flexible creatures so if sending cash by some sort of registered mail will, on occasion, make a transaction easier for a small amount then I don't see a huge problem. Keeping in mind as you do it that it can go astray. If the thought is just too much to bear then, obviously, taking an informed chance is not for you. You would also probably not turn off on an unpaved road just "to see where it goes."

MmePerdu

Now that I think about it the 1 time I sent cash I sent it to the UK by either UPS or Fed Ex in one of their hard envelopes so no way to know there was cash in it. Courier delivered. Certainly less expensive than bank wired funds and no charge to the recipient.

Anna_Galea

I would think twice about sending cash, even by registered mail, as (I always think the very worst), the owner can deny that she received cash.

By registering a letter you are not insuring the money inside, and I am not even sure whether it is legal in Europe to send cash in envelopes anyway, so it would be at your own risk anyway. Remember that you do not know this person you are sending the cash to, and that is always risky. The person can always deny that you sent cash, even though she or he might admit that they signed for the receipt of a letter. Did you check the charges that Western Union make?

If the owner persists, and you would not find a viable option for transferring the money, I would find other accomodation.

bilboburgler

cash in envelopes legal yes.
there is a risk, but on 10% of very little does it matter

Christina

I find it very odd to suggest that I write you a personal check in my own currency, which is basically meaningless. Maybe some European would be so dumb as not to know that isn't any kind of deposit at all, you can just call up the bank and cancel the check whenever you want. I would never accept such a thing as it doesn't mean anything.

I paid a French agency by mail (it doesn't take that long by international priority mail or whatever they call it, less than a week, as I recall, and costs around $15) but they were professional. They asked for a casher's check in my currency (which I got free from my bank as I had a premium account, but it shouldnt' cost that much to make up if you don't) and they told me exactly how much to make it out to based on what I owed for the deposit. They knew the exchange rates and I simply calculated what it was and realized it was a very good rate, no markup at all. So, for example, if the desposit I were required to send were 500 euro, they told me to make out a cashiers check for $665 and mail it to them by US International Priority Mail. Which I did, and they told me by email when they got it, which was less than a week.

janisj

Christina: "<i>I find it very odd to suggest that I write you a personal check in my own currency, which is basically meaningless. Maybe some European would be so dumb as not to know that isn't any kind of deposit at all, you can just call up the bank and cancel the check whenever you want. I would never accept such a thing as it doesn't mean anything.</i>"

Of course it isn't 'secure', but it does give the owner some feeling that one is serious about the booking. And while <i>you</i> may not see the purpose . . . the first three times I did it (over several years), it was not my idea but at the suggestion of the the owners/landlords.

I've probably done this 5 or 6 times altogether (and did it again just last week since a B&B I'm using for a few days in May in very rural Scotland doesn't take cards)

crckwc1

Well, now that I've sent money via MoneyGram I learn that it's risky. And I'll have to send the balance 30 days before arrival. Can anyone suggest how to (maybe) determine if I'm dealing with a reputable owner? The website is listed on several tourist information sites and I did a "search people" look online and found the name, address and telephone number as listed on their website. The owner emailed me after picking up her deposit and everything looks in order. Comments? (You don't have to say I'm stupid -- I concede).

StCirq

I have actually made a couple of deposits of US dollar checks into my French bank with no hassle at all. I of course paid a fee to do so - more than I would have paid had it been a check in euros - but it's entirely possible. I can't remember what the circumstances were, but I did it at least twice.

I'm NOT recommending this to the OP...just saying it absolutely can be done.

Dacon_R

FYI - I have sent Euros registered, INSURED, mail ---- and will no doubt find out in a few weeks weather this worked. Needs a signature, so we'll see if I get the receipt back saying the cash made it to the righ person.
It's all a learning experience!