Take my money already.
June 28, 2012 11:14 AM   Subscribe

I need to mail approximately $1,000 worth of euros from WA to NY. We received it from our bank through FedEx, but FedEx refused to accept the shipment when I tried to send it and said that the bank must have had third party insurance. What is the best way to get the money to the opposite coast within the next couple of weeks?
posted by halogen to Grab Bag (14 answers total)
 
To be honest, I've always had perfectly good luck sending/receiving cash well-hidden in the mail. One time the envelope tore open in transit, and it arrived in a USPS plastic bag marked SORRY WE DAMAGED YOUR MAIL... with the full amount ($50) in cash still inside!

I'd be tempted to wrap it in paper, tape the hell out of it, put it in a Priority Mail Flat-Rate box full of foam peanuts, and drop it in the mail. If that bothers you, you could also bring it back to FedEx and neglect to tell them it's cash.
posted by vorfeed at 11:22 AM on June 28, 2012


American Express Travelers checks in Euros? Converting to an International Money Order?

It seems a really terrible idea to mail cash, but it's easy enough to convert to a more mailable instrument.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:23 AM on June 28, 2012 [1 favorite]


Can you clarify whether it has to be exactly those paper Euros rather than the value of them?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:24 AM on June 28, 2012 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Yes, it's the actual paper euros. We get a remarkably good deal on exchange through an employer, and the 1,000USD worth (part of a larger amount we exchanged, hence why they were mailed to WA) is meant to go to my future in-laws for an upcoming trip – but we'll be in different European countries for about a week before we meet up in my homecountry for my wedding. The commission savings are probably not worth it after mailing cost, but it wasn't my idea and it's a done deal.
posted by halogen at 11:30 AM on June 28, 2012


Best answer: Send them registered mail. The risk is non-zero, but very, very low.
posted by ssg at 11:32 AM on June 28, 2012


Best answer: Send it Registered Mail. This is what Registered Mail is for. Seriously, you can send diamonds that way. It's not cheap, but it's probably not that much more than FedEx + insurance.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:33 AM on June 28, 2012


Best answer: Registered Mail with $1,000 of insurance costs $17.20 plus the base cost to mail your article ($2.30 for a large envelope, first-class).
posted by grouse at 11:39 AM on June 28, 2012 [1 favorite]


Best answer: For future reference, the maximum insurable value of a Registered Mail piece is $25,000 USD. If you're sending more than that, you should break it into two separate pieces. (Preferably while adjusting your monocle and twirling your mustache.) Also, you should ensure you have a receipt or some other sort of evidence of how much cash is enclosed in the parcel, in case it disappears and you have to prove what was in there.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:42 AM on June 28, 2012 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Fourthing Registered and Insured Mail. I mailed a wedding dress valued at $3000 in 1993.
~ The box was taken sealed, noted for contents (I don't know if they'll take cash but why not?)
~ Next, it was then sealed on all openable seams (i.e. not the foldy bit) with that paper tape with the heavy threads in it that SHRED when you tear it by the postmaster.
~ Next, it was stamped on that seal (along both sides, half on the tape, half off) with the postmark stamp every few inches
~ Finally it was placed in a locked cage until pickup time
posted by tilde at 11:45 AM on June 28, 2012


No, wait, I think I'd left it open to show the dress or the PM opened it to verify it wasn't just some piece of crap in there. It was sooo long ago, but the rest of the procedure fascinated me at the time!
posted by tilde at 11:46 AM on June 28, 2012




Best answer: Ah, I hadn't realized you were allowed to use USPS Registered/Insured Mail for cash -- that's clearly the best option.
posted by vorfeed at 1:16 PM on June 28, 2012


Why dont you simply drop it into their bank account? I recently sent $$ across the continent and additionally dropped Euros into a French bank account from Canada. Simply by having the ccount # and walking down to my bank. The latter did cost me $30, however.
posted by njk at 4:13 PM on June 28, 2012


Response by poster: Ended up going with registered mail, fully insured. It cost about ~$15 and arrived after two days.
posted by halogen at 9:03 PM on July 19, 2012


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