Best Way to Send Money to the Philippines

While this subject has been discussed some, I want to make this a sticky topic. When you are in a serious relationship with or engaged/married to a Filipina what is the best way to send money overseas?

When telling us how you send money please note all the fees involved so their will be no surprises if we use your method. Tells us whether you use Western Union, Xoom, bank card, international money order, wire transfer and what are the fees involved. Add others to the list as well.
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The best way is to carry it in your pocket. The fees for the plane ticket, cab, and hotel are kinda high compared to the alternatives, but nothing beats the show of gratitude you get live and in person.
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Personally, G has used Western Union when he sent $$ and has also deposited through my sister's $ account. He is also considering the debit/credit card wherein he deposits in his country and I can withdraw here in the Philippines. The first choice seems to be the most we can take advantage of-- coz there are receipts to show the Embassy to establish a real relationship.

By the way, regarding hotels, I do suggest that those coming over for a visit, do try what locals know. The big hotels are fine for a few days but they tend to be impersonal but the little quaint ones in the vicinity are the ones which will get U to establish friendlier ties with the locals. In G's visit last February, we preferred these quaint hotels, more affordable and more personal. Definitely a win-win situation for G. He wakes up early and walks out in the streets or hangs around the receiving area where he has met some very interesting men and women. And since the accommodation rates are not as exuberant, G was also able to deposit a sizeable amount left over from his pocket money to the Philippines which I invested in a time deposit to grow. Seed money for our future.
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The easy way to send money for sure is Western Union and I have done this for many years and still do it monthly but at a cost of $20 US to send Peso 10,000.

The one thing with WU I found out this week is the online is way more expensive than going in to a store and send from there. Recent case was I was sending $2000 US last week for the house and online WU wanted to charge $155 and when I dropped by the local WU it only cost $22 to send the money.

The best way for large amounts depending on your bank cost is wire transfer. My bank has free wire transfer but still charged $12 when all is done but not bad for large amounts of cash.
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Many of the establishments that were previously Western Union, in my area, have converted to selling Moneygram. I'm curious about how popular Moneygram is in the Philippines...
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The other day i sent $600 to the Philippines through western union which would have cost me like $54 dollars but i split it into 2 amounts less than $400 each and paid $16 for each transaction which saved me over $20.
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Try xoom.com. Rates are a few dollars cheaper than western union. Draw back is that the recipient must get the money at a financial institution and provide two valid forms of ID + password you set (if you so desire).

I got sick of paying those crazy fees and just set up an account with citibank and transfer US dollars between accounts. It costs $8.00 per max of $3000.00 per day. It can be ANY citibank account established over in PI. However, since you are transferring US and it gets converted to peso, there is a horrendous charge and subsequent lousy exchange rate.

Work-around: Establish a US dollar account, BUT you have to have a MINIMUM deposit of $2K US in that account.

So I lose in the 5% earned interest but save in transfer fees. I think PI pays like a miniscule .003%. It all depends on how often you wire money.
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Whats the deal with transferring from bank account to Philippine bank account? Has anyone tried this before? What information do we need from the recipient? Does Philippine bank accounts have the usual bank account number and sort code as us in the UK and what are the typical fees for receiving money?
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I used moneygram from u.k, to ozamis, it works fine, and many places in ozamis to collect the cash, the price here is similar fees to w.u.
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Why can't you just send money in an envelope along with a letter or card? It only costs me $11 for Priority Mail.
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Cause in the Phils the mail handlers can smell money through the envelope. It'll never make it there, well the envelope might. That's life in the Phils.
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I found a new site, haven't tried it yet, but registered for an account.

It's remit2home.com It's something done by Citi banking, which is actually someway tied into BPI. I remember seeing Citi signs on the ATM's.

If the said recipient has a BPI account, checking or saving, they can receive the cash at the bank, or have it deposited. There's a deliver the cash to the recipient's house option, but come on this is the Philippine's we are talking about.

Now only if I had someone to send money too. Any taker's?
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Its easy but expensive...cost me $20 for an Internet transfer/deposit and u need the banks SWIFT number...(look it up on Google) account number and name on account (as it appears on the account).
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What do you mean by the mail handlers can smell money through an envelope? They can open peoples mail??? It's not illegal there?
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Laws may be on the books in the PI, but even here some are ignored or overruled. Depends on depth of corruption and pay offs I suppose. I have read they have dogs to sniff out money. Can't support that with any facts though. Best bet is not through the mail. It is a impoverished country but recent news has it that some major industries are investing in putting commerce there with shipyards, etc. Economy is strengthening. If you use Western Union go to Safeway or an agent. Cheaper. I just sent Myra some money. Online it would have cost $42.00, I went to Safeway and it cost $14.00
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Yeah! just picked up this morning, this is the 2nd time back to Western Union Office, everyone should be double check the full name , correct spelling of a letter, address and so on, they won't release if theres any mistake even a single letter, this way more safer. When I tried to sent money in PI through mailing last few years ago to my brother Gerome for his studies, it was disappeared. And it takes time to arrive. Not insured and couldn't blame the postman, it was ordinary mail thought saved cost of charge but it was wrong. Recipient and sender be careful of sending money. Western Union not only a safer but also a fastest way.
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Yes, I use Western Union. It only costs me 12 dollars to send up to...I think it is about 800. I never send more than 400 so I don't know the limit where the price goes up. W.U. changed their pricing policy about 3 months ago to stay competitive.

All I need is Sarah's name and the country. She can pick it up anywhere in the country. However, I do have to go into one of their offices. I tried it online and they wanted all sorts of extra information. I applied for their Gold card so all I write on their form is her name, the country, the card number, the amount and then I sign the form. Goes real fast.

I might even send some to myself in the local currency so I don't have to worry about carrying larger amounts of money with me. If I don't need it, then I can just cancel the order when I get back and all I am out is 12 dollars. Pretty cheap insurance.
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Just sent 100 USD to a friend's bank account in Manila (BPI). Cost me a total of 108 USD. It would have been 105 USD, but I added the insurance onto it. Came out to a total of Php 4015, which the exchange rate was something like 41.35

Used this website. Xoom.com I was very pleased with it myself. It's very reliable from everything I've read on them, and they even offer a door delivery. Best part I never had to leave my desk.
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MONEY in an ENVELOPE !!!! I don't send birthday cards in the U.S. with cash. Postal employees in the PI know how to open envelopes more stealthily and with greater skill than the KGB/CIA combined. Sending cash by mail isn't a good play.

I use Smart Padala via Chikka phone utility. Open a Chikka account, then open Paypal, then Smart Padala. I'm sending smaller amounts than mentioned in earlier threads......remember...its the Philippines.....the daily legal wage in PI is 100-150 pesos....
at the current 40 pesos to the U.S dollar, that's 4 bucks.

If you send more, they will ask for more, and support the extended family.
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I sent an envelope by priority mail. Stuck a bunch of stuff in it including a music CD that had our favorite song. I hid 20 bucks in the little flyer that comes with music CDs and it managed to get through the postal system. But I included a packing list that had all the items that I was sending. Maybe the chocolate inside threw the dogs smell off.

Normally a priority mail would take about 8-10 days but this one took between 4 and 5 weeks.
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My dad was saying that if the money has that little strip embedded in it that they use some sort of magnetic device to detect that strip in the money. You can get away with sending ones over but not too many cause it will get thick...i did some looking also as far as sending money...xoom.com had the lowest fees i seen, then i checked out moneygram and it was $10 from a wal-mart sending $60 compared to western union being $25 for that same $60. I went with moneygram.
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I have used Bank to Bank US to Filipino cost me $35.00 took 2 weeks used Western Union to send 400.00 for medical bills cost me $25.00 + my credit card company charged me $10.00 for a cash transaction??? I told my girl I will never use Westen Union.

Xoom cost me $6.00 to send $150.00

BPI remittance center US to BPI account $8.00 sent $6,000.00 one time still only $8.00

Wells Fargo now has a money transfer to BPI account $5.00 up to $3,000 per day, my friend get to transfer for free with them due that he receives a government check and direct deposit to his wells Fargo account.

I use Chikka & my paypal account to send a load to my girlsfriends cell phone the cost is in the exchange rate.

I have sent money in the mail and it has always gotten there but it seemed to take forever 4 weeks one time.