Sending money usa to DR monthly, best way

Apr 7, 2014
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With Western Union, it defaults to pesos with a bad exchange rate. They need to change it so the receiver picks it up in dollars. When they give you the print out, double check that pickup is in dollars. Even though I ask, it's usually wrong.

I find the bill pay feature the easiest and fastest (besides physically going to a grocery store with WU with a debit card).
U can bill pay in Xoom also. Directly to the merchant.

Sent from my Z833 using Tapatalk
 

yacht chef

Bronze
Sep 13, 2009
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Come on you got 1500 to send to a puta and you are trying ti save a buck on sending it. Man people are destroying this place now she tells her frends and thy think all gringos can send that king of money.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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When we're in US, we xoom our monthly bills into brothers peso account. $4.95 for your to $2,999 if you send it from your checking account, much higher if you use a credit card.   Very fast, very easy, but at about a peso less per dollar that will cost you 1500 pesos, not small change. 
 

hardrockminer

New member
Feb 4, 2017
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Bingo. Easily the quickest and least hassle free. I don't know why everybody doesn't do it that way.

"Quote Originally Posted by arturo View Post
The cheapest way I see is to establish a US account and get your

friend a debit/ATM card linked to it. You can then deposit the $1,500 monthly and he or she can withdraw it from ATMs or teller windows. The only cost would be the prevailing exchange rate and U.S. bank account fees. I can't imagine those costs would approach the $35 to $50 cost per wire transfer."

I agree I use a debit card from my US bank account my last transaction at Banco Popular was an exchange rate of about 46 pesos to the dollar Bank fees were U$10.53 (out of bank transaction plus exchange fee) for 10,000 peso cost $215.42
 

affald

New member
May 17, 2004
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When we're in US, we xoom our monthly bills into brothers peso account. $4.95 for your to $2,999 if you send it from your checking account, much higher if you use a credit card.   Very fast, very easy, but at about a peso less per dollar that will cost you 1500 pesos, not small change. 

Does your brother have the option of having a dollar account?
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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Actually the cheapest way by far would be to open a checking account in the US and make out a bunch of checks to him. Send them to him and he can deposit them in a US Dollar account in the DR.



Cost is zero.
 

Alan Read

Member
Jun 11, 2007
33
6
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Try World Remit - takes a little time to set up but once your account is live you get rapid transfers and good exchange rates, choose from collecting cash from a selection of banks in DR or lying into a DR bank account. My transfers from the UK typically take 2-3 hours, exchange rate RD$1 behind mid market exchange rates and with transaction charge of GBP 2.99. Can transfer up to RD$ 64000 per transaction and pay in your banks currency or with credit card.
 

arturo

Bronze
Mar 14, 2002
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I have several accounts that refund ATM fees. As you mentioned, it is not difficult to find accounts that don't charge international withdrawal fees. I would never recommend using an ATM to withdraw sums approaching $1,500. You should use a teller window to do that. Using a teller window also reduces the transaction fees since you would not be subject to as many of them as you would trying to get $1,500 from ATMs.

In the end, it boils down to how complicated a life one chooses to live.

But the charges can add up quickly. $5 US bank (unless account that allows free international withdrawals such as Capital One 360, Fidelity or Chares Schwab), plus a DR ATM fee of 200 pesos. If the ATM only gives you 5-8k pesos (as most do) the fees add up fast. Not such a good option IMO unless you have no-fee account and happen to live near an odd ATM that does not charge the 200 pesos fee. In Higey, there is 1 such ATM, and in Romana also 1. In odd places you would not think of.
 

arturo

Bronze
Mar 14, 2002
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Again, I recommended using a teller window instead of an ATM. The reasons are security, transaction fees, and higher withdrawal limits. Western Union, xoom, etc. profitability is depends on lower income people who don't have access to bank accounts and other private financial services. Have a look at where most of their U.S. locations are to see what I mean. You will find them in mostly marginal neighborhoods near liquor stores and bail bondsmen, often sharing space with check cashing and payday loan outfits.
Use Xoom. Send in US dollars and have them deliver it to your friend's location. Cheapest (although it's not 5 USD ) and quickest way. WU is way more expensive. Wire transfer doesn't take that long, but more of a hassle and a bit more expensive. The debit card idea is more expensive and far riskier. Banks in The DR nowadays have put a cap on how much you can withdraw at a time (10,000 pesos), so You'd need to have lots of withdrawals and each one they charge you fees on both sides and the exchange rate they give you usually sucks.
 

arturo

Bronze
Mar 14, 2002
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How did you know it's a "her"?
Hey pal you don't have to bring cash to WU in the states just use your debt card (checking Account) 8 bucks the hardest part is filling out the paper which take 2 minutes just make sure you the correct name she has on her cedula first and last name ..
And you have a record of everything.........
 

ZC1

Member
Dec 8, 2013
179
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If your friend has a good relationship with a Dominican Exchange House and also has US Residency have he/she open up a US checking account next time they are in the USA. Deposit the money in that account each month and then they can cash a check monthly with the exchange house. They will have to fill out forms at the Exchange House stating where the money comes from (that is is clean, etc.). This is the least expensive and most convenient way if you meet the two qualifiers above.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,996
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I use western union and send in Dollars. They will give you a bad rate if you send in pesos.   It is cheaper to send money out of the US then within the US. 

exacrly. you have to specify for a dollar pickup, or they will pay out in pesos
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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But the charges can add up quickly. $5 US bank (unless account that allows free international withdrawals such as Capital One 360, Fidelity or Chares Schwab), plus a DR ATM fee of 200 pesos. If the ATM only gives you 5-8k pesos (as most do) the fees add up fast. Not such a good option IMO unless you have no-fee account and happen to live near an odd ATM that does not charge the 200 pesos fee. In Higey, there is 1 such ATM, and in Romana also 1. In odd places you would not think of.

National ATM's will let you take out up to 22k a day in one shot.
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
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I have done a lot of research into this as I send money several times a month to The DR and so far I have not been able to find a more convenient and cheaper way than Xoom. The check option is the cheapest, but then you'd have to physically go to some place that would accept them and your money would take a while to be available. Xoom would change you 35 USD to send and deliver 1500 USD. If you're willing to receive pesos you'd only pay about 5 bucks as already mentioned, but financially that makes no sense as you'd lose out on the exchange rate.
 

cavok

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Jun 16, 2014
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I have done a lot of research into this as I send money several times a month to The DR and so far I have not been able to find a more convenient and cheaper way than Xoom. The check option is the cheapest, but then you'd have to physically go to some place that would accept them and your money would take a while to be available. Xoom would change you 35 USD to send and deliver 1500 USD. If you're willing to receive pesos you'd only pay about 5 bucks as already mentioned, but financially that makes no sense as you'd lose out on the exchange rate.

Western Union is not expensive if you send the money from a Western Union LOCATION. It only costs $15 USD to send $1500 USD to the Dominican Republic. It is considerably more expensive if you send money online. At a W.U. location you can pay with either cash or a debit card.
 

cavok

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Jun 16, 2014
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I have done a lot of research into this as I send money several times a month to The DR and so far I have not been able to find a more convenient and cheaper way than Xoom. The check option is the cheapest, but then you'd have to physically go to some place that would accept them and your money would take a while to be available. Xoom would change you 35 USD to send and deliver 1500 USD. If you're willing to receive pesos you'd only pay about 5 bucks as already mentioned, but financially that makes no sense as you'd lose out on the exchange rate.

Western Union is not expensive if you send the money from a Western Union LOCATION. It only costs $15 USD to send $1500 USD to the Dominican Republic. It is considerably more expensive if you send money online. At a W.U. location you can pay with either cash or a debit card.
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Western Union is not expensive if you send the money from a Western Union LOCATION. It only costs $15 USD to send $1500 USD to the Dominican Republic. It is considerably more expensive if you send money online. At a W.U. location you can pay with either cash or a debit card.

Then they've gotten a lot cheaper than I remember them to be. Is that paying out in pesos though? If that's the case again Xoom only charges 5 USD.
 

cavok

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Jun 16, 2014
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Then they've gotten a lot cheaper than I remember them to be. Is that paying out in pesos though? If that's the case again Xoom only charges 5 USD.

It is a lot cheaper than it was years ago - at least at locations. The price for the $1500 is the same whether you send pesos or USD. The difference is the receiver is much better off getting USD - you take a hit on the exchange rate in pesos. 43.40 today - highway robbery!

A friend of mine just sent me $800 USD from a W.U. location - cost him $8 USD. I think it would have been about $35 like you said if he had sent it online(?).
 

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
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xoom.com (owned by Paypal) to Banco Popular account in the DR. Arrives in minutes cost US$5 I think up to US$1,000.

Matilda

Up to $2999, but the exchange is about a peso less. 

That's there rate for a transfer received in pesos at 1 USD = 45.3444 DOP. For a reception in dollars it is $19.99 for $1000, $34.99 for $1500. The dollar transfer is more cost efficient. Caribe Tours delivers it or pick it up at one of their offices.
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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That's there rate for a transfer received in pesos at 1 USD = 45.3444 DOP. For a reception in dollars it is $19.99 for $1000, $34.99 for $1500. The dollar transfer is more cost efficient. Caribe Tours delivers it or pick it up at one of their offices.



Is that supposed to be a good price to pay? The current rate of exchange here is 46.8 at Caribe Express.