Least Expensive way to pay bill in Euros with Dollars (low cost, best)

[Ultrarunner]

I'm looking for a low cost way to pay 23.28 euros, about $30, to buy a book on local history sold only at the town city hall in Austria.

The website said I can pay with a Swift Number or Zahlungsanweisung...

The problem with a Swift Payment is my Bank charges $50... plus the exchange commission... so a $30 book would cost most than $80.

Apparantly, most Austrians pay "Zahlungsanweisung" at any Post Office in Austria or Bank...

I'm in California and looking for ideas?

[azoria]

Is credit card not an option? Have you emailed them to inquire?

The credit card would charge the currency conversion fee, but for €23 the fee would be very tiny.

[annerk]

At one point the USPS sold money orders in Euros. They were about $5, no currency exchange fee. Might be worth a try.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by azoria

Is credit card not an option? Have you emailed them to inquire?

The credit card would charge the currency conversion fee, but for €23 the fee would be very tiny.

No luck on the credit card when I asked...

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by annerk

At one point the USPS sold money orders in Euros. They were about $5, no currency exchange fee. Might be worth a try.

Never thought about the Post Office.

I know the AAA Auto Club discontinued Euro Checks... a couple of years back.

[FlyMIA]

If they don't accept debit or credit which would be the best way how about travllers checks?

[Ol' Wanderer]

If they accept PayPal, it would be the simplest and most cost-effective way. I would not accept PO money orders if I were the buyer, I have seen the multiple-page list of fake PO money orders and it was not a good sight. Many banks refuse to accept money orders as deposit, or if they do, the funds are held for as long as 21 days.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

If they don't accept debit or credit which would be the best way how about travllers checks?

My understanding is travelers checks have to be endorsed or counter signed in the presence of the person accepting payment.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by Ol' Wanderer

If they accept PayPal, it would be the simplest and most cost-effective way. I would not accept PO money orders if I were the buyer, I have seen the multiple-page list of fake PO money orders and it was not a good sight. Many banks refuse to accept money orders as deposit, or if they do, the funds are held for as long as 21 days.

PayPal would be great... I don't have it... but I know lots of people that do...

Doubt I could convince the Burgermeister or City Manager of the small Austrian Dorf to set up a PayPal account just to make the sale of a $21 book plus postage...

A wire transfer would work and they provided the SWIFT number... I just didn't realize my Bank charges a $50 International Wire Fee...

$50 wouldn't be that much if I was sending thousands of dollars... does seem an awful lot to send $30.

I will call around tomorrow

Keep the ideas coming...

[azoria]

Your dilemma was a common problem when we lived in Russia, as the Russian post was utterly unreliable and Russian customs even worse. Paypal and Ebay banned all Russian transactions.

In that case when one needed to move some simple item in or out of Russia, one had to depend on a network of contacts traveling between countries.

Maybe your last option is to find someone going to Austria who will carry the money and make the transaction for you, mailing the book back to the US. International post from western Europe works quite well.

You might be interested to know that one of our city data regulars here went to Austria for the holidays just a month ago.

This kind of arrangement may be your last option.