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Where can I get a 50 euro note (cheaply) in the USA?

CreepyCreepy Tucson, AzRegistered User regular
edited December 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
We want to send our German Exchange student 50 Euros for her birthday and I'm having a bitch of a time finding where to get one without buying $150 US in Euros.

My backup plan is to send her 50 Euros on Amazon.de but she's a student now and I know cash would be much handier.

Anyone have any ideas, please?

Thanks!

Live: Broichan

PSN: Broichan
Creepy on

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    JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    couldn't you do some kind of bank wire transfer?

    You don't want to send cash in the mail anyway.

    JebusUD on
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    WildEEPWildEEP Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    If you're really in Arizona - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/614135/exchanging_foreign_currency_in_arizona.html

    There is a list of banks...you can call for the exchange rate of the day.

    WildEEP on
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    AiouaAioua Ora Occidens Ora OptimaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    JebusUD wrote: »
    couldn't you do some kind of bank wire transfer?

    You don't want to send cash in the mail anyway.

    Fees for international wire transfers are usualy something like $25+ ...Not really worth it.

    Really, amazon.de money is probably the easiest way.

    Aioua on
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    Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    PM me. I live in Portugal at the moment. I could drop some in the mail for you as I can easily transfer between dollars/euros.

    Iceman.USAF on
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    WildEEPWildEEP Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    You could buy her a pre-paid visa gift card thing and have her use it at an ATM. Just make sure to add in the rate + fees to equal out 50 Euros.

    WildEEP on
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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I've seen money change locations in local malls, but I live in a city that gets a lot of international tourists.

    Improvolone on
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    EskimoDaveEskimoDave Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Sending cash in the mail is always a bad idea. Always.

    EskimoDave on
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    The_Glad_HatterThe_Glad_Hatter One Sly Fox Underneath a Groovy HatRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    can't you just exchange your dollars for euro/ order euros at your local bank? Or is this something american banks don't do? (i could get dollars at the bank in my tiny tiny village..)

    The_Glad_Hatter on
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    Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    The_Glad_Hatter wrote: »
    can't you just exchange your dollars for euro/ order euros at your local bank? Or is this something american banks don't do? (i could get dollars at the bank in my tiny tiny village..)

    Most American banks don't carry foreign currency in any serious amounts. They will typically TAKE foreign currency in exchange for US Dollars, but in my experience only the larger branches have anything besides USD.

    Iceman.USAF on
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    bwaniebwanie Posting into the void Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    if youre planning on sending it through mail anyways i would find a european broker from these boards, as was already suggested.

    bwanie on
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    WillethWilleth Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Paypal? You can send money to someone if they don't have an account, I believe.

    Willeth on
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    ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    WildEEP wrote: »
    You could buy her a pre-paid visa gift card thing and have her use it at an ATM. Just make sure to add in the rate + fees to equal out 50 Euros.

    Prepaid gift cards including Visa, AMEX, and Mastercard purchased in the United States can only be used in the Unites States. This is to prevent smuggling cash out of the country.

    Shogun on
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    WezoinWezoin Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Shogun wrote: »
    WildEEP wrote: »
    You could buy her a pre-paid visa gift card thing and have her use it at an ATM. Just make sure to add in the rate + fees to equal out 50 Euros.

    Prepaid gift cards including Visa, AMEX, and Mastercard purchased in the United States can only be used in the Unites States. This is to prevent smuggling cash out of the country.

    Are you sure? I know some of them do 'travel cards' specifically for use outside of the country....

    Wezoin on
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    ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Wezoin wrote: »
    Shogun wrote: »
    WildEEP wrote: »
    You could buy her a pre-paid visa gift card thing and have her use it at an ATM. Just make sure to add in the rate + fees to equal out 50 Euros.

    Prepaid gift cards including Visa, AMEX, and Mastercard purchased in the United States can only be used in the Unites States. This is to prevent smuggling cash out of the country.

    Are you sure? I know some of them do 'travel cards' specifically for use outside of the country....

    AMEX briefly did a traveler's cheque card but it was quickly nixed. Guess why.

    Credit card companies offer traveler's cards but that isn't what the OP wants. A traveler's card is associated with one owner and said owner's credit or bank account. A prepaid card that the OP could put money on and give to anyone is not attached to an identity. Even a reloadable prepaid card would be issued to an identity through a bank or other financial institution.

    Shogun on
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    Ash of YewAsh of Yew Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I was able to exchange dollars for yen at my bank so it may be worth actually checking out, if nothing else they could probably tell you where you can do it.

    Ash of Yew on
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    JokermanJokerman Everything EverywhereRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Iceman.USAF wrote: »
    PM me. I live in Portugal at the moment. I could drop some in the mail for you as I can easily transfer between dollars/euros.

    I can vouch for Iceman, he's good people. Also this would probably be your best bet.

    Jokerman on
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    WezoinWezoin Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Shogun wrote: »
    Wezoin wrote: »
    Shogun wrote: »
    WildEEP wrote: »
    You could buy her a pre-paid visa gift card thing and have her use it at an ATM. Just make sure to add in the rate + fees to equal out 50 Euros.

    Prepaid gift cards including Visa, AMEX, and Mastercard purchased in the United States can only be used in the Unites States. This is to prevent smuggling cash out of the country.

    Are you sure? I know some of them do 'travel cards' specifically for use outside of the country....

    AMEX briefly did a traveler's cheque card but it was quickly nixed. Guess why.

    Credit card companies offer traveler's cards but that isn't what the OP wants. A traveler's card is associated with one owner and said owner's credit or bank account. A prepaid card that the OP could put money on and give to anyone is not attached to an identity. Even a reloadable prepaid card would be issued to an identity through a bank or other financial institution.

    Oh, both Visa and Mastercard offer prepaid, unlinked travellers cards in Canada.

    Wezoin on
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    contendrcontendr Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Just call your bank and ask about exchanging currency. If they don't have the specific currency you want, they will usually order it in for you within a couple of days. If your bank won't do it, try calling another one.

    contendr on
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    WezoinWezoin Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Or just send a check for whatever the value of 50euros + fees + a bit extra in case of fluctuations in the market in US dollars. Don't put money in the mail, and they can get a US dollars check changed to Euros when they cash it at a European bank.

    Wezoin on
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    RabidNerdRabidNerd Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    or why dont you just send her 65 dollars? would be cooler than just the money she/he sees every day. you could always just get a proper gift or something though.

    RabidNerd on
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    CreepyCreepy Tucson, AzRegistered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Thanks for all the replies, especially Iceman for the offer. Turns out my wife just went ahead and sent her $66 US otherwise I definitely would have taken you up on that.

    Hopefully she'll be able to exchange it with little hassle.

    Thank you all again!

    Creepy on
    Live: Broichan

    PSN: Broichan
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