UK Postal orders

[Guest]

[ferdinand_the_yak]

I have a person who wants to pay me with one, does anyone know whether you get charged when you cash one of these in? Also, can I cash it in Australia?

Thanks in advance!

[kbmum]

I don't think that anyone can cash a postal money order from another country.  Even if you could, there would be fees.  My husband got a dividend check for stocks in an Australian company (he used to work for them) and because the check was written from a foreign bank, we had to pay a $15 US fee and wait two weeks to get our money.

[tialessa]

I don't think that anyone can cash a postal money order from another country.  Even if you could, there would be fees. 

I'm in the US and I've cashed a few Canadian Postal Money Orders (drawn in US dollars) without any problem or fees.  I think it depends on if it's an International Money Order in YOUR currency...  I know I can buy International Money Orders at the USPS, but I've never done so - I DO know that there is a fee that *I* would pay to purchase it.

Hope you get an answer from someone who knows from experience!

[m.o.b.]

No according to the Post Office website

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1;jsessionid=3RCRSJVTZMT1MFB2IGEUQEQUHRAYOQ2K?catId=19400177&mediaId=19900224

[Roz]

Blimey, that's an impressive list of countries. I'd never have thought of sending a postal order abroad

[LikORish-Spider]

Did I miss the USA and Australia? 

[sketchqueen]

I know that in the UK, money orders can be purchased in US dollars, although there is a delay to get them. I know because I made all the UK and Australian charity event winners pay by money order drawn in US Funds. I apologized to every one of them, but it didn't make sense for us to have to pay fees otherwise.

Now, I don't know the specifics, but it seemed the Australian one was easier to get drawn in US Funds than the UK ones

[Roz]

John - clearly those two weren't considered important   or weren't very co-operative, I'd go with the latter, but I'm still dead impressed at the list

In the UK, it's just a case of going to the bank to get an international money order in any currency. It's ever so easy, the only draw back is that it's about £8 so it has to be quite an expensive item in order to be worthwhile.

[Nienna]

When I asked about sending a IMO I was quoted £15 minimum fee from my bank!!
Needless to say I didn't use their services and arranged a bank-to-bank transfer instead - that was around £8.00 to do, so it's only ever a payment option in a dire emergency.
Bidpay was really easy to use and a heck of a lot cheaper ... shame it is no more ...

[LikORish-Spider]

John - clearly those two weren't considered important   or weren't very co-operative, I'd go with the latter, but I'm still dead impressed at the list

In the UK, it's just a case of going to the bank to get an international money order in any currency. It's ever so easy, the only draw back is that it's about £8 so it has to be quite an expensive item in order to be worthwhile.

Roz, it must be mutual between UK and US.

Here is some info about US IMO's. Notice that the limit is $700.00 US$ and the cost is an outrageous $3.45 for that amount. The British PO must be making money like they own a printing press. Oh wait, that's you guys' money they are making.

For only $3.45, you can purchase international money orders valued at up to $700 to 30 countries, with additional countries being added in the near future (some exceptions apply - see below). You can then send your money order using Global Priority Mail® or Global Express Mail®. The money orders can be cashed at the post office locations of the destination country.

List of countries accepting direct International Money Orders:

Albania
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
British Virgin Islands
Canada ($1000 limit)
Cape Verde
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador ($500 limit)
Grenada
Guinea
Guyana ($500 limit)
Honduras
Jamaica
Japan
Mali
Mexico
Montserrat
Nigeria
Peru
St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sierra Leone
Trinidad and Tobago

[Roz]

No Australia there either... Jo?

Can you cancel an IMO like a cheque?

[Sharon]

Don't quote me on this but I don't think you can cancel a IMO.  As far as I know it is pretty much like cash and if it gets lost then tough.  I can't believe they only cost $3.45 in the US, that is brilliant.  The other problem in the UK is the time they take to come through.  Graham has waited anything from 4 days to two weeks to get one.

The British PO must be making money like they own a printing press. Oh wait, that's you guys' money they are making.

John you couldn't be more right but it is our money they are taking, not making for us    The Post Office was semi privatised - any profit they make they keep but when they loose money the tax payer has to prop them up.  Just this week it was announced we are giving them something ridiculous like 1.2 billion pounds.  I know we are very lucky to have a door to door delivery service but by gum are we paying for it.  Don't be fooled by the fact that a first class stamp is only ' a few pennies ', your tax pounds are supporting the Royal Mail.

And just a couple of points for anyone who thinks the Royal Mail is perfect:

Every week there is a story in the paper about postmen who steal / dump thousands of letters.
A story today in the paper was about a postman who has only worked one day in five over the last five years - and we are supposed to feel sorry for him because he has been sacked.
Everyone I know, knows someone who has had a cheque book / card stolen and used illegally from the mail.

There are a lot of great, honest, hard working people in the Post Office but they need to weed out the slackers.  Rant finished 

[sketchqueen]

"Every week there is a story in the paper about postmen who steal / dump thousands of letters."

Least I know all those parcels I send to the UK are going *somewhere* - just not where I intend them to go *lol* - Wasn't it Graham who told me the last package I sent him when to a completely different street address - something not even close!! But, he did finally get it *whew!* - you really have to wonder somedays ...