Perhaps you did not read our article on general tips to banking in Spain and Guide to Opening a Bank Account in Spain and now you find yourself in a money jam…
Your bank has blocked your card because you did not warn them of potential overseas activity. You have exceeded the fixed amount of money you can withdraw from an ATM at a given period. You had to pay a huge unexpected sum of money and now you are broke! You have been robbed of your bank cards, chequebooks etc.
One of the worst situations you can find yourself in while enrolled in a Spanish Language Course in Spain is having no money! The feeling is always unpleasant…and scary!
Whatever the situation may be. You are in need of emergency funds with immediate effect.
Read on for a quick way to receive (or send) money from Spain in less than 24 hours using a reputable company that could be a blessing in a bump.
NB Although this is quick and reliable for emergency situation, it is a rather expensive way to transfer money due to exchange rates and service fees so we would recommend that it be used only in emergencies or for occasionally sending large sums of money.
Western Union
A service to send and receive money through cash transfer.
The company has over 300,000 service locations worldwide and puts no limit to how much money can be sent.
The company website is available in several languages with easy navigation to facilitate the use of its service and multilingual customer support.
Determine the relevant service point location, get a quote of the transfer cost, or track the cash transfer.
Cash transfer rates would depend on where the money is being sent from, how much money is being sent and of course the exchange rate of the currencies involved if they differ.
NB Remember to do the necessary estimate of fees to be deducted from the transfer so that you do not end up receiving an amount of cash short of what you actually need.
In a nutshell
- Contact the person who will send you money.
- Give the person your address so that she/he can find the nearest Western Union service point closest to you (town/city and country are what are important as the transfer will be indicated within the Western Union service IT system and most any agent within proximity will suffice to collect the cash).
- Verify that your name is correctly indicated on the transfer details.
- Have the person create an account with Western Union, fill out the cash transfer form online, in person or by phone and pay for the set amount of money to be sent to you, taking into consideration the transfer fee deductions.
- Take down the Reference Number of the cash transfer from the sender as this is what you will present to collect the money along with your ID.
- On occasion, for added security, a simple password or secret question may be assigned to the transfer by the sender, be sure to take that down too.
- Go to the nearest service point, present your ID (passport, resident card, drivers license – all valid and non expired) and if applicable, give the transfer password.
- Collect your money !!!
NB: It is always more efficient for the sender to transfer the money online through the Western Union website where their information is safe, accurate and stored-which also makes for easier repeat transfers.
If you find articles on the internet about Western Union scams know that these problems do not at all apply to you as they entail sending money to people that you do not know. In your case, you will be on the receiving end of a cash transfer from someone you already know so you will have nothing to worry about.
Now, remember to spend wisely while you enjoy your time in Spain!
