Sending and receiving money to/from Russia based friend

returnofghandi

My (very good) friend lives in Russia.

In the past I have sent her a little money to buy herself a gift on birthday's, etc and she has done the same with me.

With the current economic sanctions against Russia, this has become what can only be described as a 'nightmare'.

I sent her some money last month towards some flight tickets to travel here to visit once she gets a tourist Visa. She is a part owner/hairdresser in a beauty salon owner and lives on her own, so her income isn't great. She couldn't quite afford the full cost of the tickets because of the increase in flight prices, having to route through Istanbul and the fact that she needs a substantial amount of funds in her bank to satisfy the Visa requirements for supporting herself whilst staying in the UK.

I had to use SWIFT to send the money as that still works with her bank (Tinkoff bank) and I couldn't find any other way to send her some money. Using SWIFT (I was a noob) turned out to be a 'rip off' as it took so long, that by the time she got the money it was 25% less than what I sent and I was charged £20 by my bank for sending it.

I then found Profee.com a few days ago and did a test money transfer straight to her Tinkoff bank card (Mastercard). It's quick, easy, relatively cheap but not available to anyone in Russia 😞.

We can't find a way for her to transfer money to me if she wants/needs to apart from her using SWIFT; which I am trying to avoid after my expensive experience with it. Her Mastercard bank card won't work outside Russia (sanctions), so that means when she is in the UK she can't access her funds to support herself! It's utter madness!

Anyone have any ideas how she can send money to me in the UK or withdraw it from her Russian bank account whilst visiting me in the UK?

 

grumbler

She sends money to UK, you send it to Russia - this makes little sense to me. Can you set up some sort of 'clearing' system between you two?

For travelling to UK can't she buy cash £ or  € in Russia?

Also, depending on where she lives, reportedly, it can be cheaper to travel via Tallinn. This involves a coach trip from St.Petersburg to Tallinn.

ZeroSum

Buy some bitcoin, then send that.

longjohnjohnson

ZeroSum said:

Buy some bitcoin, then send that.

How many crypto exchanges now operate in Russia?

I don't know but all I see is news of them pulling out.

longjohnjohnson

returnofghandi said:

My (very good) friend lives in Russia.

In the past I have sent her a little money to buy herself a gift on birthday's, etc and she has done the same with me.

With the current economic sanctions against Russia, this has become what can only be described as a 'nightmare'.

I sent her some money last month towards some flight tickets to travel here to visit once she gets a tourist Visa. She is a part owner/hairdresser in a beauty salon owner and lives on her own, so her income isn't great. She couldn't quite afford the full cost of the tickets because of the increase in flight prices, having to route through Istanbul and the fact that she needs a substantial amount of funds in her bank to satisfy the Visa requirements for supporting herself whilst staying in the UK.

I had to use SWIFT to send the money as that still works with her bank (Tinkoff bank) and I couldn't find any other way to send her some money. Using SWIFT (I was a noob) turned out to be a 'rip off' as it took so long, that by the time she got the money it was 25% less than what I sent and I was charged £20 by my bank for sending it.

I then found Profee.com a few days ago and did a test money transfer straight to her Tinkoff bank card (Mastercard). It's quick, easy, relatively cheap but not available to anyone in Russia 😞.

We can't find a way for her to transfer money to me if she wants/needs to apart from her using SWIFT; which I am trying to avoid after my expensive experience with it. Her Mastercard bank card won't work outside Russia (sanctions), so that means when she is in the UK she can't access her funds to support herself! It's utter madness!

Anyone have any ideas how she can send money to me in the UK or withdraw it from her Russian bank account whilst visiting me in the UK?

 

Just literally send her the money? By that I mean get Roubles or whatever, stick it in an envelope and post it?