This article was created in partnership with Western Union.
The holiday season is the perfect time to connect with loved ones and show them how much you care. But for those who have family and friends living overseas, gift-giving can be a confusing and expensive undertaking. Navigating the legal details of international postal systems, understanding potential taxation issues and paying for postage can take the joy out of sending gifts abroad. And sending cash via the mail isn’t much better. Envelopes can open, money can get lost in transit and you can be left wondering what happened to your gift.
So what’s the best way to send money internationally? Money transfers. They allow you to quickly and reliably send cash to friends and family overseas — and keep the holiday spirit alive in the process.
Holiday peace of mind
Time is always a precious commodity during the holidays. Between shopping for gifts, cooking holiday meals and prepping the house for get-togethers, you have a lot on your plate. By sending money to friends and family via money transfer services, you can avoid the potential pitfalls of sending physical gifts or enveloped cash, saving you time and energy and allowing you to track your transfers to ensure timely delivery.
A money transfer also ensures that your family member receives their gift exactly on time — your gift will never arrive late, instead; they can receive their gift in the form of a direct bank account transfer, or they can pick up cash at a money transfer location near them.
The peace of mind gained when sending money through money transfer is a large reason why so many Canadians use this service. According to Statistics Canada, in 2017 alone, Canadian residents sent over $5.2 billion in money transfers to locations such as the Philippines, India, the United States and China, among other countries.
Easy access at your fingertips
Statistics Canada also found that 56% of people who sent money abroad in 2017 used a money transfer service like Western Union location. And with Western Union’s continued expansion across Canada, it’s becoming increasingly easy to do so.
But if heading to a brick-and-mortar location isn’t feasible this season, you can use the Western Union® app to send money to loved ones with the click of a button. The app is a money management tool that lets you send and receive money quickly and reliably.
With the app, you can send money to loved ones in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, and you can check on exchange rates, find the nearest Western Union location, track your transfers and see your transaction history. This kind of ease can be essential to keeping you connected to overseas loved ones during the hectic holiday season.
Take the hassle out of holiday giving
Sending presents internationally to loved ones can be expensive, time-consuming and unreliable. A money transfer is the best way to send money internationally because it takes the hassle out of holiday gift-giving for both you and your recipient. If your family or friends are abroad this season, consider tapping the app and sending them a gift you know they’ll love.
