The Cheapest and Best Way to Send Money Abroad

When you're thinking about building a new life in France, figuring out how to transfer money safely and affordably quickly becomes a top mission.

Let's walk through the ONE thing you need to master quickly transferring money internationally without losing a fortune in the process.

Transferring Money to France: The Smart Way

Using your bank back home to transfer money might seem like the obvious or sensible choice for sending money to your French bank account--or to another account, such as the Notaire for a home purchase, however, there's a problem: BIG fees.

Often using your regular bank can result in hefty fees, including poor exchange rates for converting your currency into Euros, fees, and transfer charges.

To avoid unpleasant costs, you have options.

Expats in France often use services like Wise and Revolut for transferring money. These financial platforms are transparent about charges, use real exchange rates, and typically have low fees which are based on a percentage of your transfer amount.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Wise. I have used Wise for years, for making big transfers to small daily transactions with my Wise card, both in France and abroad. Plus, I love the convenience of having Wise on my iPhone for easy point-of-sale transactions.

Advantages of Using Wise for International Money Transfers and For Accessing Money Abroad

Wise is a sweet option for your money needs while you travel or setup up your new life abroad.

Here are some of the reasons why Wise works:

⭐ One account - to cover 160 countries and territories, allowing you to spend money like a local

⭐ Hold up to 40 currencies or easily convert them within your account

⭐ Real exchange rates - Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate (the real rate you see, for example, on Google), not inflated rates that banks use

⭐Transparent low fees - No hidden charges or surprises

⭐ Easily use your physical Wise card (or your Wise card on Apple Pay) at Point-of-Sale Terminals

⭐ Savings buckets

⭐ Eligible to earn interest at competitive rates

⭐ Fast transfers - most Wise transfers complete within 1-2 business days and some transfers are instant

⭐ Easily track your transfers - Wise keeps you in the know, so you have an idea when your money is converted, when it's sent, and when it arrives at its destination

⭐ Significantly cheaper than banks - Wise saves you money in fees and allows you to avoid poor exchange rates

>>>> Example: On a $5,000 USD transfer to France, your brick & mortar bank might charge you $200+ on fees. Wise costs somewhere between $25-40.

⭐ Get your own bank details for domestic and international transfers

⭐ Used by 13+ million customers - Wise moves $10+ billion monthly for millions of customers

⭐ Financially regulated - Wise is regulated by financial authorities in every country it operates in, meaning it's legit

⭐ Offers personal and business accounts, including bath payments, invoicing, and bookkeeping integration.

Pro Tips

✅  Open a Wise Account. Wise is built to save you money. You don't pay for anything you don't use.

✅ Get a Wise Multi-Currency Card. You can spend and use money just like you do back at home--and in different currencies (Wise works its magic for this, you don't have to do anything special at a point-of-sale terminal).

✅ Stay up-to-date on exchange rates, especially before transferring large amounts, so you can convert your cash at the optimal time.

*Heads up: if you buy or sign up for products through my links, I make a few cents. Not enough to retire on, but hey, it helps my buy a cheap espresso at my favorite French cafe. Thank you for your support.

*This is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial or legal advice.