Job Discussion Forums

[Songbird]

Whoever said it was impossible to save 70% (or similar words)- hey, I do it no prob! Food and bits and pieces here in Gansu cost me no more than 700 per month (I earn 4500) and I allow about 500 per month to save for travelling (I plan to only travel in the holidays, it's too far to plan to go anywhere in the semester, I am really remote!), the rest I easily save.

I plan to change my savings into Oz$ every couple of months, but I'm sure I'm going to have some money to take back home with me in December- can I easily take money out of the country and change it back home? My bank will not change RMB, I don't think I have much choice but to do it at Brissie Airport......is there a limit to how much actually RMB I can legally take out of the country?

[cujobytes]

[Songbird]

I guess I do, but like I said, I live in a really remote area, I don't drink and there is nowhere silly to eat like Maccas or KFC etc, all the eateries are your typical Chinese fare, a meal costing maybe 5 kuai max.

But hey, I have lotsa dosh to blow when travelling, though I still want to take a bit home with me at the end of the year! I'm planning on going to Tibet in July/ August, that alone will break the bank!

[amandabarrick]

Change as much as you can, take what you cannot change and send a western union moneygram to yourself. When you arrive in the U.S. you can go to a bank and recieve it without any problem. If the bank of China gives you a problem about sending a western union moneygram to yourself, have a close friend you trust do it, or just go to the bank with him and he can send it to you. I have never had any problem recieving the moneygram once I arrived in the states.
AB

[struelle]

[Roger]

Western Union:
They don't change your money - you entrust to them money you have changed before entering their office. They often are affiliated with China Post or with a bank, but you still need to cut through red tape in those banks to change your loot.
One time I was going to send U.S. dollars to Taiwan; the WU person suggested I put the money between leafs of a book ... probably to camouflage it from the CHina customs?

No, I don't think that poster's idea is so great!

[amandabarrick]

You don't need to change money before entering their office, just send a moneygram with RMB. Yes, you can send RMB on a moneygram. No, you don't actually mail anything so their is no leaf of pages of a book involved. You can go to most any Bank of China and send an RMB western Union moneygram in any amount, just fill in the form. Once you arrive in the states, you can go to your bank and recieve the moneygram in the exact amount you sent when in China. For example, if you send a moneygram of 20,000 RMB western union, you will recieve in the states the U.S. dollar amount equal to 20,000 RMB. The reason I say to change as much possible before leaving China is that there is a fee for the moneygram, the more the amount of the moneygram the higher the fee. It is also safer than taking 20,000 RMB cash with you on the plane and changing it in the states.
AB

[millie]

Hello A/B,

And you received favourable exchange rates in USA for RMB

That would be most important.

Why not send US$ changed on the grey market at RMB 8.3 ?
M

[Tinman]

What's TST?

[Norman Bethune]

[amandabarrick]

Norman,
I can't speak for every location in China. All I know is if you see the "Western Union" sign or advertisment at a Bank of China, it shouldn't be a hassle. I saw the form and completed it myself, then gave it to the bank clerk. She asked me one or two questions, I gave her the RMB in the amount I was wiring and she said the fee was xx RMB. It took 20 minutes. When I arrived to the states later that week I went to my personal bank and told them I was sent a Western Union money transaction fom China. I showed them my I.D. and recieved the money (U.S. dollars) in a few minutes. Obviously learning the language of the country you are living and working in might be a good idea. The alternative would be to ask a native friend or coworker to accompany you to the bank. But I don't know if many on this site would trust a native to do anything for them.
AB

[clomper]

Hmm... RMB Moneygram in Bank of China?? I haven't heard of this yet. The only Western Union offices that I know of are with China Post and Agricultural bank of China. Both of them only accepts USD as payment.

I'll try to inquire or is this service restricted to major cities and not the small ones?

Claudine

PS. Taipei is gloomy today..

[Norman Bethune]

[millie]

Hello AB

[Norman Bethune]