People have different reasons to transfer money to Africa. Whether it is for friends and family, or business, the need is evident. But how do you do it fast and in a cheap/affordable way? Well, there’s one pretty easy way, which is the use of a money transfer app.
Your first thought for sending money to Africa was probably to use a bank transfer. While this is one of the most popular conventional methods, it is no longer as effective. With the inception of new methods such as the use of a money transfer app, sending funds to African countries is now a lot cheaper and faster. Here are 6 primary and easy ways to transfer money to Africa:
Mobile Wallets
Mobile wallets, or e-wallets, have been a popular way of sending money to African territories. For most of these mobile wallets, you don’t need to use a bank account. For basic services, also, you may not even spend a dime on charges. Some of these wallets include Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay.
For each mobile wallet, you can simply download the app and follow the instructions for entering card details. Add details that you’d like to have in the mobile wallet. The added advantage of this payment module is that just like a money transfer app, the payments are encrypted. The fact that the transactions from a mobile wallet reach the recipient almost instantaneously is something to be excited about.
In order to evade the transfer fees, it is vital that the sender and the receiver use the same mobile wallet. For international transfers like in this case, there are exchange fees that’ll apply.
Money Orders
You can also make use of money orders to transfer funds to a recipient. Money orders are almost like checks. However, the main difference between the two is that money orders don’t need a bank account.
Once you pay for a money order with the exact amount you want the receiver to get, you can send it to them via mail. While it can seem to be an effective way of sending money to African countries, a money order also has its fair share of disadvantages. The main one is that it can be rather slower than most of the other methods of sending funds abroad. But how’s that going to affect you if you get extra privacy and security? Besides, they can easily be canceled right before they are cashed. Lastly, it is only the intended recipient of the money order that can cash it.
Credit Cards
Using a credit card is yet another way that you can transfer funds to African friends, family, or business associates. It is particularly great for international transactions but beware of the charges.
To avoid hidden charges, it would help if you checked what various transfer services are charging.
Prepaid Debit Cards
Did you know that you can get a debit card from a financial institution without the need for a bank account? Most of these cards are prepaid and have a specific amount loaded upfront. You can find such a card from retail stores or you can purchase them online.
Based on the terms of the seller, you can get the physical card for free, or for a small fee. You can reload these cards any number of times you wish. The fees and balance limits are determined in the terms of the purchase.
Cash
Sending cash should be among the least options that you would consider when sending funds to Africa. The danger involved is what makes it rather unsafe. In case the cash gets stolen on transit through the delivery or mail services, the recipient will not receive it. Is this a risk that you’d want to take? It is an archaic method of money transfer. More modern methods such as using a money transfer app work better.
If at all you would want to consider sending cash, then you need to be very careful and take the necessary precautions. Ensure that the funds get to the intended recipient by:
- Select a discreet envelope that conceals the identity of the cash.
- Purchasing a tracking service that follows your mail everywhere it goes.
- Opting to insure your package for the exact amount that you’re sending.
Using a Money Transfer App
This is yet another option that you can use to transfer funds to African countries. When choosing a money transfer app, you need to consider the security and the fees that they charge for each transaction. This will determine whether or not it is a good fit for you.
You don’t need a bank account to send funds using a money transfer app. That’s the beauty of it all. The comparative advantage of a money transfer app is the speed of delivery and effectiveness of service.
Final Thoughts
You can follow any of these 6 ways to send money to African countries. But so far, the editor’s choice is to use a money transfer app for the transaction.
