[Dx-qsl] Re: Stamps, Money and IRCs

Wed May 8 05:15:00 2002

A significant proportion of the traffic on this reflector concerns
figuring out and obtaining the correct foreign stamps, understanding
the latest currency availability and changes, and trying to deduce
the policy of each post office toward IRCs. Why do we torture
ourselves like this?
Good question !
Just use Green Stamps! They are one of the lowest denomination paper
currencies in the developed world, hence are flexible - use one or
two - and can be easily hidden in a letter. They are accepted
(desired?) almost everywhere, and have become a MUCH more
exchangeable worldwide currency than IRCs.
My overseas DX friends seem to find them highly convenient. They use
some of the G/S received from the U.S. for their own QSLing, and cash
the balance at almost any bank to cover their mailing costs.
====================
I agree - as long as you send enough ! A single GS does not even cover second
class mail to USA from here, but there are great variations depending on what
country you are in. Asking the Dx station what is needed would do no harm.
One has to collect GS for quite a while to make it worth while going to the
bank for exchange. Banks are charging an exchange fee, which varies too, and
here there is a minimum charge of 5 dollars!
For that reason I have been using my GS to pay for shoeshine when I am over
there !! hi
73
Rag Otterstad LA5HE also JW5HE OZ8RO
located in Telemark - home of skiing.
My antenna "farm" can be found on HTTP://no.photos.yahoo.com/la5he when you
click on Radio.
Take a look at: http://WWW.visitTelemark.com
or http://www.visitnorway.com