IRC vs Money

[leghorn]

Recently I've tried sending IRCs to have the return postage charge covered. Maybe I'm too impatient, but things reek of failure. Some posters have mentioned they'd sent cash to cover the charge.

What do you think works better? IRCs or cash? What's your experience with this matter?

[dfreely]

It shouldn't matter either way, though I'd imagine it would be a hassle to obtain cash in other currencies for this purpose. If you're willing to do that, you may as well obtain stamps from that country instead.

[x hayley x]

I have never tried sending money but I do have some dollars left over from when I was at an airport last year so I have thought about giving it a try with my USA requests. I sent a few requests out over the summer using IRC's - only 1 of them has come back so far but the celebrity actually sent the IRC's back with my autograph! I don't know if she was just being nice or if she couldn't be bothered with the hassle of them.
I think that if you could obtain the currency of the country you are writing to then that would make it a lot easier for the celebrity, but if you can only send your own currency then I would definitely suggest sending IRC's.

[margotchanning]

I always send cash! I have done for years and I'm just set in my ways lol!

[leghorn]

Wel, I figured since most celebrities live in the US, UK or EU it should be quite easy to get any foreign currency from a local financial institute...

[chriscollector]

I can't get IRC's anywhere, so I have no other option but sending cash.

In a way they are both the same hassle. I look at it as if I am sending the money they realize I have good intentions. I'm sure many send cash and eventually the sec. just changes the curreny. In many places the US Dollar is worth more, like Canada. But it's worth less in some too.

Has anyone every purchased IR's from the USPS website? I know they are not there now but were they ever available??

[leghorn]

I have no experience with USPS, but in Germany you can only buy IRCs over the internet. No availability in post offices. Haven't found anything about IRCs being sold in the US, but there's the International Business Reply. Sounds somehow similar to IRCs (http://www.usps.com/international/intlbusinessreply.htm).

So it seems sending cash is the better option...

[dfreely]

I don't think USPS ever offered IRCs via their website.

If you send cash, it's really best to send in the currency of the destination country, otherwise, there's really no point and you shouldn't send any cash at all. While I'm sure some people have had successes sending cash in the wrong currency, that's really more because the celebrity didn't mind covering the postage.

[ursha]

That's what I send: UK/France/Canada/Finland-stamps, US-cash (planning on buying more stamps). Other countries: IRC's. I used to use IRC's a lot but I gave up-it's more expensive and I wasn't very successful...
Urša

[leghorn]

Can it be that celebs don't know how to use IRCs? Or maybe some post offices don't accept IRCs as payment?