NP> or if you prefer, a bank, branch and account number and
NP> name to deposit the money to. (probably the least hassle)

PE> Can you elaborate on this?  How is it less hassle
PE> for you to directly debit an account at another bank?

That aint a debit, its a credit, deposit.

Its trivial. The cheapest way to do it is to waltz into a
branch of the bank of the account you want to put the money in
and just do it. You can even stick it on your visa, sort of a
combination cash advance and deposit that cash into the account.

The reason for using THEIR bank is that thats normally free. If you
use your own bank, atleast the big 4 want to charge you to do that.

I can actually just fax my FI and its all done from my chair.
The only reason I cant do it on the 1800 number by voice or
using the computerised system is that they want something in
writing since its going outside their FI, so they need the fax.

PE> I wasn't even aware it was possible for end-users,
PE> except by setting up a regular payment.

You are confusing debits and credits.

PE> I would have used a bank cheque to do that sort of thing myself.

I'd be surprised if you couldnt do it yourself,
send say $500 to an account that Pete nominates.

PE> I use a bank cheque because I don't have a cheque account because it's
PE> cheaper to pay $3 to Citibank for a bank cheque rather than pay BAD all
PE> the time (for my other, normal, non-cheque transactions)! Amazing but true!

Thats only true of banks or close, mine has a check book, and
ONLY the checks incur the BAD, none of the other transactions.

I can get FREE bank checks and foreign ones too just with a fax etc.
Tho using the account details is more convenient than farting around
posting the check itself. Tho they will post if for you too if you
want that. The direct transfer is considerably quicker tho.
@EOT:

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