Paying US bills while living in the UK

Not sure where to put this but since it's a moving issue, I'll put it here.

I still have monthly bills back in America like credit cards and student loans.  My thought was to keep my US account as I pay from there and then transfer funds from my UK account (once I get a job) every month to cover the bills back home.  Of course, I'd lose money on transfer fees I suppose and then conversion.

Has anyone done this or any suggestions from experience?

I've been doing this since I got here.

In the US, I still have my credit union account, and a savings account with ING. Every month, I transfer money (with xe.com) to one/both of those accounts to pay bills/add to savings. (You do lose a little money, but at least the exchange rate is in your favour here!)

I keep a buffer in my credit union of about $500, just in case something comes up (I had to pay an annual storm/sewer fee for my house in NC, for example). Otherwise I just budget it into the amount I transfer over each month.

The transfer with xe takes 2-3 days, so I just do it the week before the bill is due.

Hope that helps!

I do the same thing. Xe-ING-to my BOfA account.  It works fine. I'm paranoid, so I have a larger buffer than equestrianerd, but you don't really need it.

I do the same thing. Xe-ING-to my BOfA account.  It works fine. I'm paranoid, so I have a larger buffer than equestrianerd, but you don't really need it.

I actually have about $1,500 in my account, but my mortgage payment is $950. Rental income should cover it, but I like having an extra month's payment in there in case the check gets deposited late or something.

I actually have about $1,500 in my account, but my mortgage payment is $950. Rental income should cover it, but I like having an extra month's payment in there in case the check gets deposited late or something.

Oh, much to my husband's chagrin, I actually have over three grand in mine.  Mostly it's there in case there is some sort of emergency with my family and I need money NOW in the US.  I don't have a mortgage payment, and my student loans are piddly, so it really is excessive, but moving it over now would work against me exchange rate wise so I'm not too bothered. I think your way is better, really, as my money is just sitting there with a terrible interest rate doing nothing for me.

Oh, much to my husband's chagrin, I actually have over three grand in mine.  Mostly it's there in case there is some sort of emergency with my family and I need money NOW in the US.  I don't have a mortgage payment, and my student loans are piddly, so it really is excessive, but moving it over now would work against me exchange rate wise so I'm not too bothered. I think your way is better, really, as my money is just sitting there with a terrible interest rate doing nothing for me.

Yeah, at least it's there if you need it. I have another $5k or so in a savings account in the US in case something happens (and as planning for selling my house at some point). I've thought of moving some of it over here, but as you say, the exchange rate works against you then, so there doesn't seem to be much point (unless I desperately needed money here for some reason).

I do XE, and now I feel like my trades are taking 2 days, max.

I do XE, and now I feel like my trades are taking 2 days, max.

Man I don't know what i'm doing wrong...I put money from my British account into my American one and it took over two weeks. WTF!

I have my US account setup for ACH/EFT, and I submit payments to XE via my UK bank's online banking. I generally get the "we've completed the process" e-mail within a few hours, and the actual money shows up within 1-2 business days.

It wasn't as quick in the beginning!  But I guess because I transfer pretty much around the same time with the same amount each month, it's a fairly easy transaction?

The first few took longer.  In my head, I allow myself a week to have it all done, but it really takes within 1-2 days at the most these days.