This is part of a sponsored collaboration with PayPal and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
It’s definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas now that we’re only a few days away from the 24th. And that means for families around the world it’s a moment to take a step back, celebrate one another and share in one of the most festive times of the year. Depending on where you live, how exactly you celebrate is likely dependent on age old customs and traditions. The one thing we all have in common is the desire to be around friends and family when we’re doing so.
Even when you’re not in the same city, state, or even the same country, the ties that bind us together are most often felt on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Take a look around the next time the clock strikes midnight on either of these holidays and you’ll notice after hugs and kisses are exchanged, lots of your guests will be texting and chatting away on their phones. More than likely wishing others in their lives a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year too.
Those who can also do their best to send their loved ones a little help to make their holidays a little more special. Growing up, that was just a part of the season for our family. My father and mother would always send what they could to their parents in Mexico around the holidays and throughout the year. Sending money across the border in those days wasn’t exactly a simple process. It required entrusting the delivery of your cash either by mail, wire or in one of the vans that travelled back and forth to and from Mexico every couple of weeks.
That was my parent’s preferred method of delivery. Handing the driver – a family friend – a sealed envelope with the name and address of my grandparents. In a matter of a day or two they had received the envelope safely.
Eventually, though, these drivers stopped making trips as often, or they simply changed drivers completely. It wasn’t a full proof method by any means.
Paypal’s new Xoom service, however, sounds like it would have been perfect for accomplishing the job without any of the hassle. It would have definitely avoided a lot of trips to drop off envelopes and pick them up. If you’re not familiar, Xoom basically makes it possible to send money to loved ones outside of the United States with a couple of clicks from your phone. It’s an app that you can download and set up to do things like: 1) Send remittances outside the U.S., 2) Pay utility bills in select countries from your mobile device, and 3) Instantly send mobile phone reloads.
All this functionality is already integrated into your existing Paypal account:
Your loved ones outside of the United States can also setup their own Xoom account and send you requests anytime.
It definitely makes it easier to share more cheer this holiday season!
Next time you’re looking for a quick and easy way to send money, give Xoom a try.
