Don't hide your cash under the bed!

I think we'll all agree that life in Russia is, to say the least, different. And even though it takes a while to adapt, I've been amazed how easily I've managed to live without such everyday essentials such as a microwave, Marks and Spencer's ready-made and television I can both watch and understand!

One of the things I've found strange is having my salary paid in cash. Salary payments by bank transfer are the norm in Western Europe yet we've all had to get used to trekking into Central office every couple of weeks to receive a wad of strange money that we neither stuff under the b ed or in our own 'secret' hiding place safe and ready to be spent on those luxuries such as food, warm clothes and the odd bottle of vodka.

Everyone told me the bureaucracy of opening a bank account in Russia was not worth the hassle. Well, folks, I'm here to tell you that's not true. I've recently opened a Russian bank account and, believe me; it's ten times easier and quicker than opening one in the UK.

Finansbank (Moscow) have a branch at 6/1 Kamergerskiy per. Near to Tverskaya School. The staff speak excellent English and are extremely helpful. I opened an account in about 10 minutes and had my card within two days!

You can pay into your account in Rubles or US Dollars and you are issued with a Maestro Debit Card. This card can be used in most ATM's in Russia and can also be used to pay for goods and services in some shops and restaurants. There is a small charge for withdrawing cash but the benefits of having your money safe and accessible outweigh the cost disadvantage.

Now folks, here's the good news. The card can be used to withdraw cash overseas. Any money you deposit in Russia can be withdrawn in local currency from the majority of ATM's worldwide. For those of you who haven't yet realized what I'm saying here, you can take your hard-earned money out of Russia without stuffing it into your boots or pants! It's safe, it's legal and it works!

Anybody interested in opening an account can just pop into Finansbank with your passport and a copy of your BKC contract and they'll sort it out for you - they even fill out the forms for you. When you want to pay money in, give them your card and the cash and they do the rest.

The address is Finansbank (Moscow), 6/1 Kamergerskiy per., 103009 Moscow. Tel (095) 967 6788. The girl who opened my account was Lilia Zinutdinova and she'll welcome anyone contacting her. Just tell her you're a BKC teacher. Or, if you want any further information, get in touch with me. My contact e-mail address is michaelsullivan@email.ro

From the Editor: We did some phoning around. There are 2 types of accounts you can open at Finansbank. One requires you to submit a copy of contract and the other one doesn't. Services are the same for both. The choice is yours! By the way, it's a Turkish bank.

Michael Sullivan

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Editor