Least expensive manner to send cash to Cuba

I have not found anything cheaper than Western Union. Do note that the 10% fee drops to 8% when you send $200 or more. Then that gets to the question if it is better to spend $216 or $110.

Of the transfer websites, the cheapest that I found was aisremesascuba.com - but I had to jump through some hoops to get registered and they are still more expensive that WU - and I haven't managed to use them for some while. Enviodinero has an offer for mothers day, but I suspect that still more expensive than WU.

The cheapest way to send larger amounts is bank transfers - but you would a non-US account for that.

Although this is of no benefit for non Canadians, I have a Desjardins ViSA debit card. It is not hooked to any back account. You have to load it with cash. Takes about 2 seconds. Costs $7/year and no foreign transaction fees. My sister in law in Cuba is in possession off one. How we send money to Cuba.

In effect, free transfers.

#3 - The cheapest way to send larger amounts is bank transfers....

My Canadian bank has a transfer fee of $30 no matter what the amount being sent is. Not sure if there is a minimum or maximum allowed to be sent. There is a fee on the Cuban end as well. Not sure what it is though.

# 4 - A couple of CDN friends of mine use the Desjardins ViSA debit card. From what they have told me this seems to be the best way to send money but as you say, it is a Canadian bank.

As above cheapest, fastest and most efficient way is by sending a debit or credit card to the Cuban concerned. As I told you Trap last time you raised this you could have got an Oz card into which you can transfer money electronically from wherever you are.

Doesn't using an ATM card involve two exchanges ? So there will be a level when a bank transfer will be more cost effective ? (Something over $2,000 or so ?)

No that is not how it works Beardo.
If say you use a card to withdraw 100 CUC (inside bank or from ATM) your bank is charged $103USD. Your bank then converts $103USD to whatever currency that your bank deals in e.g. AUD or CAD.
Of course some banks apply other charges such as Forex or overseas ATM's usage.
However yes you're right about there would be a point where a bank transfer could be more cost effective (although perhaps more time consuming). The card we use and assuming a flat bank transfer charge of $30 then $1500 would be the cross over point. But we never send anything like that at any one time.

In no case can i see a bank transfer costing less. When you have a debit visa card with no charges, there is no limit to how much you can transfer.

As I said not all cards have no fees. We use a particular Visa Debit card with zero fees for all our travels EXCEPT Cuba where it is prevented from working because of its links to US bank. . So both for our own personal travels in Cuba and to send money to family there we are forced to use a bank that charges 2% per overseas transaction. Hence the $1500 cross over point.