Thanks for all those replies.
UO 180-day timecode costs 64.39 dollars, Shattered Crystal costs 84.99, which is quite a difference. Then it depends on how you pay what other costs there are.
I agree, Sari-Liane, using a debit card is the simplest, but I'm old-fashioned and not happy about giving the number out.
I found the
UO PaybyCash website uninformative and user-hostile, in that you can't browse the different methods easily, most of them I'd never heard of before. You basically have to provide all your address and phone details and move through the purchase sequence for each and every alternative to attempt a browse, but being careful not to click the final time and commit yourself. And even then you don't learn much.
The bank payment one looked to be the best, but they ask for your bank account before you commit yourself, so I aborted the process. Then I tried the send cash by post option and clicked once too often so committed myself. Its not at all clear when the commitment is going to be sprung on you!
Turns out paying by old-fashioned worn notes through the post is not too bad, especially as they allow you to pay in the currency of your own country. I felt a bit like I was doing some furtive deal, laundering or whatever. I dont know how they handle registered letters today in British post offices but the recorded/registered delivery option used to involve the post-office clerk using a blue crayon to draw a thick cross on both front and back right round the envelope.
I chose the method that insured the letter against loss and the whole including stamps cost SEK 76, plus the Swedish bank notes so I saved some 10 dollars on the 180 day code, not a lot but something at least. I'm still waiting for the code to be emailed to me though, so I'm glad I've still got 3 weeks left in my
UO account.
Having said that, its a lot of hassle, and next time I'll use the bank account transfer as Achenar suggests, both cheaper and simpler.