[Aqwis]

Why did you use Bitstamp when you were not in Europe? For me, in Europe, transferring money to Bitstamp was free. It took a couple of days, but that's fine. I'm assuming there are exchanges in your region that are cheaper to transfer to than a European exchange.

[swalsh]

I'm not aware of any alternatives where I can get USD out. I suppose coinbase maybe, but bitstamp was recommended by someone here.

[TwoFactor]

Coinbase uses Bitstamp pricing +1%, so depending on how much you're transferring it could be worth it. Bitstamp, and BTC-e are really the only two options for US customers that want any decent order book depth.