You don’t need a bank account to cash checks.
After receiving a check for services rendered or even as a gift, many people will be keen to get it cashed as quickly as possible. While many individuals are under the impression that you have to have a bank account before being allowed to cash a check, this is not always the case. Below are a few alternative ways to cash checks that don’t involve using a bank account.
1. Take it to the Issuing Bank
If you’re fortunate enough to have a branch of the issuing bank nearby, you’ll have the option of getting your check cashed there. You will be required to produce some form of a photo ID and provide personal details such as your full name, current address, and contact details at the time of getting the check cashed. Fees will usually also be payable in cases like these.
2. Go to a Retail Store
These days, several stores like Walmart, Kroger, Publix, WinCo, and Winn Dixie offer customers the option of cashing checks at their customer service counters. Keep in mind that some stores may require you to have a store loyalty card or membership before they are willing to provide this service. Fees will usually also apply and vary depending on the franchise and the type of check being cashed.
3. Load Funds onto a Prepaid Debit Card
If you don’t have a bank account or don’t want to deposit your check into a bank account, you can load the funds from it to a prepaid debit card. These cards are similar to standard debit cards in that your spending will be limited according to the available funds.
A major downfall of cashing checks this way is that higher fees are usually charged, meaning you’ll lose quite a large portion of your funds when processing your check. Some debit cards will even levy a fee of almost $8 per month if you don’t deposit a minimum amount of $1,000 onto them in any calendar month.
Other options for cashing checks without a bank account include using a dedicated check-cashing store or even an app such as PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App. More people than ever are using these apps because they attract lower check processing fees – or even zero fees in cases where they’re willing to wait 10 days to access their funds.
