Tuesday 11 October 2016

How To Pay For A Money Order

A check or cash isn't always a sufficient method for paying a bill or submitting payment for a purchase. However, money orders are widely accepted when cash or checks are not. If you don't have a checking account, a money order also can substitute as a check when paying bills or creditors. Here are some recommendations about how to pay for a money order.

Method 1. Choosing A Payment Method

1. Use cash. Cash is the most widely accepted form of payment for a money order. You can go to any money order provider and purchase a money order with cash. You simply pay for the amount of the money order plus a fee.[1]
Companies that issue money orders want the most secure form of payment possible because once they issue the money order, their money is as good as gone.
You can also pay with a debit card linked to your bank account.
You cannot pay for a money order with a personal check. Checks can take a few days to process. If you don’t have sufficient funds, the money order issuer loses the money.

2. Buy a money order with traveler’s checks. The only place you can purchase a money order with a traveler’s check is at the United States Post Office (USPS). You will have to pay for the amount of the money order plus a fee based on the money order amount. When you pay, sign the traveler’s check in front of the postal service worker who is preparing the money order for you.
USPS is willing to accept traveler’s checks because they recognize them as a form of cash.

3. Purchase a money order with a credit card. Some money order issuers allow you to use a credit card, but not all. You can use a credit card to purchase a money order at Western Union and 7-Eleven. It is expensive to buy a money order with a credit card. Your card issuer will likely view it like a cash advance. This means they will charge you the higher interest rates and fees associated with cash advances. Also, you don’t earn any points or rewards on cash advances, so you won’t earn them for purchasing a money order either

4. Pay with a PIN-enabled Visa or MasterCard gift card. You can pay with one of these cards at Western Union, Walmart, the post office and 7-Eleven. However, doing so is often linked with suspicious activity. For example, some people purchase these pre-paid cards and then immediately liquidate them in order to take advantage of any available rewards the cards offer. Then they deposit the money orders into their bank accounts and use the money to pay their bills. But depositing lots of money orders into your bank account looks like money laundering, and your bank can close your account for doing s

5. Purchase a money order remotely. Some companies now allow you to purchase and send a money order online. For example, you can purchase a money order online with Payko and pay with your Paypal account, which is linked to a credit card or bank account. However, you can only purchase a single, $200 money order per day. This method is not as fast as other online bank transfers. Instead of an instantaneous transfer of funds from one account to another, a physical money order is printed out and mailed to the recipient. This can take several days


Method 2. Paying Fees

1. Purchase a money order from the bank. In general, banks charge the highest fees for money orders. Every bank charges a different amount. Some banks may charge you as low as $1.25 for money orders up to $1,000. Others may charge you as much as $5.00. If your bank charges more than $1.25 for money orders, try to go someplace else to purchase one.

2. Go to the post office. The post office charges $1.25 for money orders up to $500 and $1.65 for money orders up to $1,000. This is not the least expensive fee for money orders. However, people will be less likely to question the legitimacy of a money order from the U.S. Post Office. It is a widely-recognized, well-respected issuer of money orders. Also, if you need to pay with traveler’s checks, the post office is the only place where you can do that. Finally, it is convenient if you need to send the money order to someone, because you can purchase the money order and mail it all in one transaction.

3. Use a remittance service provider. Remittance service providers are places where you can electronically transfer money. Examples include Western Union, MoneyGram and Walmart. Walmart charges 70 cents for money orders up to $1,000. At Western Union and MoneyGram, the fees for money orders vary from branch to branch. Expect to pay at least $1 for a money order of up to $1,000.

4. Pay for online money orders. Payko is a company that allows you to purchase money orders online. However, their fees are considerably higher than purchasing a money order in person. Expect to pay a flat fee that ranges from $3.49 to $4.99. On top of that, you will have to pay a fee of 5.49 percent of the value of the money order. Finally, you have to pay for postage to send the money order to the recipient. If you want to send it via express mail, expect to pay approximately $15.


5. Purchase multiple money orders if you need more than $1,000. Money orders are generally capped at $1,000. So if you need more money than that, you must purchase multiple money orders. This means that you also pay multiple fees.

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