Millions of Americans visit Walmart every day. In addition to overall low prices on goods, Walmart offers several money services that get customers in the door.
It offers money order and government check cashing and bill payment. It also sells money orders and money transfers and allows customers to load cash onto Walmart MoneyCards (prepaid Visa debit cards).
Walmart Check Cashing Service & Walmart MoneyCards
Consumers without bank accounts may obtain reasonably-priced banking services at Walmart. Walmart’s money services fill a gap where traditional banks do not meet the money management needs of millions of Americans.
In this article, learn some facts about the Walmart check cashing service and its popular prepaid Visa debit card product.
Check Cashing at Walmart Stores – Hours of Operation & FAQs
The article Walmart Money Center Hours of Operation & Locations introduced Walmart check cashing and provided answers to commonly asked questions about the service. Here are some other important questions and answers related to check cashing at Walmart:
- Is Walmart check cashing a scam? No, this check cashing service is not a scam. However, customers should realize that the reason Walmart offers this service is to get customers in the door and spend money. But because the company offers everyday products for a great value to consumers, there is really nothing unscrupulous about this.
- How much does it cost to cash government checks at Walmart? It only costs $3 to cash government checks like Social Security payments and income tax refunds.
- Does Walmart cash personal checks? No, as a general rule, Walmart does not cash personal checks.
- Is a credit check required in order to cash a check? No, credit checks are not required. By cashing “safe checks,” meaning checks that are drawn on government entities or guaranteed by banks, and requiring valid identification, the company is able to avoid the need for credit checks while reducing its liability for invalid checks.
When is the Walmart Money Center Open? Can You Cash Checks on Saturdays & Sundays?
Most banks are not open on Saturdays and Sundays, at least not for an entire work day. So, of utmost concern to many Walmart Money Center customers is whether their banking needs can be met on Saturdays and Sundays.
The article Walmart Money Center Hours of Operation & Locations (linked above) discusses this in detail. However, in a nutshell, Walmart Money Centers are typically open seven days a week, albeit not twenty four hours a day (the operating hours of many Walmart stores). Check cashing hours will vary by store.
Walmart MoneyCards – Reloadable Prepaid Visa Debit Cards
When consumers cash checks at Walmart, they often load cash directly onto Walmart MoneyCards. These prepaid Visa debit cards can then be used in the store or anywhere else Visa is accepted. Walmart suggests using its MoneyCards to pay bills online or purchase gasoline. For more information about Walmart MoneyCards, see the following article: Walmart MoneyCard – Reloadable Prepaid Visa Debit Card.
Resources:
“Operation Main Street: Money Management” Fact Sheet. Retrieved from walmartfacts.com on July 23, 2010.
The Unbanked and Underbanked. Retrieved from walmartstores.com on July 23, 2010.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2010. Retrieved from sec.gov on August 12, 2010.
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Lena Gott - Lena Gott is a Certified Public Accountant who gives practical financial advice to her readers.
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