Buy Money Order Online With Debit Card [2021]

When sending money by mail, use money orders as a safe alternative to cash and personal checks. U.S. Postal Service money orders are affordable, widely accepted, and never expire. Your money order receipt will help you track your payment and show proof of value in case the money order gets lost, stolen, or damaged.

buy money order online with debit card

You can check the status of a money order you've purchased from the U.S. Postal Service at any time by visiting the Money Orders Application.Make sure you have the following information for the postal money order you want to check:

Money orders are official documents representing a specific monetary value, similarly to written checks. However, money orders are different from other forms of payment in a few different ways, which you can read about below. What's important to know up front is that money orders are prepaid, so you must be able to pay for the full amount you want to include in your money order when you go to purchase it. For example, if you want to send a $100 money order to a family member, you need to be able to pay $100 up front in order to create the money order. Money orders aren't a form of credit and don't require a credit score, and you don't even need a bank account to pay for one. This makes money orders an accessible form of payment for people in a wide variety of financial situations.

In addition to paying up front, you'll need to list a payee. The payee is the person or organization where you want to send the money. Once the money order is created, you can mail or physically hand it to the payee. The money order must bear the signature of the payer (you, if you're the one sending it) and the payee in order to be valid. You'll want to hang on to any documentation relating to the money order, such as a pay stub and/or receipt, until you're sure the payee has signed and cashed the money order.

Money orders are great to use in situations where other forms of payment are either unavailable or unsafe. The nature of a money order essentially makes it as good as cash, which might make it reassuring if you're skeptical of whether someone who's paying you with a money order is able to settle a debt. You can use money orders to pay off personal debts to other individuals, pay bills to companies, or send gifts. There are no formal legal restrictions on what you can use money orders for in the US. However, money orders may not be valid internationally. If your payee is located outside of the US, make sure to check on whether they'll be able to cash it in their country. Find this out up front before you purchase. You may be able to cash your own money order if you can't actually use it for its intended purpose, but you may not want to take this risk or deal with the hassle.

There are some distinct advantages to using money orders, but there are also some drawbacks. Consider these other forms of payment as options in addition to money orders before purchasing. Though money orders protect against some types of fraud, they aren't fraud proof. Money order scams are relatively common, so consider your payment method carefully, particularly if you don't know the payee.

First off, what is a money order? It is similar to a check, except payment is guaranteed as someone already paid for it using cash, a credit card or a debit card. For people who don't have a bank account, a money order is a safe way to carry a large amount of cash.

Regular money orders can be bought at your local grocery store, bank or post office. There are some limitations to paper money orders, but they're easily worked around. For example, the amount can't exceed $1,000, but you can buy more than one at a time. So, if you need to send $5,000, just purchase five money orders worth a grand apiece. The United States Postal Service charges $1.50 per order if going to a customer in the U.S.; those being sent internationally cost $10.50 per $700. International money orders can't exceed $700 ($500 if being sent to Guyana or El Salvador) [source: USPS].

The online money order business is a volatile industry. There are a few websites offering online money orders, but most of them are in other countries beside the U.S. and both you and the recipient must be in the country in order to use these services. Other companies advertise online money orders, but actually offer money transfers, which are not the same thing, though they can accomplish the same purpose.

During a money transfer, the sender sends money online using his bank account or credit or debit card to a recipient's bank account, mobile wallet or to a nearby agent. For instance, if you're transferring the money via Western Union, the recipient could pick it up at a Western Union agent (located at many grocery stores, convenience stores, etc.), or get it sent to their mobile wallet or bank account. This transaction can be done online. The fees for the money transfer depend on the amount of the transfer, as well as what country it's going to.

But if you were wanting to purchase a money order, Western Union would require you to go in person to an agent and buy it. You could then give or mail the money order to the recipient. The cost of a money order via Western Union is around $1.50 for up to $1,000. In general, buying a money order is cheaper than doing a money transfer online. Be aware that using a credit card to buy a money order or do a money transfer can result in high fees, because it's treated as a cash advance. You're better off using cash or doing a bank transfer.

Money Gram works in a similar way: Transaction fees for online purchases vary depending on where the money is going, how much it is and whether the person is picking it up or it's being sent to their mobile wallet. The cost to buy a money order in person is around 70 cents for up to $1,000. Walmart will also cash a Money Gram money order. Many banks will sell a money order which you need to purchase in person. Cost is around $5. You could also use an app like Xoom to send money, but you would need to use a bank account, credit or debit card in order to do this.

If you do see a company offering online money orders, do a bit of research to make sure it is reliable, especially if they appear to be recently established. If you're at all unsure, you may want to head down to your local bank, post office or grocery store to buy your money order in person. It might not be as convenient, but it'll cost less, and you won't have to worry about the legitimacy of the transaction.

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A money order is a lot like a check, and both forms of payment require similar information. But with a money order, instead of pulling funds from your account when the recipient cashes the check, your money is taken out immediately with your purchase of the order.

You can send the money order to the receiver in the same way you would a check. And a money order is just as valuable as cash, so you may want to hold on to your detachable receipt for your records in case your money order is lost, misplaced or stolen. Keeping your receipt will also allow you to track your transfer information and confirm when the money is deposited by the recipient. 041b061a72