Money orders are simple. Real money—cash or money withdrawn directly from a bank—is traded in exchange for a money order. A money order looks and acts a lot like a check. It is made out to a certain person who has the ability to cash it at a bank or special location. Money orders are often more secure than checks. They are pre-paid, and therefore you are assured a payout of the funds indicated.
Money orders are often overlooked as a way to transfer money. In fact, they are usually forgotten altogether. It is a real shame, because they are incredibly useful as a way to protect your money, most especially when traveling.
Some consider money orders as a safe alternative to carrying credit or debit cards when they travel. You would never want to lose or be robbed of these cards at home, much less when you are thousands of miles away. Self-addressing a few money orders is a handy alternative to carrying plastic as they are lighter than your cards and easier to conceal from those that would steal from you.
Crooks often don’t think to demand money orders from you, and even if they did, they couldn’t use them because valid ID is required to cash them.
Cashing one big money order can be just as dangerous as carrying your credit or debit cards. Thieves that manage to get your entire trip fund leave you penniless in a foreign place with no way of getting home.
The best thing to do to avoid this problem is to take multiple money orders of varying amounts with you. That way, when you need money, you can withdraw just a small amount, decreasing the chance of pick-pockets or crooks getting your entire trip fund if they succeed in getting into wallet.
Most money orders cost a fee to purchase, but not at Check City. Money orders are free here. Come into any of our branches to get a free money orders for the next time you go on vacation. We’ll help you travel with peace of mind.
