If you don't have an open checking account, cashing a personal check will not be easy for you, unlike the persons having bank account. Have a look at the below given topics to how to cash a personal check without a checking account.
How to cash a personal check without having a bank account
Below are some of the options which help you cash a personal check even if you don't have a bank account.
Go to the bank the check was drawn at
If you do not have a bank account, your best possible option is to go to the bank where the personal check was drawn at. Even though you do not hold an account at the bank, they will cash your check since it was drawn at that bank. You'll need to provide the bank with some sort of ID, like your picture ID,
credit card, etc. to prove your identity. However, you may have to pay a certain amount of fees, which could be a percentage of the check amount or a flat rate. This is supposed to be one of the easiest options for a non-account holder to cash a check.
What to do if a check is drawn on a bank you owe money
If you have a check drawn on a bank you owe money, then it would be wise to sign it over to someone who have an account there. The bank officials wouldn't even know that you owed them any money. However, you can do that when you don't have a checking account in that bank.
If you do have an account at the bank, then you can go to the bank to cash the check. Generally, the bank officials will check whether or not there are funds in the account. They may want to check your ID, but are less likely to run your name through anything. They won't know that you owe any money to the bank.
Get your relative or friend's help
If you do not have a bank account in your name, you can get help from your relatives or friends to cash the personal check. You can ask your friend or relative, who has an account with a bank, to deposit the check in his/her account. Then, he/she can withdraw the money from the bank account and give it to you.
Cash the check at a check cashing store
There are check cashing stores or currency exchanges where you can cash the personal check. You'll only be required to produce a photo id such as your driver's license or state id. You may also be required to prove your present address.
Get help from a payday loan center
Some payday loan centers can also help you cash personal checks. They will also charge you a certain amount of fees for cashing the check. However, you need to be careful while cashing checks from a payday loan center because chances are that they could be owned by predatory lenders. If this is the case, then you may get into a
payday loan trap. So, this should be your last option.
Open a bank account in your name
The best way to avoid any such difficulty in cashing personal checks is to open a bank account in your name. The banks require you to deposit a certain amount when you open the account. Once you have a bank account in your name, you can cash your checks at the bank you opened the account with.
What to do if a check is drawn on a bank you owe money
It depends on the bank at which you want to open a checking account. Usually, banks use ChexSystems before opening a savings account. They may refuse to open an account if they find that you're in ChexSystems. However, there are some banks that don't run through ChexSystems. You can easily open an account there.
Apart from above, you can also cash your personal check at:
- Grocery shop
- Gas stations
