Nowadays, there are a few methods of sending money, and a money order is the easiest since both the sender and the recipient must not have a bank account. This method is the best option for those who want to make payments but don’t want to use a personal check.
Money orders can be purchased at any provider, such as the post office, a bank, Western Union agents, or even grocery stores. When it comes to comfort and convenience, many have reportedly purchased money orders at their local grocery store.
Many of the largest grocery store chains offer money orders, such as Kroger and Walmart. If you want to send money, but your nearest grocery store is Safeway, you may find out more information about this first. And this is why you’re here, right?
Okay, here’s everything you can know about whether or not Safeway offers money orders!
Does Safeway Offer Money Orders?
We must say “yes,” Safeway actually offers money orders through its partnership with Western Union. They have been working since 2011, and the service is available at almost all of their stores across the United States and Canada.
The process of purchasing money order at Safeway is pretty simple and can be performed easily and quickly. After successfully sending money, the recipient can cash it at their nearest Western Union agents or a bank by providing a valid government-issued ID and the money order.
Note: The recipient cannot cash a money order at any of the Safeway locations; they only do money orders, not redeeming them.
To place a money order, you can simply visit your local Safeway, and your transaction can be done either at the customer service desk that is usually in front of the store near the entrance or in any of their similar departments.
How Much Does a Money Order Cost at Safeway?
Before purchasing money orders at Safeway, you’ll have to prepare your valid government-issued ID and money in cash or a check because they don’t accept credit cards for payment.
If we talk about the cost of a money order at Safeway, it will depend on the amount of money you’ll send. But usually, you’ll be charged $0.59 per money order. If the transaction fails and you end up having a refund, you may need to spend the processing fee around $15 if you have the recipient, or else you should pay $30.
Even though Safeway doesn’t determine a minimum set amount for cash orders, most stores allow customers to put a maximum of $500 per order. If you want to buy more, you can separate the payment into multiple orders.
For example, if you want to send money for $900, you can split it into two purchases, one for $500 and another for $400. You can make a purchase-for-money order without limits since they don’t restrict the number of transactions in 24 hours.
Safeway: What It Is and What It Sells
Found in 1915 in American Falls, Idaho, Safeway might be a popular grocery store chain in the United States. In January 2015, Albertsons acquired this company, and they currently operate over 2,200 stores in the United States and Canada.
Safeway divides their operations into three divisions: food and general merchandise, pharmacy, and fuel. In food and general merchandise, they sell a wide range of products, including fresh produce, meat, bakery items, dairy, frozen foods, and household essentials.
The pharmacy division provides prescription drugs and other health-related products. Last, the fuel division sells gasoline at Safeway gas stations. According to some sources, Safeway’s net worth is estimated to be $17.2 billion.
Why Do People Buy Money Orders to Send Someone Money?
For several reasons, many prefer to send money via money orders to other money transfer methods.
The first is to have a safe and secure way to send money. Unlike cash, money orders can be replaced if they are stolen or lost.
The second one is a great option for those of you who want to send money but don’t have a bank account or don’t want to use their bank account for a certain transaction.
The last one is to allow an individual to send money to someone who lives in another country. However, money orders can be cashed in foreign countries and converted into local currency.
Regardless of their safety and convenience, money orders also have pros and cons that will always be present. What are they? Let’s check them out below!
Pros
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- Money redeemed from a money order is difficult to counterfeit, so you’ll be sure to receive real money, not fake ones.
- Money orders can also be used to send money to family members or friends, especially the elderly who don’t have access to a bank account.
- These can be used to pay bills or make payments when people don’t want to use their personal checks.
- Money orders can help reduce the risk of loss or theft since you can purchase them in multiple orders and send them separately.
Cons
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- Money orders could be expensive since the fees are calculated from the total amount of money you’ll send.
- It would be hard to trace a lost or stolen money order.
- Some may not receive money orders, so if you have to send money to someone but they don’t receive it, you may have to send it another way.
- The process of sending money could take a long time to reach the recipient.
- Money orders might be imitated by unethical individuals.
- If you receive a money order as payment, the bank may place a hold on your account until it clears. And it can last for two or three days.
Okay, those are the pros and cons you have to know before you decide to purchase money orders at Safeway or any other money order agent.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
