Stimulus Check: How and Where to Cash Your $1,200 Without a Bank Account

Walmart

One of the easiest ways to cash a stimulus check without a bank is by doing it through Walmart. The store does charge a fee, ranging from $4 to $8, depending on the amount of the check. Walmart is not the only big chain that offers this option though, as places like Kroger and other grocery or big box stores do as well.

Supermarkets

Select supermarket and grocery store chains can cash large balances, including your stimulus check or tax refunds. With a cashing fee between $0 to $6, your best option is a Kroger KR family of supermarkets with a Money Services desk, across the U.S. These Kroger company brands will also cash your stimulus check for free:

• Kroger
• Fry's
• King Sooper's
• Smith's
• City Market
• QFC
• Ralph's
• Gerbes
• Bakers
• Dillons
• Pay Less
• Fred Meyer
• Pick 'N Save
• Metro Market

You can also cash check balances up to $5,000 at the aforementioned stores, just be sure you are calling ahead if your stimulus check is larger than this amount. Additionally, as reported by Forbes, other stores might charge a check cashing fee as high as $6, while others may only cash checks less than $500.

Check Cashing Business

Another option for cashing your stimulus check is to use a check cashing business. There are many around and most likely there will be a few to choose from right in your own town. Notably, the fee at a place like this tends to be a little higher that it would be at somewhere like Walmart, which may be something to take into consideration.

PayPal

For anyone who prefers not to walk around with $1,200 in cash in their pocket, PayPal may be an option for cashing your stimulus check. The app-based financial company has a service called PayPal "Cash Plus," which allows users to take a photo of their check and have the money credited to their account.

With this option, there is a fee if you want the money made available to you right way. However, there is no fee if you are able to wait a 10 period of time for the money to be credited.

A Local Bank

Even if you don't have a bank account, it may still be possible to cash your stimulus check at one. Government checks are deemed "safe" by most all banks, and therefore some of them may be willing to cash the stimulus checks for non-customers. However, again, there will likely be nominal fee.

Open a Checking Account

If you do not have a bank account, using your stimulus check to open one could be an option as well. With the possibility of a second stimulus package bill being regularly discussed, now might be a good time to set up a check account for any future payouts that could be sent. This way, you could potentially have your next payment sent via direct deposit.

Put it Into Savings

Similar to opening a checking out, creating a savings account might also be a helpful. For citizens who have kept working due to be an essential employee, or were otherwise able to maintain income, the $1,200 could be an opportunity to set money aside for an future situation that could arise. While this certainly is not an option for everyone, if could be a possibility for some.

Skip a Paper Check

Finally, for anyone who has yet to get a check, it might be possible to avoid this situation entirely. Opening a checking account now could give you the chance to submit direct deposit info to the IRS before your check is sent. The IRS has a tool called "Get My Payment" on its website. This allows taxpayers to enter their bank information, which lets the IRS send their check directly to the bank.