Getting hold of their money can be an issue for people who do not have a bank account or want to cash a check outside of bank hours. Whether it be a public holiday or over the weekend, you do not have many options if you need to cash a check and cannot get to the bank.
The good news for people in this situation is that many stores offer a check cashing service. Stores such as Walmart and Walgreens offer quick and easy check cashing. But if you are a customer of Safeway, we are sure you are asking, “Does Safeway cash checks?”.
This article will answer your questions regarding Safeway check cashing. We will also discover what kind of checks they cash and what values they accept.
Table of Contents
Does Safeway cash checks in 2024?
Safeway does cash checks at the time of writing, and they will happily cash your paycheck, stimulus check, cashier’s check, or a government-issued check up to $1500. They do charge a small fee of 1.15% for this service. But we think that is very reasonable if you have no other options.
Does Safeway cash all checks?
Although they cash most checks, there are certain situations and checks that you cannot cash at Safeway. If you are trying to cash a personal or a handwritten check, unfortunately, Safeway cannot help you.
Also, if you try to cash a check and cannot prove your identity, Safeway will not be able to cash it. This will be the same with most check-cashing services.
Looking elsewhere for anybody wishing to cash a check larger than $1500 would be best. Safeway’s check-cashing policy will not allow stores to cash a larger check.
One final thing to note: Safeway is a large nationwide business with many stores, so the check-cashing policy may vary slightly from store to store.
Read Also: Does Safeway Do Money Orders?
How many checks can you cash at Safeway?
You will not find details regarding how many checks you can cash in Safeway’s check-cashing policy. This, therefore, must mean that there is no limit.
However, the $1500 limit may be a total of all checks. Also, the amount of money currently held by the store would limit the number of checks a person could cash.
How much does it cost to cash a check at Safeway?
Anybody wishing to cash a check at Safeway should know the fees involved. Firstly, there is a $2.25 charge per $200. On top of that, there is a 1.15% fee on the check value.
We have shopped around multiple check-cashing businesses, and these fees are reasonable. Safeway is far from the cheapest place to cash checks but also far from the most expensive. What Safeway does offer in their check-cashing service is convenience.
How to cash a check at Safeway?
At some point in our lives, we have all needed to cash a paper check. Usually, this is as simple as visiting our bank and cashing it for free. But for those who do not have a bank account or those who need to cash a check during the weekend, our options are limited to check-cashing stores.
Most Safeway stores offer check cashing at their customer service desk. The customer service desk can usually be found at the front of the store. In some stores, Safeway offers a dedicated desk for banking services.
If you cannot find where to cash checks in your local Safeway store, ask customer service, and they will point you in the right direction.
If you have a check to cash in-store, here is what you need to do. Firstly, you will need to sign the back of the check. This is known as endorsing the check.
This security step helps verify you are the proper check owner and authorizes the receiving bank to complete the transaction.
It is never a good idea to endorse a check until you are sure it will be accepted. If you were to lose a pre-endorsed check, it is possible that somebody else could find and cash it to themselves.
The next thing you will need to do is provide identification. The documents you need will vary from store to store. Still, having a driving license, passport, or other government-issued ID and your Social Security number is generally a good idea. It is doubtful that anybody will cash your check without any ID.
On what days of the week can checks be cashed in Safeway?
Although every Safeway store is different, and many have additional opening hours, the general rule is that whenever Safeway is open, checks can be cashed.
Most Safeway stores in the United States are open seven days a week. If you are unsure, you can visit the Safeway website to find the opening hours of your local store. It is also possible to phone Safeway customer services for further information.
How to find a local Safeway store
If you have decided to cash a check at Safeway, it should be as simple as visiting your local store. Although the rules can vary from store to store, according to Safeway, all stores should cash checks.
You can find your local store by visiting the Safeway website and using the online store locator. You can always phone them in advance if you are unsure whether they will cash a check.
What is Safeway?
Safeway is one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States. There are just under 1700 stores in the United States and Canada. M.B. Skaggs founded the company as a single small grocery store in Idaho in 1915.
Since then, the company has rapidly expanded throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. At its peak, Safeway had over 3500 stores around the world.
Although Safeway has less than half that number of stores now, just like the other supermarket chains, the size of stores has grown hugely.
Where else can checks be cashed?
The bank or credit union is the easiest and cheapest place to cash a check. If you take the check to the bank or credit union that printed it, they may be able to cash the check for you.
Be warned that some banks refuse to cash non-customer checks, and others will charge a flat fee for the service. However, some will do it for free.
Like Safeway, many other large retailers and grocery stores offer a check-cashing service. If you decide to use one of these services, it is worth shopping around as the fees vary significantly from store to store. As mentioned earlier, we found Safeway offers a reasonably priced check cashing service.
Another check-cashing option we like is loading your check onto a prepaid debit card. Usually, checks can be deposited onto the card using a mobile app, and the money can then be withdrawn immediately at an ATM or spent in-store using the card.
We like this option as it gives you fast access to your money and limits the amount of cash you have to walk around with. If you get one of these cards, shop for the best deal, as some have much higher fees than others.
The final option, not one we would recommend, is to cash your check in a payday loan store. These stores prey on people’s desperation and charge much higher fees for their service. That is why we do not recommend using a payday store if possible.
conclusion
All Safeway stores throughout the United States and Canada offer a check-cashing service. Safeway is a good option if you have a payroll check, a cashier’s check, or a government-issued check you need to cash. The check-cashing service is available in most stores seven days a week.
Their fees are reasonable; you only have to visit their customer service desk with your identification, and they can help you quickly. Safeway charges $2.25 per $200 they cash plus a 1.15% fee for using their service.
However, Safeway does not cash personal checks or handwritten checks. Also, if your check is worth more than $1500, Safeway cannot cash it for you. Other well-known supermarkets do cash checks over $1500, but you must discover their fees in advance.
Anybody wondering if Safeway cash checks must have their reasons, but this check-cashing service should be used as a last resort. The best option for anybody is to cash the check at their bank or the bank or credit union that printed it.
If you are cashing a check because you do not have a checking account or it has been closed by the bank, you could look into opening a second chance account.
Some banks offer this feature-limited account with the option to upgrade to a regular checking account in the future. Having a bank account will save you money in the long run.
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