Spending & Saving

Money Orders

photo by Colin

A money order is an alternate way to make a payment or fulfill a financial obligation. Often money orders are used in lieu of checks, cash or credit to pay a debt or make a purchase. A person doesn't need to have a bank account to write out a money order, all they need to do is pay the amount of the financial obligation when they buy the money order. Money orders can be purchased at the United States Postal Office, Western Union or grocery and convenience stores. Money orders can be cashed at any time, and since the document is pre-purchased, the money is guaranteed.

What is a money order?

by Tim Harry

For almost two hundred years money orders have been a safe, secure and guaranteed method of sending money between parties. In essence a money order works as one party purchases the money order and then makes it payable to another individual or busin... More>

What to do if you lose a money order

by A.W. Berry

If you lose a money order, a replacement money order may be obtained if a refund and/or cancellation of the money order is not requested; this process also depends on the money order issuer.There are two types of money orders, Paper Money Orders (PM... More>

How to endorse and cash a money order

by Dawn Hawkins

Endorsing a money order is a lot like endorsing a check to cash. There are very significant differences though. Money orders are purchased with cash, so there is no doubt that the money is going to be good on a money order. If you receive a money or... More>

Places to buy money orders

by Jennifer Mcdonald

Places to buy money order Money orders are prepaid substitutes for checks. The amount of the money order is specified on the money order. They are mostly used to pay bills by people who do not have checking accounts. Money orders are very popular, a... More>

Where to buy money orders

by Dawn Hawkins

Money orders are used for many different reasons. It is, sometimes, the only method of payment that a vendor will accept. They are the safest form of payment, other than cash, for them because the money is nearly guaranteed to be there. There are ti... More>

How to recognize counterfeit postal money orders

by Maxwell Payne

Counterfeit postal money orders are a growing problem as scammers look for additional ways to rip off individuals and banks in their quest for easy money. Recognizing counterfeit postal money orders is relatively easy to do and you should look for t... More>

Additional Information About Money Orders

Additional Information About Money Orders
Postal Money Orders are safe to use because they have many security features that help distinguish between real and counterfeit notes. Just like our own U.S. currency, they are specially designed with different colored inks, watermarks, and security thread in the paper.
Counterfeit Money Orders
Should you accept a money order as payment for goods sold online? How do you know if it's real? Identifying counterfeit money orders is easy if you know what to look for.