How to get money to someone

How to Lend Money to a Friend

This article was co-authored by Jonathan DeYoe, CPWA®, AIF®. Jonathan DeYoe is a Financial Advisor and the CEO of Mindful Money, a comprehensive financial planning and retirement income planning service based in Berkeley, California. With over 25 years of financial advising experience, Jonathan is a speaker and the best-selling author of «Mindful Money: Simple Practices for Reaching Your Financial Goals and Increasing Your Happiness Dividend.» Jonathan holds a BA in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Montana State University-Bozeman. He studied Financial Analysis at the CFA Institute and earned his Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) designation from The Investments & Wealth Institute. He also earned his Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) credential from Fi360. Jonathan has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Money Tips, Mindful Magazine, and Business Insider among others.

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Lending money to a friend is a dangerous game that should be avoided if possible. Unfortunately, at one point or another, a friend may approach you for a loan, and you will be forced to make the difficult call of whether or not to give it to them. Before handing over the money, think carefully about whether or not you should give the loan. If you decide to give them the loan they need then it is important to document the transaction in order to make it legally enforceable, and don’t be afraid to remind them about the money they owe you. If it comes to it, take legal action to get the money that is owed to you.

Give Me Money: 27 Sites Where You Can Get Strangers to Give You Money

Sometimes we wish getting cash would be as easy as Googling “give me money” and receiving what we need.

What you may not realize is that it’s actually possible to get money from strangers on the internet. You just have to know where to look!

Sure, there are a lot of charities and wealthy people that give away money. You can also get free money from the government but many of these programs have eligibility criteria that not everyone in need of cash qualifies for.

But thanks to the internet, now we have things like crowdfunding (some call it “cyber-panhandling“) sites where you can raise money for practically any purpose.

Table of Contents

How to Get Free Money Online

If you read MoneyPantry regularly (and I hope you do), you know we cover a lot of ways to make free money on the internet. From using survey and rewards sites to using these free money apps. But in this post, we will be covering the various types of sites you can use to get money, such as crowd-funding, streaming, and more.

Crowdfunding Sites to Raise Money

You might be wondering, what is crowdfunding?

The following sites are used by people and organizations to do crowdfunding.

1. Fundable

This site is used for people trying to generate money to start a business. If you have a business idea and are serious about getting it started, then take your idea here and ask for help.

2. Ulule

This one is meant more for people who have an idea they think other people will enjoy. This could be something like a product, a book, a music album, art, or any number of things.

If you get enough people into your idea and they fund it, then you can use the money to create the product for them any other buyers in the future.

3. Patreon

This is a unique type of crowd-funding site because it works off on monthly payments.

Basically, you set up a page for your business, hobby, or so on. Then you offer reward tiers at different prices and then every month you give them a reward!

Here are some examples of other Patreon pages to give you a good idea of what to expect.

4. Crowdrise

Are you trying to raise money for charity? Then this site might work for you. It’s designed specifically for non-profits.

You can organize charity events like:

The site is designed to help organizations get their fundraiser on social media right away and reach people in the most optimal way possible using popular social media techniques.

5. GoFundMe

This is actually the site that owns the formerly mentioned Crowdrise. GoFundMe is a crowdfunding site meant for anyone to use.

You can raise money for anything you need. Best of all, there’s a 0% platform fee so you don’t have to worry about them taking a cut of your money.

6. Fundly

Fundly is a fast and easy site to use for raising money. It has no raise requirements or start-up fees.

You can raise money for individual needs or non-profit charities. Many popular fundraisers have gotten over 2 thousand dollars!

7. Kickstarter

Most people have heard of Kickstarter before. It’s a site that lets people fund your business or product development.

People have used to to get things funded like:

It’s almost important to note that you only get the money if you manage to get your project fully funded. Otherwise, you will receive nothing.

8. Indiegogo

This is a very similar site to Kickstarter, with one key difference. Kickstarter releases funds only after the campaign reaches its funding goal while Indiegogo will let you choose to receive funding as it comes in.

So, if you need the money to get started right away on whatever project you want to be funded, this might be the site for you.

9. Fund My Travel

Maybe you need to get somewhere for an emergency situation or maybe you just want to travel for fun. It doesn’t matter on this travel-funding site. You make the campaign, convince people why they should help you, and then start raising money!

10. Plumfund

You can fund almost any type of project on this site.

They will let you raise money for:

The company also states that it believes no one should pay a fee to give and receive online, so they offer their service 100% free of charge for people to use.

11. Fundrazr

This site as over 150 thousand campaigns to raise money. In its history, people have raised over one-hundred forty million dollars for people. Best of all, fundraisers pay a 0% platform fee.

The site is usable for non-profits, businesses, and individuals. It should be noted, however, that you can get a premium account which is usually used by people who need to do multiple fundraisers.

Get Donations by Streaming

Crowd-funding isn’t the only way to get money from strangers on the internet. One of the most popular ways right now is through streaming.

Here are some sites you can check out to get started.

12. Twitch

This is a site owned by Amazon that lets you stream video games and vlogs to people on the internet. While you provide entertainment, people can subscribe to you with money or donate cash to you. This is a great site to use if you are a video gamer with the ability to be charismatic and entertaining.

Check out this article to see how much streamers can make. Some people have made literally millions of dollars a year!

13. Mixer

Mixer is another streaming site. This one is owned by Microsoft. It’s relatively new but several streamers have been moving to this platform because of the technical services it has to offer. One of the top streamers in the world, Shroud, recently moved onto the site.

It’s pretty much exclusively used for video games but people also stream their own music or web shows on there too.

14. Facebook Gaming

You already use Facebook for catching up with friends and socializing, so why not earn some money there too?

Facebook gaming is a relatively new platform that’s been becoming pretty popular. Thousands of people are known to jump into streams and subscribe to people.

15. Youtube Live

One of the most popular video platforms now has a live stream section. You can live stream vlogs and games to people who use the platform and make money.

If your account is big enough, people can become special supporters to the site with a membership. During your live streams, people can pay to “super chat” you.

As Strangers for Cash on Reddit

There are a few subreddits out there that are dedicated to helping people out. Read the rules carefully before posting and remember to return the kindness when you can.

16. Random Kindness

This subreddit is for people who want to commit random, nice acts to help fellow people out there. Post here for the chance of someone giving you money or a special gift that you request.

17. Assistance

This is a very helpful subreddit that lets users from around the world give you assistance when you need it most.

According to their description, you can:

Similar Subreddits

These aren’t technically free money, but you are basically getting someone to buy you something you wanted, which is pretty close! I wanted to mention these because they can still definitely help people in need if are looking for something specific.

18. Random Acts of Amazon

This is a similar idea to Random Kindness. People here post their public Amazon wishlists and then other users can buy them something if they want.

19. Random Acts of Gaming

This isn’t technically money but it’s still worth mentioning. If you are a video gamer, save your money and try checking out this subreddit to see if you can get a game for free.

20. Random Acts of Pizza

Free food? Sounds like a great deal. Simply post on this subreddit for a user to order you a pizza.

Other Sites to Get Free Money for Anything

These are some miscellaneous sites that don’t fit into the category above but can still get you money. On these sites, you’ll find good-hearted people who aren’t even rich as well as wealthy people willing to help those in need.

Whether you want free money for college, to pay off debt, cover an unexpected hospital bill or any other personal reason, give these sites a try.

21. Cyberbeg

There has been over 128 thousand dollars donated to members as of October 29, 2019 on this site. All you have to do is post your situation on the forum and hope someone helps.

22. Begging Money

This site has been around since 2009. It’s basically an online forum where you post your situation, link to your Paypal, and then let people donate if they decide. Just make sure you create your PayPal.me link at www.paypal.me as it will protect your email address from scammers.

23. Ko-fi

24. JustGiving

This is another site where you can raise money for charity or personal use. You can even set up fundraising for a special event like a birthday, wedding or final exam by asking friends for donations rather than gifts.

25. GoGetFunding

Asking for money on this site is as easy as creating a page, sharing the page with everyone online then accepting donations instantly with credit/debit cards and PayPal.

26. FreeBeg

This is basically a forum where people post about their issues and why they need money hoping others will help. You don’t have to give the money back.

27. 2hands

According to the site, “2 Hands started with simple questions from children; ‘Where do people who need help go?’ ” It’s a site where people who are in a bad financial situation and are desperate to make money can ask 2Hands Helpers for help. Over 40,000 people have been helped financially on this site so far.

Online Panhandling / Crowd Funding Done Correctly

Ok, let’s talk in general about some general guidelines for doing this sort of thing.

There are a lot of reasons that people are afraid to ask for others’ help in paying their bills and costs of living.

Part of it is a culture that emphasizes self-sufficiency, and part of it is the notion that seeking charity is shameful and reflects poorly on oneself.

For some, it is the simple idea that they would fail if they sought charity. Others still might think that gaining others’ charity is simple as long as you have the right approach.

The truth is that the charity of strangers is not so predictable.

Lots and lots of factors come into play when people are considering a charitable act, but more than anything else, it’s just about context.

Was it presented in a way that compelled them? Did you make them want to trust you?

These questions are more important than how good or bad your cause is, or how much you legitimately need the money.

Sadly, your level of need is irrelevant to the potential donors.

It only matters how your cause made them feel.

If you want people to have the maximum impact from your cause, you’re going to want a good “face” for your campaign. It needs to be stated simply– you need a kid, or an attractive friend, or someone who is emotionally impactful to look at. The reality is a little unfortunate, but you need to advertise your cause just like anything else. Which means a trustworthy face is a must. It can be you, of course, but if you have anyone in your life who makes a perfect face for a cause, seize that opportunity. It’s going to affect your bottom line.

When you are writing for your cause/campaign, use easy, friendly language. Don’t scare away your potential donors by “talking over them.” Preferably, your language will be simple enough that people in other countries will still be able to get the gist of what you’re saying. You want the absolute widest audience you can get here, so details like the language you use are going to be incredibly important. No slang, no cliches, and absolutely (absolutely!) no foul language. A brief glance at any fundraising site shows that campaigns that use expletives almost universally fail.

Beware of Scams

Unfortunately, there are scammers who always try to take advantage of the situation. Scammers are pretending to be on both sides – needing the money and giving money.

So please be careful. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If somebody is offering to help but asks you to wire them money through Western Union or some other way, it likely is a scam. Be sure to read our post on money scams. It lists all the major scams and how to spot them.

Also, please don’t ask people on Craigslist for money. Your chances of encountering a scammer are much higher. Instead, go through crowdfunding sites that have the correct security measures in place to protect both the people asking and the people giving away money.

Final Thoughts

Now that we’ve shown you the sites, you just need to start joining them and raising money!

Do you have any tips or tricks for getting money from strangers online? Let us and our readers know in the comments below.

Discussion

Travis, have you tried setting up a GoFundMe campaign or maybe one of those startup funding sites?

Do not know how to set this up? Would that get the need flowing to me? Vicky

Vicky, most of these sites have guide on how to set the campaigns up.

wish there some way I could gather donations without they are going to my bank account, and instead for instance go through western union. sincerely linny.

These are great, thank you. Some of the links are broken though.

Thanks to you, I managed to set up a GoFundMe.

I am glad this post has been helpful to you, Scout.

Just ran across this article; thanks for such helpful information and giving pointers on how, and where to start. Thanks again!

I am SO glad this is here! Thank you for caring enough to list places like these. I’m 57, worked hard labor (practically slave labor…fields and such) since childhood until I took ill in my late twenties. I’ve struggled for years on my own, not knowing where or how to get help other than government aid (food stamps and insurance at times) to raise my kids as an unsupported single mom. Now I’m almost destitute after Covid-19, and face complete poverty and homelessness, along with two young homeless people I took in (one of whom is schizophrenic)that grew up with my son (who’s also mentally ill), because I have always shared whatever I had and helped others when (and if) I could. This has given me hope. May you and yours be richly blessed.

Doris Dina Otieno

I am impressed, I am a widow for 25years now with two sons who are jobless. I am homeless and having alot of debts that causes me sleepless nights. Hope this sites will help

I will love to get a support

I want money for house construction

In all honesty, i have never in my life come to a point to need help, my experience so far is, people dont help. During covid restaurant burnt down and from there no job for me. My dad died 2 days ago and i cant even call …. my heart is just shattered. Im out in my car, me, hubby and my puppy. Where the fuel runs out, wel lets see. But give up, is not in me and the world will see me rise. No matter what.

Well hello my name is Gary Furness and me and my girlfriend and our two young children ages 5 and 3 are currently living in a motel room and we’re trying our best to find us jobs and do everything that we quite possibly can do to ensure that our precious children have everything they need on a daily basis but it seems that the more we try the harder it becomes to live because we can’t find any work were very low on food and our room rent is coming up to be due in two days and my girlfriend has put out all the money she had saved back from her stimulus checks that she had gotten a few months back when we came to the motel but she has litterly gave these people every last dime that we had over the course of the two months of being at this motel she has paid over 3000.00 dollars just in room rent not counting the other 400.00 that she has spent on food and all of our nesesitys like shampoo, toilet paper and that sorta things and frankly to be honest we’re struggling so very terribly and are worried and scared to death that we will have to leave the motel in like two days with nowhere to possibly go but to our car to live out of with our two young children and we don’t know what to do or where to turn and I was hoping to get on here and hopefully find a good Samaritan to maybe kinda help us in whatever kinda way that they quite possibly could so we wouldn’t have to have our children living in a car parked in a driveway somewhere I mean anything will help if we could possibly get someone to help pay our room rent that would be a blessing cause we’ve been running ourselves ragged not barley sleeping or eating just to ensure that our children were ok we’ve been searching everywhere that we could to find employment anywhere but nobody’s hiring nowhere and we’re flat broke from paying all of our money out for the motel room we are extremely exhausted and very tired but we know we cannot give up but just continue to keep going especially for our precious children we just need a helping hand anything at all that anyone would be able to do would be fantastic and a very big help cause if not we’re all gonna be living outta our car soon and me and my girlfriend has came way to far and fought so hard to do everything that we could possibly do and now we’ve ran out of options and just need sum much needed help from anyone that would be willing to lend a helping hand cause we can’t afford to lose our place to live and end up homeless on the street with two young children living outta our car with no food or a bathroom or anything that is so very terribly awful so if anyone could possibly do anything to help us save our motel room by paying the rent and maybe some food that would be so very wonderful and a blessing to me and my family thank you and God bless you all………😌😌😌😌

How to Send a Large Amount of Money to Someone – The 9 Best Ways

You can send large amounts of money to pay for an item such as a car, machine, house, land, and so on. When sending money, it is vital to check the security of the platform you are using. There is no need of risking your hard-earned money by using suspicious apps that claim to help you move money cheaply. Cybercrime has increased, and many people have lost their money through such avenues.

The most commonly used platforms to transfer money to others include banks, credit unions, digital wallets such as Paypal, Payoneer, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Facebook Pay, Skrill, and World Remit. Money transfer agents such as Wise, Western Union, and MoneyGram also play a significant role in moving money across various platforms. The difference arises in the fees, the limits, and the duration taken for the funds to reach the intended recipient.

How to send money to someone

When transferring money to a person across any medium, you need details such as a phone number, email address, bank account numbers, or user names, depending on the platform you are using. For example, when sending money to someone via a bank, you need their bank account number. You can send money with a checking account number instantly to people at your bank. You will also require the transit routing number if you send it to a different bank other than yours.

Again, you can decide to send money online or over the counter, depending on where you feel safe. You also need to verify the transfer using your PIN, password, or signature (if you are moving it over the counter).

When using a digital wallet such as PayPal, Payoneer, or Venmo, you need to log into your online account and start the transfer process. You may need to use your bank account to fund your transfers, whereby you have to add it as a source of funds. Digital wallets also allow you to transfer money instantly or use the 1-3 business days transfer method.

Other platforms you can use include the money transfer agents such as Western Union and MoneyGram. You can transfer money at their offices or online. Like digital wallets, these money transfer agents can also rely on your bank account as a source of funding for the transfers.

Which are the nine best ways to transfer a large amount of money to someone?

Are you planning to transfer money to others? Then you need to understand the most efficient ways you can use such transfers. The following are some of the ways you can use to transfer large amounts of money.

1) Bank or credit union

Banks are the main avenues you can use to transfer funds to others. Most banks allow both domestic and international transfers to people or specific businesses. You can also move money using your credit union account the same way you can with a bank account. You can use your bank account online or visit a bank branch near you.

The recipient should provide you with details such as the account number and their full names. When moving money to a different bank, you will need both the routing numbers and the account numbers of the recipients.

For online money transfers, you have to log into your online bank account, navigate to the money transfer section, then enter the required transfer details. These include the recipient’s account number, the amount to send, your PIN, password, or touch ID, and confirm the transaction.

If I transfer money from one bank to another, I have to wait for 2-4 days for the transfer to complete, while transfers within the same bank can happen instantly. If you use an app like Zelle, you will need the phone or the recipient’s email address. Zelle allows you to transfer money instantly to recipients within the US. It helps shorten the duration taken to move money between banks.

2) Western Union

Western Union has been operating for years now and allows you to send money to recipients in almost all countries. You can open an online account for Western Union and use it to move money or just use the nearest physical location. These locations are usually within banks or credit unions.

It is essential to understand that Western Union works with various partner banks to help you move money. When sending money using Western Union online, you need to follow the procedure below.

3) MoneyGram

Like Western Union, MoneyGram mainly operates from the United States of America. Its headquarters are in Dallas, Texas, USA. Since 1940, the company has significantly evolved to match the current money transfer technologies. Interestingly, you can transfer money to many countries of the world.

You can use MoneyGram online with partner banks. To get started, you have to register for an account online by providing the necessary transfer details such as your ID and residence address. The process below allows you how to move money with great confidence.

4) Wise

Wise, formerly TransferWise, is one of the major money transfer companies that allows you to move money worldwide. Furthermore, your recipient does not need a Wise account to receive money but just a bank account. However, you have to create a Wise account for you to transfer money. Wise is mainly for peer-peer transfer and provides low-cost transfer services.

When you send money using Wise, it takes one business day to receive a wire transfer. However, it takes 1–3 business days to receive ACH transfers. For transfers outside the US, the recipients have to wait for 4-5 working days to get the money. The long waiting period is due to multiple intermediary banks or different time zones. You can send up to 1,000,000 USD per transfer to personal and business accounts.

5) Remitly

You also need the recipient’s bank account number and the name of the recipient’s bank to transfer the money directly to the recipient’s bank account. As a recipient, you have the following options to receive money from Remitly.

6) WorldRemit

WorldRemit allows you to transfer money to international recipients. The service operates in over 130 countries of the world. The service is fast, safe, and low-cost. 90% of the WorldRemit transactions reflect in the recipient’s account within a few minutes.

To get started with WorldRemit, you need to create an account. You can download the WorldRemit account from the Google Play Store or at the App Store and register with your email address and password plus a PIN code. You will then need to activate your account as per the instructions.

You can send money as follows.

The recipient will be able to receive their money as long as they have an active WorldRemit account. However, someone can send you money even if you do not have a WorldRemit account, and you have 14 days to claim your funds by creating your account. The money automatically returns to the sender if you do not claim it.

7) PayPal

PayPal is one of the excellent online money transfer services that operate internationally. It is one of the ways you can send money to someone without a bank account. The first step to using PayPal is creating an account. You need a valid email address, a phone number, and your Identification document to get started. You may need a bank account later to help you fund your transactions online. When sending money to someone using PayPal, you need their email address, which is their ID.

For someone to transfer money from PayPal to a bank account, they can use the instant transfer option (for US residents only) or the 3-5 business days method. The 3-5 business days method can be affected by weekends and holidays. As long as the receiving individual has a PayPal account, they will receive money directly into their accounts and withdraw to their linked bank or debit card accounts.

8) Payoneer

When sending money to others using Payoneer, you only require their Payoneer email address. They will get a notification as soon as they receive the money and withdraw it to their bank accounts.

9) Skrill

Skrill’s headquarters are in London, in the United Kingdom. The company operates globally and allows you to transfer money across various nations of the world. Like PayPal, Payoneer, and Remitly, you require an account to get started. You will need to enter your first and last name, choose your country, your preferred currency, email, and password. When sending money, you only need to log into your online account and send money.

You can trust Skrill since it is safe, secure, and fast. Recipients can choose to receive money directly in their bank account or their Skrill wallet.

Bottom line

There are various money transfer platforms which include PayPal, World Remit, Skrill, or your bank account, among other options. When sending money to others, you require account details such as account numbers, phone numbers, or email addresses.

Most money transfer platforms require you to link a bank account to help you fund your transactions. Every money transfer platform has its transfer limits that you should know.

6 ways to send money to someone without a bank account

Need to send money quickly to friends or family? While your first thought might be to use a bank account transfer, many people don’t have a bank account for a variety of reasons.

In 2017, approximately 1.7 billion adults worldwide did not have a bank account. So how do you get money to someone without one? Luckily, there are other affordable and secure ways to send money to your loved ones quickly and easily. Here we’ll go over how to send money without a bank account so you can stress less, and rest assured your friends and family will receive the funds.

1. Mobile wallets

One answer to the question of how to send someone money without a bank account is with mobile wallets, also known as e-wallets. For many of these mobile wallets, a bank account is not necessary, and most do not charge fees for their basic services. Some of the more well-known mobile wallets include:

With each platform, you simply download the app, open it, and follow instructions for entering card numbers you would like stored in your mobile wallet. Payments with mobile wallets are encrypted for additional security and are quickly becoming a popular way to pay in Australia. According to data from the Roy Morgan Digital Payments Report, 10.8% of Australians used mobile payment services in 2020!

Mobile wallets can be set up by either linking a debit or credit card account, and the money your recipient gets is added to their mobile wallet account. These transactions are nearly instantaneous and are one of the most cost-effective ways to transfer money.

One thing to keep in mind is that both the sender and the recipient need to have the same mobile wallet provider to avoid transfer fees. Transfers in multiple currencies are also available, although foreign exchange fees may apply.

2. Money orders

Money orders are another way to send money to someone without a bank account. Although money orders mimic checks in some ways, they have important differences such as not requiring a bank account.

Purchase money orders in the dollar amount you want to send someone else and once you sign the actual money order, mail it directly to the recipient.

To obtain a money order, visit any participating post office in Australia where they will issue the money order and send it for you as well. Banks also issue money orders, but their fees tend to be higher than what the Australia Post charges.

There are both benefits and drawbacks to sending money via money order. Since no bank account information is shared or disclosed, you’ll benefit from increased privacy and security. Money orders are safer to send by mail than the alternative of cash, as money orders can usually be canceled if initiated before they are cashed. You may also feel a sense of relief that only the intended recipient can collect the money.

A drawback is that it’s not the fastest method, especially when choosing how to send money abroad without a bank account. Money orders can take more time than other money transfer methods as they are dependent on the speed of the post office and distance traveled.

The Australia Post offers domestic money orders and international money transfers facilitated by Western Union. Money orders are prepared for the following fees:

3. Credit cards

Another answer to the question of how to send money without a bank account is to pay for a money transfer with a credit card. This method is a useful option for someone without a bank account, but keep in mind that there tend to be additional fees associated with a transaction of this type.

Comparing various transfer services will help you avoid additional costs. It is possible to find a money transfer service that allows you to pay by credit card to have cash ready for pick up within minutes. While this method is convenient, it may come at a higher cost.

4. Prepaid debit cards

Debit cards are available from banks and financial institutions without the need for a bank account. Instead, these cards are prepaid with a set amount that is loaded upfront and the card recipient can use it just like a debit card.

Prepaid debit cards can be found at various retail locations or purchased online. Depending on the seller, it may cost a few dollars for the physical card, or it may be free. These cards can be reloaded any number of times and fees and balance limits are defined in the terms at purchase.

5. Cash

Although sending cash is always an available option, it is not recommended. Sending cash certainly allows you to send money without a bank account, but there is a risk involved and a chance that your recipient will never receive the money if it gets stolen or lost in the mail.

If you do decide to send cash, it’s important to take as many precautions as possible to try and improve the chances that the money will reach its intended destination and person. Aim to:

Sending cash is strongly discouraged these days. Instead, choose from a variety of other options to send money that don’t present the same risks.

6. Money transfer services

People have been using money transfer services for decades and there are numerous reliable providers, like Western Union, that allow you to send money without the need for a bank account.

With most money transfer services, you’ll find that you have many choices when determining how to send someone money without a bank account: online, by phone, in person, or even using a money transfer app. Some money transfer services offer the ability to pay in cash as well as deliver in cash, so neither you nor your recipient needs a bank account.

Depending on your payment method and desired receipt method, different fees apply, so it’s important to compare money transfer services to pick the one that’s right for you. Depending on the money transfer service, you may be charged fees such as:

Money transfer services offer convenience, rapid transfers, and security. Most also provide the ability to track your transfer so you can stay updated on the transfer status.

Things to consider when choosing a transfer method

When deciding how to send money without a bank account, there are several factors to consider.

How quickly you need the transfer delivered

Depending on how quickly you need the money delivered, you may opt for one method over another. A mobile wallet transfer or money transfer service will allow your recipient to receive money faster than a money order or a mailed prepaid debit card.

Level of convenience

It’s important to consider what the most convenient method is for both you and your recipient. Depending on what your recipient is using the funds for and where they live, one method may make more sense than another. In some cases, it might be preferable to send money online so that it’s available to spend online, and in other cases, a cash pickup might be ideal.

Cost of transfer method

Understanding the fees involved in each transfer method is another aspect to consider when selecting a method. Usually, mobile wallet transfers do not charge a fee, but if your recipient prefers cash this method can make it more challenging to access the funds. Prepaid debit cards and money orders tend to have clear, nominal costs and most of the time using a credit card to transfer money will incur the highest fees. Money transfer service fees depend on multiple factors such as the service provider, dollar amount of the transfer, location, and exchange rates. Compare your options to determine which one is best for you and your recipient.

Location of transfer origin and destination

Fees may vary depending on the location of origin and location of the destination. International money transfers typically cost more than domestic ones, and some methods may not be available in certain countries. For these reasons, it is helpful to consider the locations involved when deciding how to send money abroad without a bank account.

Security of transfer method

Online transactions are protected with data encryption and additional security measures, whereas mailed money orders or prepaid debit cards run the risk of getting lost or stolen.

Send money with confidence and ease using Western Union

When you need to send money to friends and family as a gift or for an emergency, you can trust Western Union to deliver your cash swiftly and reliably. Send money instantly, in a way that’s convenient for you, to over 200 countries and territories. Whether you send money online, via the app, or in person at a nearby agent location, we make it easy for you to send money.

9 Ways to Send Money to Someone Without a Bank Account

If you’re trying to send money to someone, you may consider just transferring funds to the person’s bank account, but many people don’t have bank accounts. In fact, a recent FDIC survey revealed more than 9 million Americans fall into that category. The good news is you have plenty of options to transfer money even without a bank account. We’ll cover some of the cheapest, fastest and easiest ways to send money to someone without a bank account. This is just one financial tool that can come in handy. You may want to speak with a financial advisor if you’re looking for ways to be more liquid in order to easily transfer money to others quickly. They can help with your full financial picture as well.

1. Money Order

So money orders can be cheap and safe alternatives to mailing actual cash. Because you get an actual receipt for the money order, you have a paper trail to account for the money you’re sending. Plus, you avoid the potential dangers of having your cash lost in the mail or stolen. In addition, you can cancel a money order in most cases as long as the recipient hasn’t cashed it yet.

2. Walmart-to-Walmart

3. Western Union

For more than 145 years, people have been using Western Union’s money transferring services. Today, you can work with Western Union to send money in person, online or by phone. Below, we walk you through each of these methods:

4. PayPal

When it comes to online money transferring apps, PayPal still reigns supreme. With PayPal, you can send money to people in more than 190 countries using only their email addresses and phone number. However, they’d have to sign up for a free account to get their funds. The service also supports more than 20 currencies. And as long as you use your PayPal balance or a linked debit card to cover transfers, the service stays free. Otherwise, you’d face a 2.9% fee per transaction plus an additional 30-cent fee.

If you’re sending money outside the U.S., the fee can range from 0.5% to 2% if you use your PayPal balance or a linked bank account to cover the cost. The fee can span from 3.4% to 3.9% if you use a credit card or a non-linked debit card.

5. Venmo

Venmo is a popular online service that lets you transfer money via a mobile app. You and your recipient just have to sign up for free accounts. From there, you can send money using someone’s email address and phone number. You can link your own bank account, credit card or debit card to cover the funds. Transferring money is free as long as you’re using your Venmo balance or a linked bank account or accepted debit card. However, you’d face a 3% fee if you use a credit card or a different debit card. Receiving money via the mobile app is always free.

The app also functions similarly to social media sites. You can “add” friends and your transactions get shared via a public feed. Moreover, you can “like” these posts. But if you don’t want to share your transactions, you can always change your settings. A recipient doesn’t necessarily need a bank account to get funds through Venmo. For instance, that person can order a Venmo card that functions much like a prepaid debit card to load up Venmo funds.

6. Square Cash

With Square Cash, all you need to transfer money to someone is the person’s email address. You can download the app and link a debit card to draw funds from. In turn, the person you’re sending money too doesn’t even need a Square Cash account. After you link your card, your first transfer may take up to 2 business days to process. Subsequent transfers are typically instant.

Moving money around is free unless you’re using the business version of Square Cash. In this case, you’d face a 3% fee. In addition, Square Cash sends you a free debit card within a week after signing up. Using it with your Square Cash balance can also lead to discounts at popular retailers and dining establishments. A recipient can also receive funds through this card.

7. Prepaid Debit Cards

One of the easiest alternatives to getting a debit card linked to a bank account is to opt for a prepaid debit card instead. You can find these at retailers like Walmart and even several gas stations and convenience stores. Here’s how it works. You simply pay what you want to put inside the card. Several prepaid cards allow you to transfer funds and establish direct deposits. You can also download apps that can link to these accounts. These provide many of the major features the best banking apps out there offer, including mobile check deposits.

8. Google Wallet

The search engine giant combines the best of both worlds with Google Pay. You can easily transfer money to someone using the person’s phone number or email address. Both of you can also have access to a Google Pay debit card, which can be used to make transactions or withdraw money from ATMs. As a recipient, you can then withdraw funds using this account. Transferring and receiving money is free. According to Google, this service “protects your payment info with multiple layers of security, using one of the world’s most advanced security infrastructures.”

9. Facebook Messenger

You probably have a Facebook tab open right now. So why not pay someone through the platform? Now you can. Just open up messenger and click on the dollar sign icon. Obviously, you and the recipient need a Facebook account. And you’d both need to enter debit card information. However, this card doesn’t have to be linked to an actual bank account. You can have funds loaded onto a prepaid debit card, for instance.

Bottom Line

Millions of Americans still don’t have bank accounts. But if you owe them money, you won’t necessarily have to hand them cash or take your chances and send money via snail mail. You have plenty of options from mobile apps to prepaid debit cards. Even Facebook can help transfer money. It’s definitely an exciting time in the world of financial technology. And you can expect these services to become smarter, cheaper and more efficient.