Does Walgreens Do Money Orders In 2024? The Complete Guide

With over 9,000 stores across all 50 states, Walgreens is one of the most ubiquitous and convenient pharmacy chains for millions of Americans. But beyond prescriptions and OTC medications, I‘m often asked: "Can I get a money order at Walgreens?"

As a retail finance expert who has studied Walgreens‘ offerings closely, I‘m here to provide a complete guide on whether Walgreens sells money orders, Western Union transfers, and other financial services. I‘ll also give recommendations on the best money order alternatives based on your needs.

What Are Money Orders and Their Benefits?

Before answering whether Walgreens provides money orders, let‘s briefly go over what exactly money orders are and why someone may need to purchase one:

• A money order is a payment instrument that allows you to pay a specified amount of money to someone. The payee does not need a bank account to deposit the funds.

• It is similar to a personal check but does not require you to have an account. Money orders are drawn from the issuing retailer rather than your bank.

• Money orders are safer and more secure than mailing cash. They provide protection against loss or theft.

• Money orders offer guaranteed payment once issued and cannot bounce like personal checks can.

• They can be used to pay bills and invoices from companies that don‘t accept personal checks or electronic payments. Landlords may also require rent via money order.

• Money orders allow you to gift money remotely to friends or family members across geographical distances.

So in summary, the key benefits of money orders are security, guaranteed payment, remote gifting capabilities, and wide acceptance.

Does Walgreens Sell Money Orders?

Now that we‘ve covered what money orders are, let‘s get to the main question:

Does Walgreens sell money orders in 2024?

After thorough research into Walgreens‘ financial offerings, I can definitively say no – Walgreens does not offer money order services as of 2023.

• Walgreens has over 9,000 pharmacy locations in the U.S. However, none are equipped to issue or cash money orders.

• Per Walgreens‘ website and customer service department, money orders are not a service provided at any locations.

• There are no reports of Walgreens selling money orders within the last 5+ years. Their focus remains on pharmacy, retail, and basic financial services.

So in summary, Walgreens does not currently sell or issue money orders in any capacity. Customers cannot purchase or cash money orders at Walgreens pharmacies.

However, there are some money transfer and payment alternatives that Walgreens does offer, which I‘ll cover next.

Walgreens Money Transfer Options

While Walgreens does not handle traditional money orders, many locations do offer Western Union money transfer services.

Here are the key things to know about Walgreens + Western Union:

• 8,000+ Walgreens locations have Western Union kiosks for initiating domestic and international money transfers. This is available at most pharmacies.

• Transfers can be sent for cash pick-up or directly to a bank account if the recipient provides their routing and account number.

• Walgreens locations only allow cash payment for sending Western Union transfers, not debit/credit cards.

• The fees are $11 for standard delivery in 1-2 business days and $12.50 for next day/instant delivery.

• Maximum send amount per transfer is $6,000 and maximum receive amount per transfer is $300.

So in summary, while you cannot get money orders, Western Union provides similar secured money transfer services at most Walgreens pharmacies for a small fee.

Additional Walgreens Financial Services

Aside from Western Union, Walgreens also offers the following tools for payments and money management:

• Bill payment services – Pay over 5,000 billers like utilities, insurance, cable, etc. right at the pharmacy.

• Walgreens prepaid cards – Purchase prepaid debit cards that can be used online or in-stores anywhere. Allows gifting of funds.

• Check cashing – Up to $5,000 checks from payroll and government sources can be cashed. Fees apply based on check amount.

• ATMs – Find surcharge-free ATMs at over 8,000 Walgreens locations to access cash.

So if you need to pay bills, gift funds, cash checks, or simply withdraw cash, Walgreens has solutions – just not traditional money orders.

Where To Get Money Orders (Better Alternatives)

Since money orders are unavailable at Walgreens, here are the best and most affordable places to get them instead:

1. United States Postal Service (USPS)

   • USPS has over 31,000 post office locations that sell money orders.

   • Fees are only $1.25-$1.75 per money order, with no maximum order amount.

2. Banks and Credit Unions

   • Most financial institutions sell money orders with lower fees for account holders.

   • Credit unions in particular tend to offer the lowest money order fees.

3. 7-Eleven

   • Over 8,800 7-Eleven convenience store locations sell money orders.

   • Money order fees are $0.99-$3.99 depending on amount.

4. Kroger

   • Approximately 2,800 Kroger supermarket locations offer money orders.

   • Money order fees start at just $0.70 for amounts under $500.

5. Walmart

   • At over 4,700 Walmart stores you can purchase money orders for $0.70 to $1.25.

   • Maximum money order amount is $1,000 at Walmart.

So in summary, I recommend USPS, banks, credit unions, 7-Eleven, Kroger, and Walmart for the most affordable and widely available money order options.

Conclusion

While Walgreens does not currently offer traditional money order services, there are plenty of suitable alternatives available for transferring and gifting money securely.

I recommend taking advantage of Western Union money transfers at Walgreens locations if you need to send funds to someone else. But for purchasing affordable money orders yourself, use USPS, banks, credit unions, and major retailers like 7-Eleven, Kroger, and Walmart.

I hope this guide has shed light on whether Walgreens provides money orders and given you options to meet your financial needs! Let me know if you have any other questions.