I'm slowly getting into the habit of trading with a few board members on another site but I'd like to move on to being able to buy and sell things.

The problem is my one bank account isn't accepted by PayPal and all that leaves me with is Money Orders and Checks.
The questions I'm asking is how does sending money orders and checks work? Is it just in an envelope? Where can I get a money order? How reliable are these?

And is there any other way to have a PayPal account without a bank account?

 

You can use a credit card with your paypal. Those aren't too hard to get nowadays. Or open a 2nd bank account at a bank that is accepted by paypal. Bank of America is good.

 

If you do send a check or money order, make sure you wrap it in at least another sheet of paper before sticking it in the envelope. If you just put it in by itself it'll be easy to see and somebody without a conscience may try to forge it and cash it. You just never know. Money Orders are probably the safest, though, because I think if it's lost or stolen you can get a refund as long as you have the receipt.

The Post Office is probably the easiest place to get a money order, I think it only costs like $.86 or something. Just tell them how much you need it for (say $50) and they'll charge you the amount plus $.86, and you're done.

 

Walmart has an ATM machine and charges 42 cents for a moneyorder, 7-11 here charges $1, and I know a liquor store that charges 25 cents.

Money orders are cheap and easy to get just about anywhere, and I do buy them to use for various things. However, I will not accept one(same reason I wont accept a personal check). Nor would I use a money order to pay for something I purchased via an internet transaction. Paypal will at least try to help you if something goes wrong as a buyer or seller(and this is coming from someone who got screwed bigtime by paypal as a seller).

I find it a little odd that paypal won't accept a bank account, if it's from some small no-name bank, I'd advise getting a new account elsewhere with a larger bank. Definitely better in the long-run in terms of available services, customer service(they don't have to be friendly as long as they get the job done), and people not wondering what "The union bank of south sacramento california loan and trust" or whatever is.

 

I swear by Paypal. I'm a fairly cautious person, and it really gives me that extra sense of security. I refuse to pay with anything other than Paypal, but I will accept other things (at the buyer's own risk)

There is always Paypal via a credit card (what I do... CC company is another layer of security)

 

Paypal is always safe for buying especially on ebay and its free to pay anyone. Money orders are great if they don't get lost, then its a problem.
Like some people said get an account with a Known bank that offer free checking.
Also never take personal checks if you do wait until it clears.

 

I didn't even know Washington Mutual was an "unknown" bank.

 

Washington Mutual should be fine. My girlfriend's Paypal account is linked to her WAMU checking account. Even small banks like mine work - my bank had 2 locations total when I signed up for Paypal about 8 years ago.

To verify your bank account, Paypal puts two small, random deposits into your account that you have to record at paypal.com during the verification process. Maybe this is where the problem is occurring. Either your bank isn't allowing Paypal to make the deposit (if they're not, tell them to) or I'm guessing you're not telling Paypal what those two deposits were.

Money Orders are fine if you don't mind the extra wait. I do, so I avoid them

 

If you have an AMSCOT local to you, they do free money orders. What typically happens in a MO transaction, at least in my experience, is that the buyer sends the money first, then the seller ships. In the case of a personal check, I'm quite understanding if someone wants to make sure the check clears before sending an item. Keep in good touch with your fellow transactionist, and let them know when you send/ receive money orders, and when you ship/ receive items.

-Tony!

 

I swear by paypal. I've never heared of a bank not allowing you to link to paypal.

 

Yeah, it turns out I gave the wrong account number.

So how long of a wait until the 2 small payments happen?

Edit: 3-5 days...it was right on the side of the page.
Man, I really have to get more economy-savvy.

 

Just make sure you hook paypal up to your checking, and not your savings account. Checking accounts are better protected. If someone does an unauthorized withdrawel, you can fight it. Saving's account, you can't.

 

I've never heard of such a thing. And I worked for two banks in college.

Unauthorized withdrawals are unauthorized withdrawals regardless of what type of account they are made in. You most certainly can fight them.

 

Then my bank sucks.   I had an unauthorized withdrawel, and when I tried to fight it, they told me there was nothing I could do. They said once you give someone your savings account number, they could do what ever they wanted with it. I tried to tell them that that I hadn't given it to anyone, but their reasoning was, if they have it, you gave it to them.

 

What they told you doesn't make any sense. Sounds more like they didn't want to bother with you.

Sorry to hear you lost your money.

 

Probably it. They're not very friendly. Only reason I still use them, is that they're open till 7pm on weekdays, and 10 till 4 on Sundays.

 

If you have to send any form of payment via the mail, ALWAYS request the seller send the good first. If they won't then don't deal with them. There is risk on thier side and they may not want to deal with you. Understandable. But each person should feel secure in every transaction. But in the end, the one you have to worry about is you and your money. I just purchased some stuff from a new guy on here, and he sent it to me before I paid. I have feedback and he didn't. But never send a check of any kind without first getting the merchandise. As a buyer it's just not smart.

 

That's not how the vast majority of transactions work in this country. You don't place an order from Amazon and not pay them until it's delivered. I'm pretty sure COD no longer exists or at the very least is widely used. You're fortunate people will deal with you in that manner...I know I wouldn't.

 

I've actually had a large number of new sellers agree to those type of terms. If the buyer has great feedback and the seller has none then I don't feel as though there is anything wrong with this practice.