These are the same steps our staff use when they help someone. "They" means the person who needs help: you, or someone you are helping. Go in order, and call ahead when you can.
Unbanked means you do not have a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union. You may still use cash, checks or apps. You do not have to choose a product today.
Write: How does money reach me? Do I need to deposit cash, cash checks, receive benefits, pay rent or shop online? Do I have reliable phone and internet access?
2Walmart MoneyCenter: cash a paper check in Silver City
Walmart Supercenter #1357: 2501 Highway 180 E, Silver City; 575-538-2222. Its official local page lists check cashing, money orders, bill payments and card loading. Call for money-services desk hours; store hours are not a promise the desk is open.
Call and describe your check type and amount. Ask which ID and any other verification details are required, the fee, and whether the check can be accepted.
Bring your check and valid ID. Follow the associate's endorsement instructions. Approval is not guaranteed.
Ask for cash if that is what you need. You do not have to buy a MoneyCard to ask about check cashing.
Walmart advertises a maximum $4 fee for eligible preprinted checks up to $1,000. Other check types and amounts have different rules; confirm before traveling. Cashing a check, loading a card and paying a bill are separate services with possible separate fees.
Official local page: https://www.walmart.com/store/1357-silver-city-nm/money-services
3Cash App: receive money, use a card and add cash if eligible
Cash App can be used without linking an existing bank account, but identity checks and feature eligibility still apply. An eligible Cash App Card can let you spend the balance; direct-deposit details are available through eligible accounts.
Start at cash.app and use its official app link. Set up and verify your own account.
To add cash, look for Paper Money Deposit. If available, use its retailer map and instructions; show the barcode or use the supported card method at a participating cashier. Do not assume every local store participates.
Keep the receipt and confirm the balance. The published paper-money fee is $1 per deposit, deducted from the amount: $20 deposited leaves $19 when that fee applies. Limits and availability are shown in your app.
Cash App lists no monthly balance fee. ATM withdrawals normally have a $2.50 Cash App fee plus possible operator charges; qualifying waivers exist. Standard transfers to a linked account are free; instant transfers cost extra. Check the current price shown before confirming. Mobile check capture is not available to everyone. Read the deposit-insurance conditions for your exact account.
4Chime and Walgreens: an account with retail cash deposits
Chime offers checking through partner banks and advertises no monthly account fee. It is an account-opening option, not a service that skips identification or approval. Check eligibility and accepted documents before applying.
Start at chime.com. Review the account, bank partner, debit card, ATM access and identity requirements.
If approved, open the Chime app's Cash Map and choose a deposit location. Follow the current barcode or card instructions.
Chime says deposits at participating Walgreens and Duane Reade locations are fee-free. Other retailers can charge their own fees. Confirm the location, limits and method in the app before going.
There is a Walgreens at 100 Rosedale Rd in Silver City. Its existence is confirmed; acceptance of your particular Chime deposit must be checked in the app and with the store. Retail cash deposit is not the same as check cashing. Chime says its cash deposits are made at participating retailers, not ATMs.
5PayPal Cash a Check: a mobile option if you can wait
PayPal offers a Cash a Check feature for eligible users with a PayPal Balance account. Checks are reviewed and can be declined; do not count on immediate access.
Use the official PayPal app and look for Cash a Check under your balance or accounts.
Read the current instructions before endorsing or photographing the check. Follow the app's directions for keeping or voiding it. Never cash or deposit the same check twice.
Compare the speed choices. PayPal advertises no fee for its 10-day option. Expedited processing costs 2% for eligible preprinted-signature payroll/government checks or 5% for other accepted checks, with a $6 minimum.
Example: 2% of a $100 check is $2, but the $6 minimum makes the expedited fee $6. Check approval, timing, eligibility and any withdrawal costs before depending on this for rent due today.
Official instructions and fees: https://www.paypal.com/us/digital-wallet/manage-money/cash-check
6Walmart MoneyCard: compare the monthly cost before buying
Walmart MoneyCard is a separate Green Dot banking/card product, not a Walmart gift card and not required just to ask Walmart to cash a check. Identity verification and account terms apply.
Its current help page lists a $5.94 monthly fee, waived with at least $500 in direct deposits in the previous monthly period. If you will not meet the waiver, include $5.94 every month in your comparison. Cash deposits at a register are not the same method as eligible app-based deposits; check each method's fees. Ask about purchase, ATM, reload and replacement costs too.
Read the fee schedule for the exact package before buying or activating.
Work out whether your actual direct deposits meet the waiver.
Compare the annual cost with a low-cost bank or credit-union account. Twelve $5.94 fees total $71.28 before other charges.
Official information: https://www.walmart.com/cp/walmart-moneycard/1073524
7First Financial Credit Union: ask in person about a local account
First Financial Credit Union has a Silver City branch at 2290 Superior St; its listed contact number is 505-766-5600. Call first about membership, accepted ID/address documents, opening deposit, monthly fees and current branch hours. Do not assume everyone qualifies or that an account is free.
You can say"I do not have a bank account. Which account has the lowest total cost for me? What happens if there is not enough money for a payment? Can you accept my ID and address documents?"
If past banking history is a barrier, ask what options exist rather than assuming approval. For other institutions' low-cost certified accounts, use the Bank On directory and confirm New Mexico eligibility directly.
Official branch details: https://www.ffnm.org/about/get-in-touch/locations-hours.html
Bank On account directory: https://joinbankon.org/accounts/
Paper check and need cash soon: call Walmart MoneyCenter about acceptance, ID, desk hours and the exact fee.
People send you money electronically: compare Cash App's usable features and cash-out costs; verify recipients before sending.
Regular pay plus cash deposits: compare Chime, Walmart MoneyCard and a local bank or credit union using your actual fees.
Paper check and no need for the money for 10 days: check whether PayPal's no-fee waiting option is available to you.
No reliable smartphone: start with an in-person institution or Walmart's desk rather than an app-only plan.
These are researched examples, not endorsements or guarantees of approval. Prices and feature availability were checked November 1, 2026; confirm current terms before enrolling or paying. Ask for the total dollar cost before handing over a check or cash.
Low-cost bank or credit-union account: ask about Bank On certified or no-overdraft accounts, branch access and all fees. Search joinbankon.org/accounts/ and confirm current terms and eligibility with the institution.
Online bank: can offer deposits, a debit card and bill payments without a nearby branch. Confirm the legal bank name, insurance, cash-deposit locations, ATM network and customer support.
Financial-technology app or neobank: may offer account features through a partner bank. The app company may not itself be a bank. Read who holds the money and how to reach help.
Reloadable prepaid or payroll card: may let you receive pay and make purchases. Compare reload, withdrawal, monthly and replacement fees; ask what registration and identity checks are required. A gift card is different.
Payment app: useful for sending and receiving money, but check whether you can receive wages, load cash, withdraw, pay bills or move money elsewhere. An app balance is not automatically an insured bank account.
You can ask"What is the legal name of the bank or credit union holding my money? Is this exact balance eligible for deposit insurance, and what conditions must I meet?" Verify the bank with FDIC BankFind or the credit union with NCUA.
Nonbank companies are not FDIC-insured. Pass-through coverage through a partner bank depends on conditions. Deposit insurance covers an insured institution failing; it does not insure the app company itself against bankruptcy or guarantee access during an app outage. Keep only an amount whose access arrangements you understand.
For each option, write monthly fee + cash deposits + ATM use + transfers + check cashing + replacement fees. Ask about standard transfers as well as paid instant transfers.
Example: Four $5 check-cashing fees cost $20 a month. Two $3 cash reloads plus two $3 withdrawals cost $12 before any monthly fee. A $5 account could cost less, but only if the other services you need are included. These are sample fees, not offers.
Ask where you can put in and take out cash locally, how much it costs, daily limits and when deposits become spendable. A mobile check photo may be subject to eligibility rules and holds.
12If ID, address, past history or a phone is the barrier
Ask each institution which IDs and address documents it accepts and whether alternatives or second-chance accounts are available. Online services still have identity checks. Never use a borrowed identity or buy an account.
If you lack a smartphone, ask about a physical card, phone support, statements and in-person access. Before choosing an app, ask how account recovery works if your phone or number is lost.
If your employer offers a payroll card, ask about other ways to receive wages and the complete fee list. Ask benefit agencies which payment methods they accept before changing delivery.
13Try a small amount before moving essential money
Use only the official site or app listing after verifying the provider. Set a unique password, private PIN and security protection. Do not share one-time codes, even with someone claiming to help open the account.
Test a small deposit, a purchase and a withdrawal or transfer. Confirm support works and direct deposit is received before depending on it for all your bills. Save official contact information offline. Crypto and buy-now-pay-later borrowing are not substitutes for a protected place to keep bill money.
When deposits are available: ____; phone-loss recovery: ____
Option B: ____; same checks: ____
Today: Compare two options or call one institution. If none fits yet, keep receipts for cash and money-order payments and protect cash as safely as possible.
Open the guide "Needs a bank account or a safe way to cash checks" for the account-opening checklist.
15Do not mix up card loading, check cashing and app transfers
A retailer can support one service without supporting another. A Walmart check-cashing fee is not automatically the total price to move the proceeds onto a particular card. Ask separately about the cashing fee, card-loading fee and later withdrawal cost.
For a payment app, "standard transfer" may mean transfer to a linked account, not free cash in your hand. Before depending on it while unbanked, confirm how you can actually use the balance or withdraw cash, the identity checks and the full fees.
Before enrolling, open the provider's current fee disclosure and check that it matches the exact account or card offered to you. If the app does not show a feature, do not assume a cashier can enable it. Never pay a stranger to unlock a paper-money deposit or verify your account.
A payroll or benefit deposit may qualify for a fee waiver while a cash reload does not. Ask how the provider defines a qualifying deposit. Test the route with a small amount you can afford to have temporarily unavailable before moving essential bill money.
This guide is general information only, not medical, legal or other professional advice. Places and rules change, so please call before you go. In an emergency, call 911; in a mental health crisis, call or text 988. Disclaimer
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Questions, or want someone to walk through this with you? The Silver City Gospel Mission, 111 S. Texas St., Silver City, 575-388-5071, weekdays 9:00am-1:45pm. Everyone is welcome.