Money Orders

[Burnt Fingers]

My Post Offices don't keep a lot of cash on hand. So when they say they don't have the money they are telling you the truth.

If you have a large denomination money order it pays to call to see if they have the cash on hand.

I know the office I worked at, being the second busiest office in the city kept a fair amount of cash on hand. But other offices might only have $200.

[FISH4BUGS]

I just went through the Money Order from Hell scenario.
1) The PO will not do one larger than $1000 so i had to get 2
2) Sent it with tracking
3) it has now been a MONTH and still not at the destination. The tracking says "in transit"
4) I did a "Money Order Inquiry" as the first step in doing something about missing money orders
5) They charged me $12.50 to do the inquiry, in addition to the fee for the money orders and the $8.00 postage
6) I have to wait up to 60 days to get my money back
The US Postal "SERVICE" is hardly that.

[megasupermagnum]

I just went through the Money Order from Hell scenario.
1) The PO will not do one larger than $1000 so i had to get 2
2) Sent it with tracking
3) it has now been a MONTH and still not at the destination. The tracking says "in transit"
4) I did a "Money Order Inquiry" as the first step in doing something about missing money orders
5) They charged me $12.50 to do the inquiry, in addition to the fee for the money orders and the $8.00 postage
6) I have to wait up to 60 days to get my money back
The US Postal "SERVICE" is hardly that.

I've been through it, I know it is not fun. You don't wait "up to" 60 days. It is minimum 60 days (I believe the date it was printed is the start) no matter what happens. After 60 days, if you have filled out the inquiry, they will look into it after that time. I think it was about a month and a half before they sent me my money back. So from the time I bought and sent the money order, to the time I got my money back was around 100-120 days. I don't believe I paid anything for the inquiry, it was a form I filled out at the USPS, I could be wrong.

This is why I no longer ship MO's with tracking. You are throwing that money away. Ship them in a stamped envelope. That is unless you are going to pay for $1000 insurance (or whatever amount) for every single MO you send. Tracking itself gets you nothing, the USPS does not care. 60 day wait, no exceptions.

Also consider that 60 day wait is the shortest of any MO I'm aware of. My local bank was a 90 day wait.

[AndyC]

It's a PITA when someone wants a USPS MO, but I'll get it if there's no alternative. I get that PayPal is antigun - but then so is eBay, Amazon, etc, etc.

[square butte]

I read this morning that, as of today PayPal is now 100% Chinese owned. . . .

[Jsm180]

I understand sellers wanting an MO but trusting the PO to deliver it is more risk than I will take right now. If I can't do some form of electronic transfer I'll pass.

[SweetMk]

It's a PITA when someone wants a USPS MO, but I'll get it if there's no alternative. I get that PayPal is antigun - but then so is eBay, Amazon, etc, etc.

I understand sellers wanting an MO but trusting the PO to deliver it is more risk than I will take right now. If I can't do some form of electronic transfer I'll pass.

I contacted a seller on this forum,, if I read his ad correctly, no PP, CC,, personal check.
He wants a cashiers check, or postal MO.

I am pretty sure I will pass on the purchase (mold handles) ,, if a MO is required.
Not for one reason,, at least three,,
a) MO is more expensive than PP FF,,
b) I gotta GO almost ten miles to a post office,, then stand in line. EVEN if I am the only one there,, a MO takes LOTS of time.
c) Like mentioned earlier, with the mail shortcomings, it could easily take 6 weeks for the MO to get to the seller.

I enjoy using better tools, even if I only paid more, I feel like I got something better, so,
I will even pay more to support the smaller seller,, but, do not inconvenience me THAT much,,,

I wish someone would forward this thread to the mold handle seller, and any other Vendor Sellers that limit methods of payment.

Now a days, CASYBOOLITS is my first source for reloading and many other related products.
These sellers REALLY need to be extra friendly towards the captive audience then have at this forum,,,

[Petrol & Powder]

Obtaining & cashing USPS money orders is one issue.
Sending a money order by US Mail is a completely different issue.

[Finster101]

Well you have to go to the post office to send it, so where is the hassle? Or is there a way to send a money order I haven't thought of?

I usually put mail and even small flat rate boxes in my mail box at the end of my driveway. I have passed on a couple of items because they would take a money order only. Am I the only working person that has a hard time getting to the post office?

[megasupermagnum]

I usually put mail and even small flat rate boxes in my mail box at the end of my driveway. I have passed on a couple of items because they would take a money order only. Am I the only working person that has a hard time getting to the post office?

Nope, I don't like going to the post office either. I'm fortunate that I can leave 10 minutes earlier, and it is kind of on the way to work. Of course if you work a normal 1st shift job, that is not unusually an option. I guess I never considered putting a money order in the mail box. It seems really strange to me to drive all the way to the post office, and not send it right then, right there.

[ascast]

I hate MO's. Electronic transfer is the way to go. Win the auction, pay it off and done in a minute-no driving, no stamps, no envelopes, no forgeting to do it in 3 days on Monday. that said, USPS is everywhere far more reliable, higher limits.

[dverna]

Interesting perspectives.

If selling, you are the one deciding your level of risk/reward. If you are buying, you decide your level of desire/convenience.

[SweetMk]

Our local post office was built about 15 years ago.
within a couple years, ALL of the PO boxes were being used,, ALL, there were none to rent.

The post office has two modern computer equipped windows.
Back 12-15 years ago,, both windows were staffed the entire time the post office was open.

Since then the local population has grown by 3X,, TRIPLE!

Today, only 1/2 of the PO boxes are rented, (they have a blue sign on each empty box that says for rent!)

There is never more than one window staffed, even the month prior to Christmas, one window only was open.

They have maintained the same staff,, BUT,, previously, they had a janitor.
Now, the one extra staff rotates to cleaning windows, wiping down surfaces, vacuuming,,,
Talk about "Going Postal!",, make the postal clerk clean the toilets, and shovel the snow,,,,

[lightman]

Most of us state excepting a USPS money order because we feel that its safer. Right or wrong, who knows? When I sell things I request a USPS money order or a personal check. I usually send the goods when the check arrives and sometimes even before. I seldom wait for it to clear. Our little Post Office will never have enough cash to cash a money order so I cash them at my bank. There is hardly ever a line at the window. I guess I need to look into getting set-up with PayPal.

[farmbif]

there's no telling the current problems with post office. maybe it wasn't ever perfect but since dejoy took over things have really gone downhill pretty darn fast.
$12.50 inquire fee to find out about a money order, this might be something new.
I don't know how many rely on trusting postal money orders or fast efficient delivery of stuff but it seems like a no brainer to make post office work well to have it work as a great asset that in turn helps keep US economy running strong.

[Bmi48219]

My preference when selling 1) USPS MO; 2) personal check (thing about check is it shows up in my account day after deposit but if the issuing bank declines to pay it, the money is debited back out, some times 8-10 days later); Cash (I’d never ask someone to send cash, too much risk it will vanish in transit) if the buyer wants to accept the risk.
Sometimes I use USPSMO funds to ship too, but usually my PO doesn’t have enough cash to give me the unused funds. They do check the serial number of any USPSMO I want to pay for shipping with. Apparently the can be fake too. Also I’m not comfortable with sending a personal check to a stranger since it has my routing & account #’s on it.
I’d just as soon send / receive the USPSMO.

[Winger Ed.]

Well, how do ya like that?

About 9-10 days ago, I sent off a (rather large for me) personal check out to as far away as you can go without getting wet
and being eaten, to the Western edge of those unexplored territories we refer to as 'Not Texas'.

This morning, upon checking the mail box,
I got a box back from out there with almost more .224 , (food for the AR/rat gun), 55 grainers than I want to carry.

[gpidaho]

Ed: I sent a paypal payment to a member of this forum in S.W. Florida on Thursday morning and my purchase was here in S.W. Idaho on Saturday. I have no complaint with the USPS shipping it's standing in line for a money order I'm not fond of. Gp

[Winger Ed.]

I have no complaint with the USPS shipping it's standing in line for a money order I'm not fond of. Gp

Oh,,, I won't do it. I don't appreciate driving 15 miles to cash one either.
And I don't have paypal.