Can You Purchase Money Orders With A Credit Card

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A money order lets you move funds from one place to another, but unlike a check it represents guaranteed funds, so it can't bounce.
You need to purchase a money order from a bank, credit union, or store, but there are only a few places where you'll be able to pay with a credit card.
Western Union and 7-Eleven both allow you to buy a money order with a credit card, but that doesn't mean you should.
Since a money order is a cash equivalent, paying for one with a credit card is often treated as a cash advance — which entails steep interest fees.
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For anyone seeking a secure way to send money, a money order is an excellent — if often underutilized — option. A money order is a paper document that's used to move funds from one place to another.

If that description reminds you of a check, you're absolutely right: Because the two items function so similarly, money orders are often used in place of a check by those who don't have a checking account.

Unlike a check, however, money orders are issued for a specific amount of money, making them a slightly more trusted form of payment than checks. And whereas regular checks can and do bounce if there isn't enough money in the connected account to clear them, money orders represent guaranteed funds. That's because in order to get them, you have to actively purchase them from a trusted entity — locations like a bank or credit union, the post office, a grocery store, or even Walmart.

To purchase one, you'll hand over the amount you want your money order to be made out for, plus a nominal charge for the order itself. (Most locations cap their money orders at $500 or $1,000, and charge between $1 and $5 to issue one.)

They'll be filled out with your information, as well as that of the payee, so they're less likely to go astray. And even if they are lost or stolen, the proof of purchase provides a paper trail that usually means you can get your money back — so hold onto that receipt!

Can you buy a money order with a credit card?

Most folks won't have the occasion to use a money order very often, so when you do, it's worth knowing all the facts. Most importantly: Can you buy a money order with a credit card? The short answer is yes, but only in specific situations and locations.

Because a money order functions like cash or a guaranteed check, most issuers will require they be purchased with cash, or in some cases a debit card. But there are a couple locations where you can reliably purchase a money order with a credit card.

The first is Western Union, a company that's made a name for itself for facilitating money transfers all across the globe, and the second is slightly more surprising: 7-Eleven.

As of this writing, you can purchase a money order by showing up at brick-and-mortar locations for either of the above entities and presenting a credit card, but there's more to bear in mind when it comes to the effect on your wallet.

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Beware of extra charges for using a credit card

At Western Union, the usual charge for a money order up to $100 is $1.25, while an amount between $100.01 and $1,000 will set you back $1.50. At 7-Eleven, the largest money order you can purchase is $500, and the cost is typically between 1% and 3% of your total purchase.

But when you pay with a credit card, that won't be the extent of the fees you should expect. Since a money order is a cash equivalent, paying for one with a credit card is often treated as a cash advance by your credit card company.

What that means is that the interest on your purchase could be double your normal rate — for many cards, the cash advance APR is 25% or higher — and that you won't have the typical grace period before that interest starts to accrue. (It will start piling up the moment you pay for the money order, and won't stop until you pay off the charge in full.)

Plus, your provider could charge an additional fee of 3-5% on top of all that, and as always, your credit score will drop any time your credit utilization rises above 30%.

In short, the charges and dings to your credit can add up quickly, so try not to purchase a money order with a credit card unless absolutely necessary.

What else should I bear in mind?

If you do purchase a money order with a credit card, make sure you do so as responsibly as possible. That means spending within your means, of course, but also filling out the money order clearly and carefully, making sure all information is accurate and up to date. Even though money orders are almost universally accepted, if the name on the payee's identification doesn't exactly match what you wrote on the money order, they won't be able to cash it.

So take your time now to do things properly the first time, so you don't have to hunt down another location that accepts credit cards for money orders, and start the whole process again.

Alexis Rhiannon is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and comedian. Her work has appeared in outlets like Allure, Salon, Good Housekeeping, Bustle, and Grow, and she performs improv weekly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.