Check cashing businesses are very expensive to use. Shop around for a bank or credit union with free or low cost checking and savings accounts. Many credit unions are open to anyone in the neighborhood and sometimes have better offers than banks do. You may want to start with a small savings account.
If you have a bank account, you can usually cash checks for free. You save money on check cashing fees, and you will improve your credit rating. If you get an ATM card, be sure to keep track of what you spend so you don’t spend more than is in the account. ATM fees can add up fast!! You may avoid these fees by using ATMs owned by your bank or credit union.
If you use checks, don’t write a check for more than you have in the account. You will be charged fees ($35 and up) by the bank AND by the person you wrote the check to. Fees add up and can cause the next checks to bounce too. Writing a check for more than you have in your account can also be a crime.