Safeway Check Cashing, Gift Card Balance Check, & Money Orders FAQ

Safeway offers both money orders and check cashing services, as well as several other in-store money services, such as money transfers, bill payment, and gift cards. Below, we detail Safeway’s various financial services, including their fees, requirements, and what else you need to know before visiting.

If Safeway isn’t convenient for you, several other stores offer similar financial services. See our list of grocery stores that cash checks and more places where you can get a money order.

Money Orders

Safeway sells Western Union money orders at its customer service desk. Fees and limits vary by store location.^[1] We contacted stores in Colorado, Maryland, and Virginia for an idea of the typical money order policy.

Store associates quoted us fees of up to $1 per money order. Most locations have a maximum limit of $500 per money order. (If you need more than $500, you can buy multiple money orders.) All of the stores told us that they only accept cash for money orders.^[2]

Note that the customer service desk usually has shorter hours than the rest of the store; most close around 8 p.m.^[2] Also, you can’t cash a money order at Safeway; see our list of places that cash them for alternatives.

Check Cashing

Safeway’s check cashing policy may vary slightly by location, but the store will generally cash government-issued and payroll checks. It won’t cash personal, handwritten, third-party, or starter checks. You must show a government-issued photo ID to cash a check at Safeway.^[1]

Check cashing costs around $2.25 for every $200 cashed, though again, fees may vary by store. The typical maximum check value Safeway will cash is about $1,500.^[2]

Money Transfers

As with money orders, Safeway processes money transfers through Western Union. You can send money within the U.S. or internationally using a money transfer, and you can pay using cash or a debit card.^[1]

Fees vary depending on the money transfer’s destination and the amount you want to send. Western Union offers a fee estimator you can use to get an idea of the price before visiting the store.

Note that you’ll need to provide the recipient’s full name as it appears on their photo ID and may also need to provide the person’s address.^[3] After paying, you’ll receive a tracking number, which you should share with the recipient — they’ll need it when they pick up the money (which they can do at any Western Union agent, not just Safeway).^[4]

Bill Pay

Another service Western Union offers at Safeway is Convenience Pay, an in-person bill payment service.^[1] You can use Convenience Pay for utility bills, car payments, mortgage payments, electricity, and other monthly expenses.^[5]

Visit the customer service desk, providing your phone number, the name of the company you need to pay, and your account number. A Safeway associate will determine whether your payee is eligible for convenience pay; if so, you can make a payment using cash or a debit card. You’ll receive proof of the payment in the form of a receipt with a payment tracking number.^[5]

Coinstar

If you have extra coins, you can cash them in at Coinstar kiosks inside Safeway stores.^[6] Coinstar allows you to exchange your coins for bills, e-gift cards, or charitable donations.^[7] There are no fees if you choose a gift card or donation, but cash transactions cost around 12% of the final amount.^[8]

If you choose cash, the machine will print out a voucher, which you can redeem for cash at the customer service desk.^[8] To donate, select one of Coinstar’s partner organizations at the kiosk; Coinstar also partners with certain gift card brands and will print a unique code if you choose to receive a gift card.^[9][10]

Check Writing

Safeway accepts checks and allows up to $25 cash back on check purchases by overwriting the check. When paying by check, you must present a government-issued photo ID. You must also pass verification through a third-party electronic check service, Certegy.^[11]

If Certegy declines your check at a Safeway store, the cashier will be unable to accept a check as payment. You can call Certegy at (800) 237-3826 or use the Certegy declined check lookup to find the reason your check was declined. Common reasons include unpaid checks, past returned checks, or issues with your checking account, though Certegy may also deny you if you don’t write checks often.^[12]

Gift Cards

Safeway sells its own gift cards and carries various third-party gift card brands, such as Amazon, GameStop, Olive Garden, Starbucks, and more. You can purchase gift cards using cash, debit cards, credit cards, or personal checks.^[1]

If you have a Safeway gift card, you can check the balance by calling Safeway’s customer service department at (877) 723-3929 or visiting the in-store customer service desk. There is no way to check your balance online at the time of writing.^[1]