Where to cash NY unemployment tourism checks without a bank account?

Try a check cashing place. They usually charge around 1-2% of the check amount which isn't great but better than $25. Some grocery stores like Price Chopper also cash checks for less than Walmart.

I was in the same boat last month and found a way to actually talk to someone at ny unemployment about direct deposit options. I used this service called claimyr.com and they got me connected to a real person on the phone in like 20 minutes! I was able to set up direct deposit after talking to them so I don't have to deal with paper checks anymore. Best money I ever spent to get my benefits flowing without the hassle of cashing checks. Check out this video about it too: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

You could open a new bank account? Lots of online banks don't charge monthly fees and you can deposit checks through their app. Chime, Capital One, Varo all have no-fee accounts and might be worth checking out. Some even give you a bonus for opening an account.

The post office can cash checks though its kinda a pain. Also some grocery stores will cash it if you buy something there, might be cheaper than walmart. When I was in your situation I used to just sign checks over to a trusted friend who would deposit it in their account and give me the cash. Not sure if everyone would be comfortable with that tho.

If you have any friends or family with a bank account, you can sign the check over to them and have them deposit it and give you the cash. Just write "Pay to the order of [their name]" on the back and sign it. Then they can deposit it using their mobile app or at an ATM and withdraw the cash for you. No fees that way.

I had this EXACT same problem with NY unemployment last year! Here's what I did: First, call the unemployment office and ask about their direct deposit options. You might be able to set it up without a bank account using prepaid cards or other options. The problem is actually getting through to someone on the phone - I spent HOURS trying. Finally I found claimyr.com which got me connected to a real person at unemployment in about 30 minutes. They helped me set up direct deposit to a prepaid card that I got at CVS. Now my benefits go straight to that card every week with no check cashing hassles. The NY unemployment system is completely broken but at least there are ways around some of the worst parts. Whatever you do, don't give up on getting your full benefits - you earned them!

NY unemployment actually offers a direct deposit debit card option! You don't need a bank account for it. Call them and ask about the debit card option. The KeyBank debit cards they use don't have fees for unemployment benefits. The problem is getting someone on the phone... good luck with that part lol 🤡

So many people struggling with ny unemployment and their ridiculous paper check system in 2023 🤦‍♀️ The whole system needs to be rebuilt from scratch.

Do you have PayPal or CashApp? You can actually deposit checks through their apps now. I think they both have a waiting period for the money to clear (like 10 days) unless you pay a small fee for instant access. Still might be cheaper than check cashing places.

This is why we need a public banking option! People without bank accounts pay hundreds or even thousands in check cashing fees every year. Its a poverty tax.

Have you tried KeyBank? Since they're the bank that NY unemployment uses for their debit card program, they might cash the checks for free. Worth calling them to ask.