How to Safely Shop Online and Pay With CASH!

Imagine the heartbreak of waking up on Dec. 26 with a raging debt hangover—an all-too-common after-Christmas condition. Been there, done that, and live to tell!

Of course, you promise to pay the balance in full the minute the statement arrives, but who are we kidding here? That’s an easy promise to make but hard to keep—especially at this time of year.

Perhaps you were already carrying a balance on every card in your wallet, so now all of those new purchases exacerbate the problem by plunging you even deeper into debt. Worse, you don’t even know for sure how much you spent because who keeps track when you pay for everything with plastic?

Just imagine if you keep your promise that this year will be an all-cash Christmas—that you lock those credit cards away where they will be safe from you.

As you wake up the day after Christmas, you’ll be heading into the New Year with a much different attitude. No excuses, no hiding the holiday bills; no worries, and no regrets.

I’ve got good news for everyone, not only those already carrying credit card balances. This year really can be an all-cash Christmas. You can do it and make your cash stretch even further when you take advantage of the deals and free shipping when you shop online.

You can shop with CASH at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, and hundreds of online shopping sites with absolutely no credit card or debit card required.

Amazon

Step 1: Purchase an Amazon Gift Card

Stop into the nearest Walgreens drugstore (or any number of supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience stores nationwide, which sell Gift Cards in denominations from $15 to $500 for all major retailers with online shopping sites.) Find an Amazon Gift Card. Pay for it with CASH.

Step 2: Deposit It to Your Amazon Account

Go to Amazon.com and log in to your account (create a new account if you do not already have one.) Go to Redeem a [Amazon] Gift Card. Follow the simple instructions to add your Amazon Gift Card’s unique claim code to your account. It is super easy, and takes only a minute.

Now those funds are available immediately and held safely in your account; will not expire, have no activation or maintenance fees, and will automatically apply to your next Amazon order (unless you select a different payment method at checkout).

Wasn’t that easy?

Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Etc.

You can also use the same tactics to shop online with cash at other retailers. Just follow the steps above for Amazon. The process is the same:

Step 1

Using cash, purchase a Gift Card for your online retailer of choice from a store that sells Gift Cards such as Kroger, Walgreens, Safeway, CVS, etc.

Step 2

Add the Gift Card to your online account at that store’s website. Do this first before you start shopping.

(You’ll see a field at Check Out to pay with a gift card, but that is not for store’s gift card but rather where one would add a 3rd party gift card, i.e. MasterCard Gift Card or Visa PrePaid Debit Card, which by the way comes with hefty fees.)

Target.com

Sign in.
Navigate to your Name
Select Account
Select Gift Cards
Select Save a New Gift Card or the + sign.
Input the Gift Card # and Access code
Add it to your account

Walmart.com

Select Account.
Select Wallet.
Select Add new payment method
Select the payment type
Enter your details
Select Save Card

Kohls.com

Sign in.
Navigate to Wallet.
Select Store Kohl’s Gift Cards
Add Gift Card # and PIN

Others

The routine is generally the same. You go to that store’s online shopping site, sign in, go to your account and look for a place to upload or add that store’s Gift Card.

Other Ways to Spend CASH Online

Coinstar

Got a lot of loose change? You can take your change and cash to any of the more than 20,000 Coinstar kiosks in grocery stores and have it converted to a Gift Card (Amazon is only one of the dozens of retail and restaurant options)—with no fee deducted. But if you convert to cash, a hefty 11.9% fee will be deducted.

Every penny you put into the machine will be added to your Amazon (or other) Gift Card. Follow the steps above to add these funds to your Amazon or another favorite online retailer account.

Western Union

You can purchase an Amazon Claim Code with cash in any amount from $25 to $2,000 at 42,000 Western Union Agent locations across the US. Add the Claim Code to your Amazon account (follow Step 2 Amazon instructions above).

Moneygram

Visit a participating MoneyGram agent location (there are more than 350,000 worldwide) to purchase an Amazon Gift Card claim code with cash and no fees. Follow Step 2 above.

There you go—simple, convenient ways to enjoy the convenience of Amazon shopping while still experiencing an all-cash Christmas!

Recap

Buy an Amazon or other online Retailer’s Gift Card with cash and use it to pay for your online purchases at those sites.
Amazon Gift Cards are for sale for any amount from $15 to $500 at: Walgreens, supermarkets, drugstores, discount stores—just about everywhere
Coinstar machines in grocery stores will accept cash and coins and payout in Amazon and dozens of other retailers’ Gift Card with no fees deducted
Western Union locations sell Amazon Claim Codes, which work the same as an Amazon Gift Card
So do the 350,000 Moneygram locations worldwide

Everyday Cheapskate participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

More from Everyday Cheapskate

how to read your water bill sprinklers on a residential lawn

How to Read Your Water Bill and Lower Your Monthly Costs Now

high yield savings account man dropping quarter into mason jar

The Boring Money Move That Earns You $400 to $2,000 a Year (High-Yield Savings Explained)

estate sale what to buy used and what to avoid

7 Things to Always Buy Used (And 5 You Never Should)

luxury car driving down mountain highway how to lower car insurance premium

How to Knock $200+ Off Your Car Insurance Bill (Without Switching Companies)

negotiate medical bills female nurse with calculator and ipad negotiating a bill

How to Negotiate Medical Bills and Cut Costs 30-50%

Best Coolers for Camping, Road Trips, and Beach Days

financial independence sparkler and american flag in night sky

What My Debt Taught Me About Real Freedom

wooden die spell july with patriotic decor in background

7 Best Things to Buy in July for Huge Summer Savings

a rustic wooden christmas tree in the sand on the beach

Christmas in June? Try This Amazon Prime Day Gift Guide

Please keep your comments positive, encouraging, helpful, brief,
and on-topic in keeping with EC Commenting Guidelines

Shalini says:

August 20, 2024 at 6:49 pm

Online shopping with pay cash???

Mary Hunt says:
August 23, 2024 at 8:06 am

Yes! Read the post.

Patricia Goff says:

December 6, 2023 at 7:45 am

I do surveys and I turn in my points for amazon cash. I never pay for my amazon orders unless I have amazon cash. I still only buy things on sale. I buy a lot of toilet paper or gifts with my amazon cash. I love it.

KT says:

December 6, 2023 at 4:47 am

Amazon works fairly well, the change stays in the acct, just used leftover for purchase. as for walmart, not so easy, I purchased a walmart gift card, cause I buy groc every week, and they said something like I couldnt use it that way online for groceries, had to be used for in-store items. ticked me off! so be careful, ask before if there are any purchases it cant be used for. and its wasnt re-loadable – couldnt add money to it, had to keep buying another card…..concept is great – dont want to be using credit cards anymore, but I do a lot of online grocery buying and shopping. what else to do?

Elizabeth Harris says:

December 6, 2023 at 4:30 am

I do this all the time and I like shopping with store gift cards that I’ve bought with cash because that means my personal information is not out all over the world. Another tip is that I buy an Amazon card with cash and then I buy gift cards for other retailers and stores with my Amazon gift card – so I’m not limited to buying only from Amazon. I can then give the store gift card as the gift OR i can have it sent to me (digitally or in the mail) and purchase a gift with the store gift card. Takes a little planning ahead, but much better than racking up credit card debt or having my personal card information going out to who knows where!

Natasha Henry says:

January 4, 2023 at 5:20 pm

Let’s see if it works first. This is the question does this really work for everybody . Is it or is it not the real deal .

Jo says:

November 6, 2022 at 6:35 am

Why not just charge it from your bank account. Amazon give that option. Then you spend exactly what you want to with no leftovers in an account that you may not use right away. You also save a trip to the store to buy a gift card.

Mary Hunt says:
November 6, 2022 at 12:08 pm

You would have to use your debit card, which is not advisable. Never use your debit card to shop online. You run the risk of your account info being stolen … and you won’t know until that thug has emptied your checking account and quite possibly your savings account attached
Elizabeth Harris says:
December 6, 2023 at 4:34 am

Because if I purchase directly from my bank account, then my personal information is out there for a potential breach. I don’t do this because of not running over on my bank account – I do this to keep my banking info safe as it seems almost every day now there is some kind of letter in the mail about an information breach. Especially w/ Amazon – most vendors are third party and I also buy a lot of second-hand books and I have no idea where that info is going to private sellers.

June says:

November 5, 2022 at 12:03 pm

If you pay cash for the Amazon gift card and have to purchase it for an amount larger than the cost of the product you wish to purchase on-line, what happens to the change you should receive had you purchase the item in a store?

Mary Hunt says:
November 5, 2022 at 1:57 pm

It stays in your Amazon account, just as if you got the change back to your gift card in the store. Using a gift card in a store for less than its face value results in your gift card having a reduced value equal to the “change” if you did spend its entire face value.