Shell gas stations sell premium gasoline and operate Food Marts where you can pick up snacks in the middle of the night, but those aren’t the only things they offer. Gas station convenience stores also provide financial services that you might find useful if you don’t have a bank account and are using prepaid cards and fintech apps instead. So I decided to check what financial services were available at Shell.
Does Shell Cash Checks?
Some Shell gas stations will cash checks but this decision is up to the individual franchise owner and check-cashing services may not be available at all stores. Several of the other major gas stations have similar policies. If you’re looking for an alternative, Circle K and 7-Eleven cash checks at all of their locations, although some of their convenience stores aren’t attached to gas stations. There are also several supermarkets and drugstores that will cash payroll and government checks for you.
Can You Buy Money Orders at Shell?
Shell’s gas stations don’t sell money orders or cash them. This service is typically available at supermarkets and drugstores that have partnerships with companies like Western Union and MoneyGram. Again, if you’re looking for an alternative, both 7-Eleven and Circle K have partnerships with MoneyGram and sell money orders at their convenience stores. There are also a few warehouse-style supermarkets where you can buy money orders and refuel your car at the supermarket’s gas pumps outside the store.
Can You Send or Receive Money at Shell?
Shell doesn’t provide money transfer services at its gas stations either. Again, this isn’t unusual and the other gas stations that sell premium gas, such as Chevron and Mobil, typically don’t offer money transfers either. This service is available at convenience stores that have partnerships with Western Union and MoneyGram, though.
Can You Reload Prepaid Cards at Shell?
You can reload Shell’s branded gift cards at its gas stations. You might not be able to reload third-party prepaid cards such as Chime and Cash App cards at these gas stations, though. Gas stations typically don’t like to carry lots of cash because of theft risks so some other gas stations may not reload prepaid cards either. Again, if you’re looking for a place to reload a prepaid card you can visit Circle K or 7-Eleven as well as many drugstores and grocery stores that offer this service at their customer service desks.
Does Shell Offer Bill Payment Services?
Shell doesn’t provide bill payment services either. Again, it doesn’t have partnerships with the main financial services companies that provide bill payment services for other retail stores. It doesn’t have a partnership with PayNearMe, another popular bill payment app, either but 7-Eleven does have a partnership with this company.
What Are Alternatives to Shell Where Financial Services Are Available?
7-Eleven convenience stores provide several financial services at their in-store kiosks, and these stores are often attached to gas stations that sell low-cost gas as well.
Circle K is another convenience store where you can buy money orders, send money transfers, pay bills, and get other banking tasks done. Its stores are often attached to gas stations and some are attached to stations that sell premium fuel.
Food 4 Less is a warehouse-style discount supermarket that provides several financial services at its in-store service desks. It operates stores that have their own gas stations so you can also fill up your tank there.
Conclusion
Shell doesn’t offer many financial services. While it sells branded gift cards that you can reload at its convenience stores and some of its locations also offer check-cashing services, there are several other financial services that aren’t available at this gas station that are available at other stores. If you’re planning to visit a convenience store to use its financial services, 7-Eleven and Circle K would be better options.