How to Get Cash If You Don’t Have a Debit Card Handy (Or at All)

Get some cash without having your debit card on hand with these quick tips

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: December 20, 2023 Fact Checked

Have you ever found yourself needing cash but without a debit card on hand? While a physical debit card is the most straightforward way to get cash, it's not the only way. In this article, we'll go over 8 things you can try to get cash if you don't have your debit card on hand (or, in some cases, if you don't have one at all).

Things You Should Know

If you have a credit card, you can get a cash advance from an ATM, but this will incur a higher fee than other credit card purchases.
If your debit card is in your mobile wallet, you can get cash from a contactless ATM or by getting cash back from a contactless retail purchase.
If you can get to a bank branch, cash a paper check or withdraw money from your account with a withdrawal slip.

1

Credit Card Cash Advance

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If you don't have a debit card (on hand or at all) but you do have a credit card, you can use your credit card to get a cash advance from an ATM. While this is an easy method, it usually does incur high fees. Your credit card provider will have provided you with the specific fees for cash advances for your card, but one of the most common fee structures is 5% of the transaction or $10, whichever is more.^{[1]
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2

Bank Withdrawal

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Head to your bank in person and make a withdrawal. If you don't have your debit card with you but need cash, you can withdraw cash at your bank's local branch. If you have a bank withdrawal slip on hand, you can fill it out and bring it with you, but if not, the bank will have one on hand, and the teller can help you fill it out.
- Your bank will likely require identification to withdraw cash and may need to look at an ID or driver's license if you don't have your debit card.

3

Cash Back

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Ask for cash back on a contactless debit payment. If you don't have your debit card on hand, but it's added to your mobile wallet, you could buy something at a store that offers cash back and accepts contactless payments.
- Many retail stores offer cash back on debit card purchases, which means you can charge an extra amount to your card to get the difference back in cash immediately. Note that there are limits on how much cash back you can get, but it varies based on the retailer.
- A lot of stores offer contactless payments now, but not all of them do. You can check if a retailer accepts contactless payments by looking in the Google Pay app (Android) or the Apple Maps app (iPhone). In the Google Pay app, you can tap Use Google Pay Nearby to see nearby stores that accept Google Pay. In the Apple Maps app, you can search for the retailer and check their details to see if they accept Apple Pay.
- You can also check if a store accepts contactless payments by looking for a contactless payment logo or sticker near the checkout or on the front door.

4

Cash a Check

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Write and cash a paper check. If you have paper checks, you can write one to yourself and cash it. The best place to cash a check to yourself would be at your bank (or a branch of your bank), though some retail stores may cash them as well (such as Walmart, which has a money services department). If there are no branches of the bank you bank at nearby, you can try any bank, but not all banks will cash a check for people who don't use their bank.
- Some retail stores may charge a fee to cash a check, and these fees may vary by retailer. Check with the retailer cashing your check to see what fees they charge.

5

Cardless or Contactless ATMs

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Use your contactless payment method at a cardless ATM. Many banks or financial institutions have added contactless sensors to their ATMs, so you can use your mobile wallet to withdraw money. If your debit card is added to your mobile wallet, you can use a cardless ATM or ATM with a contactless sensor to withdraw cash.
- You can only use your contactless debit card at ATMs that are affiliated with your bank, or an ATM that has no bank affiliation. If you use an out-of-network ATM, your bank will still charge fees for a withdrawal, even if it's contactless.

6

Virtual Debit Card

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Consider a virtual debit card. If you don't have a physical debit card or tend to lose yours often, you may want to get a virtual debit card instead. These cards exist 100% online, unlike a digital debit card, which is the digital version of a physical debit card. Much like your mobile wallet, you can use your virtual debit card to get cash from a cardless ATM or as cash back from a debit purchase in a retail store.^{[2]
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- You can get a virtual debit card immediately since you don't need to wait for the physical card to be made, and you can get them through a traditional bank, a neobank like Chime or Wise, or a service like PayPal. If you get a card from anywhere other than the bank you already use, you will need to perform an external transfer to move funds into your new virtual debit card.

7

Ask a Friend

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Ask a friend to help. If you need some cash but don't have any other way to do it, consider asking a friend to help you. You could write your friend a check so they could cash it at their bank. You could also transfer some money to your friend via Cash App, Zelle, or Venmo; your friend can then move that money into their account and withdraw the same amount from an ATM or their bank.
- Only ask a friend you trust. You could also ask your significant other, a family member, or anyone you trust enough to handle your money.

8

Contact Your Bank

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The bank representative can help you determine the best steps to take moving forward with getting you a card replacement. The representative can also help you determine the best way to get money from your account to pay essentials and bills.