A bank account can be very convenient, but it can also be a necessity. Most banks simply refuse to cash a check for anyone that doesn’t have an account and if they do, they charge a hefty fee. And, check cashing places charge a minimum fee plus a percentage of the amount of the check which can add up to a lot of money.

If you’ve been turned down for a bank account at a traditional institution, you might need to open a second chance bank account. There are numerous places that offer a second chance to anyone that is unable to obtain a checking account and you can get approved almost instantly.

Although there are fees associated with opening and maintaining a second chance account, they’re much less than the fees you’ll have to pay to cash a check. It could even serve as a temporary account until you can pay off what ever money you owe your bank.