If credit unions market themselves to poor customers it isn't just an altruistic act, it's a benefit to their bottom line.

Some customers use check cashing services because of bad credit or history at a financial institute, but others like the convenience that check cashing services offer that credit unions do not, such as extended business hours and multiple sites. Convenience is one of the main reasons customers cite their use of check cashing centers.

“I walk in and cash my check, pay my cable bill and get money orders to send to my son,” said Rachel Porter of San Diego. “My old bank used to charge me $8 for a money order and now I pay $1.50. Everyone talks about the percentage you pay to cash a check, but when you look at how much banks charge for other things I need it evens out.”

Some of the inexpensive connivances or free check cashing centers offers that many credit unions do not:

• Payday loans and other types of loans
• Money transfers
• Bill payments
• Money orders
• P.O. boxes
• Stamps, envelopes, and mailing services
• Notary public
• Currency exchange
• Prepaid debit and credit cards
• Public transportation passes and tokens
• EBT services
• Photocopying and faxing services
• ATM machines
• Motor vehicle renewal and registration

Immediacy of funds is usually cited as the reason customers choose check cashing centers over credit union. With check cashing centers, consumers are immediately paid the full amount of their checks minus a service fee.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has become a big player in the financial services market, charges $3 to cash a check of up to $1,000, compared with as much as $25 at other check-cashing services and the $7 that many banks charge people who don't have accounts with them.

According to Walmart it offers its customers a simple fee schedule for check cashing. Checks of $1,000 or less are assessed a $3.00 fee each. All checks between $1,000.01 and $5,000 come with a reasonable $6.00 fee. For tax season, the $6.00 fee applies to checks from $5,000 to $7,500, too

No registration process is required in order to cash a check at Walmart. Customers are required to submit their social security number and driver's license alongside each check. For first-time customers, their information is run through a consumer reporting agency. This service helps prevent fraud and will deny customers that have tried to cash bad checks in the past. Every visit after the initial one takes mere moments to process each check. From there, customers receive their funds immediately.

While not every credit union can compete with Walmart or products that check cashing centers offer their customers, they can take the lead from these “predatory businesses' by hiring local employees.

Check cashing centers hire within the neighborhoods that they serve, helping customers feel more comfortable about their financial decisions when dealing with someone they know.

“Claudette's kids go to school with my kids and she knows my name and always asks me if I've paid the electric bill,” said Marybeth Franken of Los Angeles. “I used to get embarrassed at my bank because I needed all my check to pay bills. One lady said to me when I asked for cash instead of depositing anything into my checking account, 'you know, we're not a check cashing business.' And I wanted to say, maybe you should be.