Originally Posted by
krazykanuck
I'd say it's profitable, but barely. The Moneycenter business for WM is probably profitable overall given the high charges for Western Union and Walmart 2 Walmart transfers. But as ChrisFlyer alludes, it's probably just to keep people in WM and in their ecosystem. Cash your check at WM, buy your groceries there, buy your MO to pay your rent there, send money to your family there, etc. It's also why I avoid WM on certain days of the month: the 1st, 15th, last day, and Fridays. Rent days and pay days are a no go for me. Way too many people at the moneycenter.
Yup, Fridays are pretty much "no go" days for me at Walmart. If you're an early riser and have the schedule flexibility, early mornings are the most predictable if your goal is to get in and out as fast as possible.
It is a shame about the unpredictability of the MO process these days. My go to store keeps insisting I can only swipe 1 debit card per MO. That's annoying, especially when -- like last week -- I got a bunch of $200 VGCs at Office Depot. Walmart used to be the best place to unload GCs but, for me, it's now not as good as the supermarkets.