You may also have to provide your address and phone number. It operates a lot like a personal check so it’s good for those situations where the person doesn’t have a checking account like paying a utility that doesn’t accept credit cards or if you want to pay someone but not reveal your checking information. A money order is a small piece of paper similar to a check that allows the person named to receive a specified amount of cash. That said, fees can vary by location and subsidiary — as well as whether they sell money orders at all.