Wal-Mart Stores offers bill pay service

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday it is offering a bill-pay service for customers who do not use traditional checking accounts.

Customers can go to Walmart MoneyCenters and customer service desks at its stores nationwide to pay utility, landline phone, cable/satellite, credit card bills, auto and wireless phone bills.

Walmart says a large segment of Americans who make less than $45,000 per year pay bills in person or use third-party walk-in bill payers to pay their basic household bills.

The company said the service provides a low-cost option to minimize fees customers may otherwise face.

Shares of Wal-Mart rose 12 cents to close at $51.67 Tuesday.