When Alex, a Canadian expat, moved to Manila, he thought handling money
would be as simple as swiping his debit card. Instead, he found himself juggling
coins in jeepneys, lining up at ATMs, and constantly worrying about carrying
enough cash. That changed when a friend told him:
“Just get Maya. Everyone here uses it.”
First Attempt: The 7-Eleven Line
Alex’s first try at loading his Maya wallet happened late at night in a 7-Eleven.
He opened the app, tapped “Cash In,” and showed the barcode to the cashier.
With a single beep of the scanner, pesos popped into his account instantly.
No paperwork, no questions. Just a quick load and he was done. That small
moment made him realize — cash-in could be easier than waiting at a bank.
Note: In Maya, cash in is possible through 7-Eleven, Palawan Pawnshop,
SM Business Centers, Robinsons, and many other partners. Some are free,
while others charge small fees depending on the amount.
Discovering Other Options
Later on, Alex learned he didn’t need to stand in line every time. With InstaPay, he
could transfer money directly from his local bank app into Maya in just seconds.
One day, his family sent him money from abroad, and it landed straight in his
Maya wallet — no middleman required.
Note: Aside from over-the-counter partners, foreigners can also receive remittances
and do direct bank transfers to load their wallets.
First Cash Out: The Rent Test
The real challenge came when his condo rent was due. Alex needed actual cash,
not just a balance on his phone. With shaky hands, he slipped his Maya card into
an ATM and withdrew pesos. It worked. A small fee was deducted, but the relief
was worth it.
Another time, instead of going to an ATM, he sent money from Maya to
Palawan Pawnshop and picked it up in cash. Simple, straightforward,
and no awkward explaining.
Note: Cash out is possible through ATMs using your Maya card, or through
partner outlets like Palawan and other remittance centers.
Hitting the Limits
At first, Alex didn’t pay attention to account levels. He had a Basic account
with a ₱50,000 balance limit. That worked fine until one day his transfer was
rejected — he had reached the cap.
After verifying with his Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) card, his account
was upgraded. With a Verified account, he now had a ₱100,000 balance limit
and access to more features. That upgrade changed everything, letting him use
Maya more freely without worrying about hitting ceilings each month.
Note: Basic accounts = ₱50,000 balance limit. Verified accounts = ₱100,000 balance
limit plus full features.
The Lesson
Looking back, Alex laughed at how nervous he had been in that first 7-Eleven line.
What once felt confusing became part of his daily routine. Cash in, cash out,
paying bills, and sending money — Maya turned into his lifeline in the Philippines.
For Alex, it wasn’t just about learning an app. It was about feeling at home in a place
where money moves differently, and finding a tool that made life smoother.
“Curious how to do these steps yourself? The full tutorial is waiting on Click Savings.”
Alex’s story is just one example. Your own journey with Maya starts with a single cash in
— and we’ve broken it down step by step.”
Thanks to cotton bro studio from Pexels
“Read Tutorials” or “Read Stories”
“📌 Tutorials on Click Savings. Stories on The Best Stories for You.
Two sides of the same journey.”
The best Stories for you -
Not just tips and tricks — here you’ll find the human side of side hustles, apps, and digital living. Real stories, honest moments, and experiences you can actually see yourself in.
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