How To Use M-Pesa In Your Day-To-Day Transactions

To many people, doing monetary transactions through M-Pesa is just a walk in the park, but to some, it can be one of the hardest shells to crack.

So, let’s go about some of the common M-Pesa transactions;

Sending Money via M-Pesa

Sending money is the easiest and effortless way of transacting money via M-Pesa. You just do it in the palm of your hands, without moving a single muscle, apart from the fingers.

Follow these steps;

• go to the ‘Safaricom’ menu and select ‘M-PESA’
• Select ‘Send Money’.
• Enter your recipient’s phone number, the amount you wish to send and your PIN. You and the recipient will receive an SMS confirming the transaction.
• You will receive a screen with the information you have entered above, (e.g., Send money to 07xxxxxxxx, 2000) confirm that it is correct then press Ok. A pop up with the name of the recipient will appear on the screen. Remember to confirm the name of the recipient.
• To stop a wrong transaction, press any number or letter and press send within 25 seconds.

If you send money to the wrong number:

• Call 234 or 200/100 for postpay or prepay whichever is applicable for a reversal to be initiated. The reversal will be done when money sent to the wrong number is still available in the receiver account.
• Send the confirmation message to 456 for reversal
• If successful, you will receive an SMS indicating that the reversal is complete

How to check your Mpesa balance

Checking your balance is quite simple,

• Go to the ‘Safaricom’ menu and select ‘M-PESA’
• You can check your current M-PESA balance free of charge. Note, your balance shows at the end of every SMS each time you do an M-PESA transaction.
• Select “Show balance” on my Safaricom App or select Check Balance on the M-PESA menu on your Safaricom sim tool kit.
• Enter your secret PIN
• Wait for an SMS confirmation message with your balance

How to withdraw money from your Mpesa account

If you are a Registered M-PESA Customer

Go to an M-PESA Agent and:

• Confirm the agent has sufficient funds for your transaction
• Give your phone number and show your original ID.
• Go to your M-PESA menu, select ‘Withdraw Cash’.
• Enter the Agent number, the amount you wish to withdraw and your PIN.
• You will receive a screen with the above transaction details. Confirm they are correct then press OK.
• You and your agent will receive an SMS confirming the transaction.

The agent will then give you the cash and request you to sign a Log Book which is a record of M-PESA transactions done in that store.

If You Are a Non-Registered Customer

Go to an M-PESA Agent and:

• Confirm the agent has sufficient funds for your transaction.
• Present the SMS containing the M-PESA voucher number (notification confirming receipt of cash).
• Give your phone number and show the original ID.
• The agent will enter the ‘one-time code’ that is displayed on the customer’s SMS notification.
• Both the agent and the customer will receive an SMS confirming the transaction.
• The agent will give you your money and request you to sign the Logbook which is a record of M-PESA transactions done in that store.

When you send money to an unregistered customer, they will receive a one-time voucher from M-PESA with a 4-digit code which they will use to withdraw money from an agent. If SMS is not received or accidentally deleted, ask them to call line 234 and request for a voucher to be resent to them.

Deposit Cash to Your Account

To put money into your M-PESA account you will:

• Go to an authorized M-PESA agent with your phone and original ID.
• Inform the agent how much you wish to deposit.
• They will use their agent phone to send you e-money in exchange for cash.
• You and your agent will receive an SMS from M-PESA confirming the transaction.
• You could also top up your M-PESA account from your bank account. Your bank has a shortcode for mobile banking

How to Withdraw money from the ATM via M-Pesa

ATM withdrawal service is available to M-PESA registered customers and is currently available at PesaPoint, Equity Bank Branches, Diamond Trust Bank, KCB, Family Bank and NIC Bank ATM’s.

To withdraw cash, you will need to follow these steps;

On your mobile phone;

• Get to Mpesa Menu,
• select withdraw cash from ATM,
• enter the agent number 555555 for DTB, Family, NIC, KCB, Trust Banks, and Pesapoint and 286286 for Equity Bank and then your pin.
• Wait for a 6-digit authorization code (expires after 10 minutes),

On the ATM;

• Press the Mpesa Button on the ATM,
• feed the code using the keyboard,
• enter your Safaricom number,
• the amount you want to withdraw and press continue to end the transaction.
• You will get the money and receipt from the ATM and a message on your phone

Read Also: How to Reverse Your M-Pesa Money When Sent to a Wrong Number