A few days ago, I posted in /r/PersonalFinance asking for help. I just got a sizeable donation but had no way of accessing it. I couldn't use the cash, and I couldn't afford the monthly fees that most bank accounts wanted to charge me. My situation was a mess, and there were extenuating circumstances and roadblocks from every angle.

Everyone at /r/PersonalFinance was really patient and understanding, and I thank all of you for that. I took everyone's advice into account, and even got a few suggestions via Facebook. Here is what went down. Let me preface this by saying that this gets complicated.

I have been working on this for about 4 days now. I compiled all the advice I had and went from there.

I started by looking into my deposit options. GreenDot and similar cards had a monthly fee, so that was out. Then I tried openeing a bank. I tried opening an account with Ally bank first as they had a 24-customer service line. I almost had it, but they needed an updated driver's license in order to open an account. I can't afford the $32 renewal fee right now. Also, my state now has this required "secure license" thing where all licenses have to have a star emblem on them. Mine doesn't, so I would have to go to the DMV in person (again, I don't drive), possibly retake the driving tests, and submit my SSN card, two pieces of mail, and my birth certificate. But I don't have my birth certificate, and I don't have the $33 total to get another one. For that, I decided to just get a state ID instead (since I can't drive due to heath issues anyway), and moved on.

I just wanted to be done with with this bank stuff, so I tried another bank. A friend of mine suggested Fidelity Cash Management, as they don't need your license to open a new account. 30 minutes and one technical glitch later, I had a new account. I had to make one last phone call to get a debit card mailed out to me, but the rep on the line took care of everything within minutes.

Now that that part is done, I can deposit the check from home - once I receive it. That requires a smart phone, though, which I don't have, so hopefully my roommate will let me borrow hers. She is someone I can trust, and she will delete the app once I am done. Otherwise I can mail it in.

Once the check hits, I can use the money to get a state ID. Since so many situations require a non-expired ID, I still plan on renewing it, but now I don't have to scramble to do so. And once the check hits, I can actually afford the fees.

Crisis averted. Thank you all for the help!