Here’s the thing: PayPal does not accept raw cash. You can’t just shove a twenty-dollar bill into your laptop’s USB port (please don’t try; it voids the warranty and makes your computer cry). The only way to get cash into PayPal is to turn it into something PayPal recognizes first. Think of cash as a feral cat—you need to civilize it before it can live inside your phone.
So, your first move is to deposit that cash into a bank account. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it’s like putting on socks before shoes: annoying but necessary. If you don’t have a bank account, we’ll get to that in a minute. For now, find your nearest ATM or bank branch and make that deposit. Bonus tip: avoid the ATM that charges you $5 to add $20—that’s just financial self-harm.
