A few years ago, if you wanted to lend money to your friend and your wallet was empty, you would've written a check. Nowadays, there are other alternatives to send money, which are safer and quicker.
There are many ways to complete informal financial transactions. The most obvious one is using cash: for example, when you grab some dollars from your wallet and give them to your friend or relative. This means, no extra fees, no waiting period, no misunderstandings. But there are other easy ways to send money to somebody, even if they aren’t in the same town.