PayPal Pains

PayPal is one of the many ways for Homebased workers to get paid. Their tagline "Safer, easier way to pay," speaking from personal experience, says otherwise- at least for the "easier" part. This is the process for first time PayPal users:

1. Log in to PayPal.com and create an account.
2. Verify your email by clicking on the link inside the email sent by PayPal to the email address you registered with them.
3. Enter your financial information- debit/credit card or bank account number.
4. Wait for the PayPal code to show up on your online bank statement. This is where the first hurdle is because not only do you get charged $2 for the "test charge", you also have to wait anywhere from 3 banking days up to 2 weeks for it to show up. In some forums and blogs, I even read that someone even waited for a month. Another person went to the head office of the bank for the code.
5. After getting the code, log back into your PayPal account, click on the "Verify my account" link and input it in the small box that will appear.
6. Your account is now verified and this is the only time that PayPal will let you withdraw your funds to your bank/ debit card.
7. Second Hurdle: you must now wait for 3-5 banking days for the funds to be transferred to your bank.

I guess this is why PayPal is slowly losing it's popularity among the Homebased crowd. We all expect to get paid and get the funds instantly and not virtually. I highly suggest getting paid via Xoom, Moneygram, and other money transfer facilities that are out there. Unless PayPal does something about this- better processes, tie-ups, or what have you- they will continue to be, for me, the "Safer yet PAINFUL way to get paid."