Mid-April this year, this blog was approved for Google Adsense. 2 months after, last June, the payment threshold of 100 USD has been reached and just last July 22, was able to cash out from Western Union in the Philippines for the first time.
If you will cash out your earnings from Adsense via a Western Union agent, check out the how to claim guide on this post.
By the way, this is the first cash-out for iSensey, the first earning of this website. Hurray for online income and sideline projects!
What is Adsense? This is an advertising platform that allows web publisher to show relevant ads to readers and get paid for referral visits to advertiser’s sites. This company is owned by Google itself, so you know that Adsense is not a fly-by-night, scam-in-the-making advertising platform. This is legit, in fact, a lot of bloggers wants to get approved in Adsense.
Google Adsense or GA is among the first choice when it comes to generating income from a blog or website since the codes are really easy to implement and Google truly pays!
Read here if you want to know How Much Can You Earn From Google Adsense.
How are payments made? Adsense gives you options when it comes to cashing-in your earnings. You can choose to get your payment via Wire Transfer or direct bank transfer, via Check payment, and via Western Union.
In order to set your preferred payment method, log-in to your Adsense dashboard and click on “View Payments”. Then in the “How you get paid?” field, click on the “Manage” link beside it. The options will then show up. Or if you have already selected a primary payment method, you can add a new one by which to get paid by clicking on the button-link that says “add a new payment method”.
In the Philippines, Western Union claiming of Adsense earning is the most popular. You can easily find a Western Union agent or payment center just about anywhere in the country. To claim payment, you just need bring 2 valid IDs (some WU accepts one valid government ID) and the MTCN number you got from Google, then go visit a Western Union payment center.
When do you get paid by Google Adsense? In order to get paid, you must reach the MINIMUM threshold amount of 100 USD by end of the current month. Then you have to wait for about 3 more weeks before the payment will be issued to you.
This is why although $100 threshold was breached end of June 2016, the payment was actually claimed from Western Union just last July 23.
How to Fill-up Western Union Claim Form for Adsense?
If you have chosen to claim your payment via Western Union in the Philippines, follow this guide in filling-up the claim form.
- Screenshot your Google Adsense Payment page where you can see the MTCN using your phone, for your reference. See the picture guide on number 2 below.
Western Union MTCN means Money Transfer Control Number.
- Most Western Union payments for Philippine based publishers are processed by Google Singapore these days. It used to be processed by Google Ireland, but just this year, payment center has become Singapore.
To know which Google subsidiary processed your payment, check again the payment issued detail page. You can see it at the bottom portion. Make sure to write the COMPLETE name of the sender in the Western Union form. In the case of iSensey, the payment was processed by “Google Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.” So this is what I wrote on the Western Union money claim form.
- On the relationship portion, you can write “business partner” or “advertiser”.
- On the purpose of fund, you can write “advertising fee” or “advertising payment”.
- Google sends the payment in USD, so if a Western Union agent ask if the money was sent in US dollar currency. Reply with ‘Yes’. Then you now have the option to have the WU agent automatically exchange your USD to PHP at their current exchange rate. Or inform the WU agent that you prefer getting US dollar bills.
**There are Western Union branches that do pay out in USD bills.
- Different WU agents have different claim forms for money sent from abroad. Some Western Union requires TIN number or SSS or GSIS number, other agents don’t. So just be ready with your personal info.
There are also some Western Union padala centers which requires beneficiaries to photocopy their valid ID. If it is your first time to claim Adsense payment in a particular WU branch, it might be best to bring a photocopy of your valid ID so you can readily present it if required.
Protect Yourself from Any Fraud
When you visit a Western Union payment center to claim, ask first if you can claim as much US$ you are expecting, BEFORE you fill up any form or give your ID.
Tell them how much you are claiming especially if it’s big. Now, if the WU agent says they don’t have that amount of money, or they can’t serve your payment claim, go find another Western Union that can.
If you already did fill-up the form together with your MTCN number and your personal details, and the claiming process was aborted for whatever reason like they are offline or no money available or there was an error when claim was processed, or MTCN not found, etc. Make sure to GET BACK the form you have already filled-up and submitted to the agent. Then go to another Western Union quickly to process your claim.
Why this warning? There had been instances when a customer complaint that Western Union issued payment to someone other than the legit owner. Check out this report by TV Patrol just this month wherein someone else claim the money sent via Western Union by a relative from the United States. Be careful when it comes to money matters, alrighty?!
Google Adsense Payment Claiming Period via WU
Oh by the way, you must claim your Adsense Payment via Western Union within 60 days of the payment issued date by Google. So a payment issued on July 21 must be claim on or before September 21. Failure to claim your Adsense payment in time, will result to Western Union MTCN Not Found!
If this is the case, you need to login back to your Adsense dashboard and then click on “reissue payment”. A new MTCN will be generated for your account for the covered payment period.
Can You Earn From Blogging? Definitely, definitely Yes!!! Watch out for future Adsense payment sharing of iSensey. This month’s July earnings looks way better (which will be paid out come August) than this website’s Google Adsense first payment.
FACEBOOK EARNINGS!!! – Check this other post about Facebook Instant Article and Facebook Audience Network. A colleague provided iSensey an actual FB earnings invoice of USD 9.4K+++ earned last August 2017 and paid to bank account September 2017!!!
The best of luck to all web publishers and bloggers! If you don’t have a website yet, learn how to start a blog in easy steps!
Doctor Eamer says
This is exciting. 🙂 Thank you for this useful tips po 🙂
Leben says
Magkano po yun charge pagclaim nyo sa Western Union? Kinuha nyo by Dollar or in person na? If in peso na how much yun total na value Ng 136$ minus yun fee?
Natry ko Kasi sa banko medyo malaki Ang bawas Kasi nsa 50=$1 that time period almost 4700 lang nakuha ko sa $113 na payout ko.
iSensey says
Di ko na matandaan magkano charge, maliit lang, more on documentary stamp tax lang. Pag Western Union, usually we get the cash-out in dollar tapos yung butal is in peso. Then yung Dollar pinapapalit to pesos para mas maganda ang exchange rate.
Ang banko has a flat charged based on our experience. Pag wire transfer Adsense going to a BDO Dollar account, charge is $15. Pag to a BPI Dollar account, charge is $16.50. Pag to a peso naman ang bank account, kung ano ang prevailing forex rate sa bank on the day na-credit ang Adsense, yun ang masusunod.
Flaming Piano says
Just made my Western Union as my payment method yesterday, and got paid and reached the threshold a few hours later. Does this mean it will take 3 weeks before my money is cashed out from Adsense and transferred to WU?
iSensey says
Hi, Google releases Adsense earnings every 22/23 of the month for the previous month’s payment.
Example: You hit threshold in December 2018, you earned say a total of $123. Google will email you a payment notification for the $123 come January 21/22. The email-notification will contain a link to the Invoice issued by Google Adsense; in the invoice you will see the MTCN number. Once you get the MTCN, you can then go to a Western Union outlet to “cash-out” your Adsense earnings.
Now, today is January 13,2019, say you are now at $115 so you already hit the threshold. You will not get the earnings right away. Google will send the payment for the $115 PLUS all earnings from today until January 31, 2019 come February 22/23.
Benz says
Hello.. Check yung na issue sa akin as 1st payment. Pumunta ako sa mga banks pero need pala ng dollar account. which is 500 USD ang initial opening. 100USD lang ang na issue sa akin. Pwede kaya mag request uli ng tru Western Union na lang yung nasa check? As of now from check to western union na ang payment method ko.. O kaya hayaan ko na lang mag expire at ibabalik nila sa adsense account ko yung 100 USD.. Thanks sa inputs..
iSensey says
Hi Benz, this is my suggestion. On your next payout, claim it as USD sa Western Union. There are WU branches na nagrerelease ng dollar. Then pag naka-ipon ka na ng at least 500, open a usd-savings account and deposit your usd-cash and the check. Take note that checks are good for 6 months bago mag-expire. *USD checks deposited will take a month to clear based on experience.
Or contact Adsense support, there is a link within the dashboard of Adsense to contact them. You can try to request them to invalidate the check you received (explain na wala ka USD savings account) and request to add the amount sa next payout mo. Try mo lang, baka pagbigyan ka. Goodluck!
Senoritas says
Hello po. Nag issued po kasi sila ng sahod ko nitomg April 22. Makukuha ko padn ba yun sa western kahit April 24 kona clalaim? Reply asap thanks!