An apparatus for collecting payments and managing information, which allows for a payment to be made when the payee is not present and makes a record of the same, and a method is provided. The apparatus comprises a payer interface, a system for receiving payments, a secure lock box for storing payments, and a system for retaining and retrieving information. The payer identifies the payment to be made, enters the type of payment and the amount and submits the payment, which is scanned. The information entered or scanned is stored in a database. The apparatus securely stores the payment and issues a receipt with payment information and images of the payment made. The payee may access the database records and obtain the payments at a later time. The apparatus allows low-income payers, who may not have access to bank accounts or credit cards, to submit cash payments when the payee is unavailable.