Planning to run out for a Slurpee or a scratch lottery ticket? You might also want to pay your taxes while you’re at it.

The IRS announced this week that taxpayers now have the option of paying their tax bills in cash at 7-Eleven. The move should make it easier for people to pay taxes when they can’t or don’t want to pay online. It could simplify things for people with limited access to the Internet or who don’t have a bank account or credit card, the agency said.

It may seem unusual to be able to pay taxes at the same place where you buy big drinks and snacks, but the IRS says, "This provides a new way for people who can only pay their taxes in cash without having to travel to an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center." The process still requires several steps, so taxpayers are encouraged to get started soon. This year's tax deadline is April 18. The Associated Press

“We continue to look for new ways to provide services for our taxpayers,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said in a statement. “This provides a new way for people who can only pay their taxes in cash without having to travel to an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.”

The entire process still requires multiple steps, however, so taxpayers are encouraged to get started as soon as possible. When filing their returns, people who want to pay at 7-Eleven need to choose the cash option from the IRS’s payments page. Once the IRS verifies taxpayers’ information, they’ll get an email with a link to a payment code that can be printed out or shown on a smartphone once they get to the 7-Eleven.

The tax payment option should be available at 7,000 participating 7-Eleven stores across 34 states. The program started in March but will be available year-round, meaning it will still be an option for people who miss the deadline, the IRS says. Taxpayers can pay bills of up to $1,000 a day for a fee of $3.99 per payment.

Of course, taxpayers have lots of other options for making good with the Tax Man. Paying online through the IRS’s Direct Pay website, where payments can be deducted from a checking or savings account, may be faster and easier for some people. Taxpayers can also pay with a credit or debit card online or over the phone, though some cards may charge a fee of roughly $2.60 or up to 2.25 percent of the payment.

People who need a little more time to pay and who owe less than $50,000 can go online to create a monthly payment plan with the IRS.

The most important thing is to communicate with the IRS soon if you don’t think you’ll be able to pay by April 18.

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