How many people still use checks?

[TooManyWheels]

I went to online bill paying seven years ago when a batch of three bill payments I dropped at the post office was stolen and forged.

I get a kick out of people who think that not using electronic payment protects them from fraud or ID theft. How many times a year do we hear about massive amounts of customer data being mishandled or misprotected? There is one in the headlines as I write.

 

[jsharp]

I still pay a lot more things by check than electronicly. I write between 50 and 100 checks per month in fact.

The power company doesn't take online payments.
Nor my propane supplier.
Not the water service company.
Not my house payment.
Doctors, dentists, veterinarians and hospitals don't.
Can't pay my property taxes that way.
One of my credit cards will take online payments, but charges me extra for them.
Same with the telephone company, they charge extra.

I seldom use my debit card either. It costs $2+ per transaction for cash, vs. driving through the bank and cashing a check, which is free.

As far as writing checks in stores, it take about the same amount of time as anyone else spends trying to -

"press 1 for english"
"please enter your pin"
"please re-enter your pin"
"press 1 of withdrawal, 2 for transfer, 3 for credit"
"are you sure"

etc.

When they use their debit or credit card. In fact, much of the time it's faster because there's no authorization process involved.

I use Quicken to keep my personal checkbook and a dedicated accounting package for my business checks. I can look at my income and expenses together anytime I want and not need to go to a dozen or more websites to do it, and I've got records as long as I want them.

I consider the "convenience" of online payments to be overblown and the security is often marginal. I'm also not interested in any given company keeping records of a large number of my money transactions. That's why even though I write a lot of checks, I still also do a lot of things with cash...

 

[Schmoe]

I too was once with the "check" only crowd. But, it is going the way of the dinosaur. I got it through my credit union. If you biller doesn't do online banking, they will physically mail them a check, the rest, is done online. No credit card numbers or anything like that, pretty sweet.
One thing about Discover Card, read the fine print, it's not exactly 1% cash back. There is no cash back if you shop at Sam's. Only 1/2 percent if you buy at Walmart. There are some catches. I dropped them after that. Found a company, USAA Visa, that does 1% across the board, no matter where or what you buy. What a difference. I, like some here, charge everything and then make one payment at the end of the month.
But, buyer beware with Discover Card, it's not all cut and dry like that advertise. To get 2%, you have to shop at these high dollar stores that they tell you to. Hey, it's MY money.

 

[robbobster]

The person in front of me at at the grocery store invariably pays with a check and has no ID. A stack of expired coupons for items that weren't even purchased is a given as well.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by robbobster:
The person in front of me at at the grocery store invariably pays with a check and has no ID. A stack of expired coupons for items that weren't even purchased is a given as well.

---

You forgot the part where they wait until evrything is rung-up to get their checkbook out, then write out the full check and enter it in their checkbook register before they hand the check to the clerk, who then asks for the ID they don't have.

Clerk: "Do yo have any I.D."
Clueless customer: "'Bout what?"

 

[robbobster]

quote:

---

Originally posted by XS650:
You forgot the part where they wait until evrything is rung-up to get their checkbook out, then write out the full check and enter it in their checkbook register before they hand the check to the clerk, who then asks for the ID they don't have.

Clerk: "Do yo have any I.D."
Clueless customer: "'Bout what?"

---

You got that right! They sit clueless until the last possible moment.

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

---

Originally posted by XS650:
You forgot the part where they wait until evrything is rung-up to get their checkbook out, then write out the full check and enter it in their checkbook register before they hand the check to the clerk, who then asks for the ID they don't have.

Clerk: "Do yo have any I.D."
Clueless customer: "'Bout what?"

---

Yeah, when I see anybody whip out a checkbook, I head for a different line.

The Walmart by me has the worst service. About 20 cash registers up front and usually only two cashiers. Sometimes I get away with paying in sporting goods, pharmacy, or the music dept and sneak out early.

 

[opus1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by XS650:

quote:

---

Originally posted by robbobster:
The person in front of me at at the grocery store invariably pays with a check and has no ID. A stack of expired coupons for items that weren't even purchased is a given as well.

---

You forgot the part where they wait until evrything is rung-up to get their checkbook out, then write out the full check and enter it in their checkbook register before they hand the check to the clerk, who then asks for the ID they don't have.

Clerk: "Do yo have any I.D."
Clueless customer: "'Bout what?"

---

And don't forget the part about them not even having a pen so they have to get one from the clerk, again, AFTER everything is rung up and ready to go.

 

[tom slick]

I only use checks on a couple of items. a canceled check can be considered a reciept so anything that is tax deductible I write a check so I can deduct it at tax time.

 

[NJC]

quote:

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Originally posted by medic:
How many people here are still using checks on a regular basis?

---

Well, to start I don't use many "checks" except for when I'm voting.

And neither do I use cheques ... I used to use them regularly when I was renting a home. My wife uses them for mailing b-day money to the nieces/nephews but that's it.

All of the banking is online or auto-debit.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by njc:
Well, to start I don't use many "checks" except for when I'm voting.

---

The poll workers prefer cash here, it doesn't leave such an easy audit trail.

 

[opus1]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gary Allan:
....I really got sticker shock when I had to order checks. My son pointed out that everyone offers free checking ..so they just make it up in some other manner. If we use four a month it would be rare.

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You're not kidding about that!

I ordered a box recently and told the teller that I wanted the cheapest, plainest checks that they had. The darn things still cost me $22!

Next batch comes from "Checks In The Mail" or some outfit like that.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by opus1:

Originally posted by Gary Allan:
[qb]
I ordered a box recently and told the teller that I wanted the cheapest, plainest checks that they had. The darn things still cost me $22!

Next batch comes from "Checks In The Mail" or some outfit like that.

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Have you checked out credit unions? They usually have more reasonable prices on everything and at mine if you're over 55 virtually all routine transactions and checks are free.

The only disadvantage I have noticed over a regular bank is that I'm not making bank stockholders rich.

 

[Scott P]

I use online Bill Pay through my bank. I can enter my payment into the bank, flip screens and enter it right into Quicken. My bank either then mails or transmits the money to whomever I am paying. I think I write maybe one or two checks per month tops.

 

[JAYCEE]

I use Paypal to pay all bills. It's free. It saves five or six stamps per month. Electric payments rule out accidental late fees too.

 

[kreigle]

quote:

---

Originally posted by opus1:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gary Allan:
....I really got sticker shock when I had to order checks. My son pointed out that everyone offers free checking ..so they just make it up in some other manner. If we use four a month it would be rare.

---

You're not kidding about that!

I ordered a box recently and told the teller that I wanted the cheapest, plainest checks that they had. The darn things still cost me $22!

Next batch comes from "Checks In The Mail" or some outfit like that.

---

I've used "Checks in the Mail" and "Current" for over 10 yrs now (i buy 4 boxes at a time and that lasts me several years) - found out last time I wanted to use one of their 'Val-Pak' coupons, that they are both the same company! I used a 'new customer' coupon for Checks in the mail around 4 yrs ago and last year tried the same with Current and got a bill with the checks stating I owed full price! Then I found Promise Checks
and will be making my next order from them, even though they don't have as large a selection to choose from, they are quite reasonabley priced.

 

[NewGuy]

My wife and I might write 1 check a month. All of the bills are paid using the On-line Billpay option from the bank. The info is then downloaded into MS Money. I bought a box of checks in Nov '04 and still haven't used the first book.

 

[msparks]

PS,

I hate waiting in line at the store for someone to do a check. Seems to take at least 5 minutes longer.

Debit/check card is usually swiped before the cashier is done. I'm out the door in seconds.

 

[andrews]

I still use checks and hope to continue. What if your computer goes down? What about power failure at bill time? What about security issues? What about big-brother spying on you?
I don't know, but I'm just not comfortable with everything being online. I like a more hands-on approach to my bills.
msparks, are you serious? Most time consuming thing in the check out line, besides the coupon folks, is the debit card fumbling. It never takes 5 mins to write a check....unless you're bad of sight or the help is slow. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people ask questions about the debit or punch in the wrong code, use the wrong card, ask how to do it, or otherwise just slow everybody down.

[ May 27, 2005, 11:52 AM: Message edited by: andrews ]

 

[kenw]

Still use checks for mailed-in bills (nope, no online junk).

There's still that wonderful feature called check float......

the money manager (aka The Wife) prefers it that way, and I'm all for doing it whatever way she prefers. I make it, she manages it. it's kept us out of the poorhouse for 30 years that way.