Holding Checks

[MamaBelle4]

Ugh. I hate it when businesses do this. If you want me to pay you on time, cash the check in a decent time frame.

My daughters' dance studio sent out a studio wide email "Payment for costumes is past due. If I don't have them soon, your children will not have a costume for the recital." She's a new business and doesn't have a company credit card so she needs the payment in time to order the costumes. I get that. I paid her before the due date 2 weeks ago.

She STILL has not cashed the check. I have it deducted from my ledger but it's a moment of "huh?" EVERYTIME I check the bank account.

Just deposit my money already!!

 

[barkley]

I totally get you. I have 2 vendors that we pay by check. one once a month, the other weekly. I can understand the one (similar to a dance studio where everyone's 'tuition' is due monthly on the first) to wait maybe until the 10th for stragglers, but the person who gets paid weekly seems to sit on checks at times for several weeks.

not a major issue for me but I've wondered if she ever get's burned on this by virtue of folks who don't regularly balance their accounts and assume most items clear within a few days.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Exactly! I would pay her by card but it's a $5 charge. I'm not losing $5 every month for no reason!

 

[barkley]

Exactly! I would pay her by card but it's a $5 charge. I'm not losing $5 every month for no reason!

YOU get charged? that's crazy. I don't pay my weekly person by my debit or credit card b/c I know she incurs a cost but she doesn't pass it on to the customer.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I had a person do that with our rent payment, and then went and cashed both on the same day the next month. I was not a happy camper with them.

 

[Action City]

I had a person do that with our rent payment, and then went and cashed both on the same day the next month. I was not a happy camper with them.

It shouldn't matter when the check is cashed if you've already accounted for it being spent.

 

[Sweettears]

It shouldn't matter when the check is cashed if you've already accounted for it being spent.

Agreed. It’s called balancing your checkbook.

 

[usnuzuloose]

It shouldn't matter when the check is cashed if you've already accounted for it being spent.

They never did that before, so really did not notice. They gave us a 60 day notice they were selling the property so I was taken aback , he is a dr. they said they may have to close their office. The money was sitting there waiting to cash but I was still taken off guard by it all.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I know what you mean. I sell on eBay as a side gig and do some consignments for people. I sent out 3 consignment checks almost 3 weeks ago and none of the 3 have cashed them. I know they received them because one I hand delivered and the other 2 told me they got them. Just cash them so I can balance my account!!!!!

 

[Minnesota!]

It absolutely FLOORS me how rude and slow some people can be in cashing checks. There are a few things that I pay by check because they don't take anything else. My kids bowling league is one, and I paid the second half fees a few months ago and they sat on the check for a LONG time. I balance, so I know it there, but just cash the damn check.

 

[Shanti]

I try to avoid paying with checks for this very reason. I like to be able to check my account balance on my phone, and not have to subtract uncashed checks in my head from the total. On the rare occasions when people must have checks these days, I usually give them a money order, instead.

 

[colormegreen]

My son’s school does it with his uniform order. His uniform changes by year, so it’s a pain every August when it’s time to order. They usually accept cards, but every time I go or it’s my turn the machine breaks and by then it’s only cash or checks...I never carry cash on me. I balance my checkbook so I know the money is i;the account, but it is really annoying to have that check uncashed for several months...I think the last time they didn’t cash it until mid October.

 

[jedijill]

My old HOA did that. When I was selling the house, I had to track them down to cash it so I could prove that the dues were paid for the year....5 months after I sent the check!

Jill in CO

 

[gmar1210]

Why not pay with a cashiers check instead of a personal check. My bank issues them for free.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I pay DD's piano teacher in cash for this reason. I write so few checks that I forget I've written one.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Why not pay with a cashiers check instead of a personal check. My bank issues them for free.

Our bank has moved out of our area. It was when we signed up but is now mostly online and our nearest branch is a little over an hour away.

 

[wishuponastar1984]

I would ask if they accept any type of online payment like Zelle or PayPal. Even people who aren't super advanced in technology have access to these services. I even got my yard maintenance guy using Zelle. He gets instant access to the funds and I don't have to be constantly reminded to leave a check. Zelle is linked to most major banks (Chase, Capital One, BOA) Most of the checks I write are less than $100 a piece that it doesn't really factor into budgeting.

 

[barkley]

My son’s school does it with his uniform order. His uniform changes by year, so it’s a pain every August when it’s time to order. They usually accept cards, but every time I go or it’s my turn the machine breaks and by then it’s only cash or checks...I never carry cash on me. I balance my checkbook so I know the money is i;the account, but it is really annoying to have that check uncashed for several months...I think the last time they didn’t cash it until mid October.

oh my gosh, you just made me flash back to when my kids were attending private school/afterschool care. the school was always whining about needing money and soliciting donations/having fundraisers....yet they would sit on the freaking tuition checks FOREVER. I get it when a business only does deposits on a certain day of the week/month but when they push for paying tuition quarterly or biannually to 'help the school' and then sit on checks of several thousands of dollars each for 2 or more months then I am less than inclined to believe their pleas (back then interest on a simple business account wasn't something to sneeze at so they were losing out by not depositing and letting the money earn interest until it had to be shifted to THEIR outgoing operational checking account).

I remember at one school meeting yet another impassioned plea for donations yielded a voice from the back of the room saying 'if you need money so badly why not cash our tuition checks we paid 2 months ago' which resulted in a round of applause from the audience and red faces on the staff panel.

 

[pearlieq]

SO annoying! I have a check sitting out from last September and it irritates me every time I look at my bank account. Like others have said, this is why I don't write checks!

 

[QueenIsabella]

I guess I don't see the issue. When I write a check, the money is gone, in my mind. It's on the recipient to get their money on their own schedule. If they're slow to cash, that's their business.