Oh no, another cash or check only thread

[Christine]

My DH has a dr would didn't take credit cards. I called the office and asked if the doctor didn't know what year it was. The staff laughed and said they'd been bugging him about it for a while.

He takes credit cards now.

If enough people complain, they change.

I agree. I have one doctor, very small practice, great guy, trying to keep costs down. He does take credit cards but they charge him a 3-4% usage fee so they tell me that they love to take checks for that reason, but there's never any pressure for me to do so. So, I always pay them with a check.

 

[wenrob]

My oldest has had a checking account since 15/16 and is now 23. She doesn’t own a checkbook and has written exactly one check in her lifetime. To the best of my knowledge the other four checks that came with opening the account are roaming around here somewhere. I just opened checking accounts for the other two and they did not come with the complimentary checks. Our bank will issue checks for us with no fee.

I do own a checkbook and write maybe five checks per year. Due to my nieces/nephews “aging out” of birthday checks I doubt I’ll write a single check this year. The schools here only took cash or money orders until recently. They’ve FINALLY started accepting online payments for a small fee. I gladly pay it rather than sending my kid to school with $100 cash and hoping it makes it to the banker.

In my experience it’s smaller businesses that want checks in order to avoid processing fees. The guy who painted my house wanted cash. My sister is a hairdresser and only takes cash or check. Over half of her clientele are little old ladies so this works for now but they’re literally dying off and not being replaced with newer/younger customers because people don’t want to stop for cash for the one person on the planet who doesn’t take a credit card. It’s just easier to go to a shop that does. These businesses are going to have to get over it though because checks are going the way of the DoDo Bird. Heck even swiping credit/debit cards is going that way. I’m far more likely to use a business that will take mobile payments over one that won’t.

FTR I bought my house without writing a single check.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Great job, @tvguy !!! I like how whenever you mention checks it triggers those who find it necessary to mention that <<THEY>> haven't written a check in 10 years. The bold-faced effrontery of someone daring to use such an outdated method of payment!!! It's like a personal attack!!!

 

[RamblingMad]

Great job, @tvguy !!! I like how whenever you mention checks it triggers those who find it necessary to mention that <<THEY>> haven't written a check in 10 years. The bold-faced effrontery of someone daring to use such an outdated method of payment!!! It's like a personal attack!!!

So far no complaints about the lack of folks taking Bitcoin. This conversation is so dated.

 

[disneychrista]

Great job, @tvguy !!! I like how whenever you mention checks it triggers those who find it necessary to mention that <<THEY>> haven't written a check in 10 years.

Honestly, I think the I haven’t written a check in years is more in response to the shocked replies how could his daughter NOT have checks.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Honestly, I think the I haven’t written a check in years is more in response to the shocked replies how could his daughter NOT have checks.

Nope, it happens every time checks are mentioned in any context.

 

[amberpi]

I do not have checks anymore after housekeepers at home and at work stealing from me this way. (At work in a locked office and a locked drawer.) it’s never been a problem. I do have to go to the bank to get enough cash to pay property taxes. No big deal. There are a couple of other times I’ve had to run into the bank and grab some cash but it seriously takes 2 minutes. Now use Venmo or the cash app or Apple Pay. My husband hasn’t had checks in almost 15 years. He didn’t use them when he lived in Paris and never understood why he’d need them when he came back...like 8 years ago. He will also have to occasionally grab cash but again, nbd.

 

[gwynne]

Nope, it happens every time checks are mentioned in any context.

Exactly. And no one really cares if someone has decided to not use checks, or has found using checks in their particular location are unnecessary.
On the other hand, sometimes in other locations and situations they are occasionally needed.
Not a big deal. Write the check, move on with life.

 

[Searc]

We use checks and credit cards and cash. Sometimes, writing a check in unavoidable where we live. If you don't need them where you live, great. Stop acting like anyone who writes check is a backwards hick and you're oh so hipster and cool because you can't possibly understand why anyone would ever need to use them.

 

[easyas123]

We use checks and credit cards and cash. Sometimes, writing a check in unavoidable where we live. If you don't need them where you live, great. Stop acting like anyone who writes check is a backwards hick and you're oh so hipster and cool because you can't possibly understand why anyone would ever need to use them.

Excellent statement.

 

[Kestryl]

I needed to pay in cash or check for several things just in the last year: house inspector, septic tank pumping, termite inspector. None of these businesses accepted card or electronic transfer.

Prior to that, I had needed them for rent until I moved to a larger apartment complex run by a larger management company.

I could have paid for several things (school fees, doctor visits, and car registration) with a credit card, but there was a 3+% fee.

I pay my parents with a check for my cell phone share. I’ve paid friends and family (and they’ve paid me) with checks because someone didn’t have Venmo and it was better than carrying $100+ in cash.

I have a deep belief that everyone capable of handling finances should have a credit card (even if they don’t use it), checks, and $20 in their wallet (you never know when you’ll be stuck in a blackout and need cash).

 

[kdonnel]

Checks still have a necessary place in our banking system.

However, whenever I am behind someone writing a check in a store, I always assume they are a time traveler from the past visiting their future!

 

[RamblingMad]

Checks still have a necessary place in our banking system.

However, whenever I am behind someone writing a check in a store, I always assume they are a time traveler from the past visiting their future!

I write checks every month. It forces me to look at my bills. If I put everything on auto pilot, I don’t track my spending as well.

 

[Searc]

Checks still have a necessary place in our banking system.

However, whenever I am behind someone writing a check in a store, I always assume they are a time traveler from the past visiting their future!

I never write a check at a store. Our checks are used for the DMV, getting our septic pumped at the cabin, quarterly water bill (only takes checks), birthday gifts, bills we receive in the mail, lawn service, etc. We mostly use cards, but checks are still necessary in our life.

 

[kdonnel]

I write checks every month. It forces me to look at my bills. If I put everything on auto pilot, I don’t track my spending as well.

I "write" checks every month as well through online bill pay. Nothing is on auto pilot so I am aware of all my spending.

I am talking about someone writing a check at Macy's or Kroger or WalMart. Like it or not, that is not the norm anymore and those people look out of time, time travelers.

 

[disneychrista]

Nope, it happens every time checks are mentioned in any context.

I can only speak to myself. Not what anyone else thinks. And that was the intent with my response.

There are very few situations where I have needed checks in the past 10 years.

 

[wenrob]

We use checks and credit cards and cash. Sometimes, writing a check in unavoidable where we live. If you don't need them where you live, great. Stop acting like anyone who writes check is a backwards hick and you're oh so hipster and cool because you can't possibly understand why anyone would ever need to use them.

I don’t know. I think on the flip of that there’s the implication that if you don’t write checks/carry cash you are too stupid to see that you will be DOOMED in case of an emergency and are incapable of “adulting.” Yet half the free world stopped using checks a couple decades ago and seem to muddle through just fine. You get the same conversations happening with landlines or no landlines. It’s going to depend on where you live whether either are necessary or not. I can go out for an entire day, take care of various errands and participate in various activities and never even have to pull out my wallet. It’s not about being hip or cool, it’s just the way my city is going. Okay, so maybe it’s cool to be able to pay for things with my watch or phone but better than that, it’s convenient.

I write checks every month. It forces me to look at my bills. If I put everything on auto pilot, I don’t track my spending as well.

I don’t auto pay anything except my cellphone bill (get a discount). I keep an eye on my accounts probably too much.

 

[kimblebee]

Guilty as charged. I guess I’d argue that while cheque-writing is legitimately on the cusp of extinction, some of us will never go 100% electronic. I do practically all of my purchasing with a debit card and all of our bill payment on-line through the bank; I was an early adopter of both those technologies back in the day. I’ve stopped short of having a pay pal account and since I only like to use credit cards for certain things, my on-line shopping is limited. I can never get my visa debit card to work on websites - not sure what I’m doing wrong and the idea of e-transferring money to people freaks me right out. I still write out cheques to mail in birthday cards.

My daughter has some issues with her visa
debit on some sites too. Amazon won’t take it for whatever reason. Maybe it’s the type of account it’s linked to?

 

[gwynne]

I "write" checks every month as well through online bill pay. Nothing is on auto pilot so I am aware of all my spending.

I am talking about someone writing a check at Macy's or Kroger or WalMart. Like it or not, that is not the norm anymore and those people look out of time, time travelers.

These types of problems you seem to be experiencing are likely very location specific. I cannot recall the last time I was waiting behind someone who was attempting to pay with a check at a retail outlet like Macy's, Krogers or Walmart.

 

[Christine]

These types of problems you seem to be experiencing are likely very location specific. I cannot recall the last time I was waiting behind someone who was attempting to pay with a check at a retail outlet like Macy's, Krogers or Walmart.

I definitely see it at the grocery store. Always the elderly doing it. And I don't mean elderly (like they are 65), I mean they are WELL into their 80s. More power to them!! My parents are mid to late 70s/80 and they no longer use checks at the grocery store. The people I see doing it look WAY older than my parents.