slo’s MONDAY 1/30 poll - Writing Checks

[CynBeth]

Since the pandemic began I started paying as much online as I can. I don’t do the auto pay unless I have to I will go on a website as soon as I get a bill and pay there. A few things I still need to send in a check for.

 

[Skywalker3]

Just for the yard guys, so from spring-fall,a bout twice a month.

 

[amcnj]

Just a few a year. I think all are to individuals at this point.

 

[bakerworld]

I have a friend who feels her checks are better at documenting and proof but constantly has a problem with how long it takes for her checks to clear. Whatever. I started paying everything thru my bank by 2005. It's easier. They still generate statements showing electronic payments. I used their statements to prove to my life insurance that we were not in arrears so their system works. Hanging onto cancelled checks has lost it's worth.

 

[soccerdad72]

Paper check, maybe a couple times a year. Our banking app will send out a check for most of those payments that are not already done electronically.

 

[ronandannette]

I do it because I’m the only one who can find a random cheque book, wherever it might be stashed. We have no reason to write any, at this point, for business purposes. It’s strictly a few a year for charity or special gifts. I just can’t get into e-transferring somebody a wedding present.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I like checks, used to use them all the time but when the entire mail process became so unreliable in 2020 I pivoted away from the mail and checks along with it.
I would send checks to pay for things and they would vanish unless I sent it more expensively as certified with tracking and even then it would sometimes vanish. Remember how many of us would watch our deliveries go on adventures all over the US before they got to us, I assumed my mail was making the same bizarre rumspringa trips so I deselected it as an option. Come to think of it, I also switched to digital bills during this time because all my bills were coming late and erratically, plus mail stopped having the time and date postage stamps so I couldn't even track the errors, decided the process was useless. What is that anyway with the mail not having postage stamps? On top of that is the fact banks now take about a week to transfer funds so a check in the mail I can kiss goodbye for a week on top of a week processing plus a third week for good measure so a bill could be over a week late before I have any idea something is wrong and often I would end up sending another check only to end up paying twice so now I just have a months extra credit for most bills to cover the lunacy. In FACT, even the stores have become erratic with reporting charges often waiting an absurd amount of time so I ignore their timelines and just pay extra as I see fit so it doesn't damage my credit report. Checks, I guess , seems to be a liability now, not to be trusted. The entire process went off the rails & I suspect the majority of people using checks now are too set in their ways to pivot in spite of the mess or prefer to pay in person anyway.

 

[slo]

About 2 or 3 a month.

BTW, the poll says Saturday, but it is Monday.

Holy Moly…..you’re right
Thank you!

 

[MIGrandma]

We pay several of our bills with checks. We do have a few bills that are paid but credit card, then we pay off the card when the bill comes. We are both 65 and prefer to pay our bills this way.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I haven’t written a check in many, many years. My checks still have the address from two homes ago on them.

There’s such an issue with check-washing in my area that I wouldn’t even consider it a safe method of payment. It seems like every other day there’s a new post on Nextdoor from someone who’s been a victim, and the general responses are no longer that of sympathy but of frustration. As in, “Why is anyone still putting checks in the mail?! You must know better by now. What did you expect would happen?”

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/16/check-washing-mailbox-fishing

 

[Wood Nymph]

It seems like every other day there’s a new post on Nextdoor from someone who’s been a victim, and the general responses are no longer that of sympathy but of frustration. As in, “Why is anyone still putting checks in the mail?! You must know better by now. What did you expect would happen?”

We had someone report that they were a victim of check washing who lives in our town and mailed their checks out of our post office. They received the same treatment from Next Door as you described. I write my checks with permanent ink in hopes it will prevent someone from doing that to one of my checks.

 

[nene0182]

I pay the water bill by check only because I locked myself out of my online account about 6 months ago and I’ve been too lazy to call and have it reset. My husband typically only writes checks for licensing and certification fees for work (he is then reimbursed by his company)

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I only write maybe 6 checks a year. To pay my son’s school fees for high school because my only other option is to pay online with a credit card and I won’t pay their fee to do that. I also write a check for our property taxes for the same reason, although I found out this year that I can now pay with my bank app and no fees are charged. Lastly, I write checks for birthday gifts sent in the mail.

Edit - I thought of another one. Renewing any licenses with the county (my notary, drivers license, license plate tags), I typically write checks to pay.

 

[BrianL]

I very seldomly write checks - only to pay a contractor maybe. All regular bills are paid online.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I wrote a couple checks a month until a few years ago when the mail got really bad / backed up and then I swapped just about everything that wasn't already epay to epay. Last year I switched to Venmo for bdays and so I almost never write checks anymore. In fact, the last bill check I wrote (a few months ago) got lost in the mail and I ended up doing epay for that as well. There's not much point in checks anymore. I don't think I will reorder any after these are gone. Saves on stamps also.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Never. Cheques aren’t readily accepted in Canada much anymore.
Sorry but this system seems so archaic.

 

[RUDisney]

About 5 or 6 per year. My primary care doctor only accepts cash or checks for co-pays. Then there are a few checks for various miscellaneous reasons.

My DH has gone to several doctors like this. I always call the office to ask if the doctor knows what year it is. Really, in 2023, you don't accept anything but cash or check?!? I've had him drop doctors because of this.

I write few checks. When I do, it's usually to deposit one into my DS's account in another bank or to send one of my kids to the bank to withdraw money for me. Otherwise, the more automated that I can make my bill paying, the better.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I don't remember the last time I wrote a check. I pay all of my bills online.

 

[mumto3girls]

A few a month. School charges a fee to use a credit card so I use a check to pay for my daughter’s lunches. Her hairdresser only takes cash or check. DH pays the monthly bills unless he is out of town on a longer trip and then I do it—only a few paid by check now but there are a few.

 

[loves to dive]

I picked a few times a year but it's probably less than that. Basically, I just write a check from one account to another and I've written a few through the years to my son. I have a savings and checking account in a small local bank I've had for about 30 years. I can transfer on line from the savings to the checking. I then write a check from that checking to my main checking if I need to pay a large bill. Otherwise, I pay almost everything with a credit card since I get cash back then pay the credit card on line from my main checking account.