What is it with people writing checks!

[oybolshoi]

I just realized something as I was reading through this ... a lot of us older folks probably remember the days (not so long ago) when grocery stores didn't accept credit or debit cards. When you paid for your groceries it was in cash or with a check and you could only use a check if you had a check cashing card issued by the store.

Anyone else remember that?

In my area of the country grocery stores accepted debit cards for many years before finally bowing to pressure and adding credit cards - they have to pay fees to the CC companies to allow access to their networks so your purchase will "go through" and be approved.

I've been conditioned, I guess, and I always pay for our groceries with a check. I typically fill it out in advance of getting to the store so that all I have to do is fill in the purchase amount, but I've been guilty of forgetting on occasion.

As for why people don't fill their checks out while groceries are being scanned, it may be for the same reason that I don't ... I'm watching those items being scanned because I've caught mistakes on items before as they scan and have called the cashier's attention to it. It's not their fault since everything is programmed by barcode, but mistakes do happen and I'm not really interested in making the local grocery chain any more money than I have to. We even almost got charged once for the groceries of the person in line ahead of us when the cashier forgot to clear the register. That was nearly $50 that we would have ended up paying if I hadn't realized what was happening by watching the item scan.

So take a deep breath when someone ahead of you doesn't blow through the line in less than 60 seconds ... and whatever you do, avoid the grocery store on Christmas Eve or I fear for your health.

 

[laurie31]

For those who have never written a check, what do you do if you want to order pizza delivery but don't have any cash?

Go without?

I've never ordered pizza with anything but a credit card for at least the last decade.

As for the check-writers, I'm not bothered if they are watching the register - heck, I do that too! (and I know it's not the cashier's fault if something rings up wrong - it's in the system wrong). It's when they spend so much time looking for their checkbook (or their card, or cash, whatever they're paying with) as if it never occurred to them that they were going to need it prior to that point.

It doesn't really make me angry, though, it just makes me wonder what they were thinking. I know, maybe something terrible has just happened in their life or something, but I can't believe every single person who stands there clueless has just experienced something dreadful and is still in shock.

Case in point, the poster who told about the lady who *puts her car in park* while she looks for her badge to get into the parking deck. Oh. My. I would have to freak out if the person ahead of me put their car in park!! It's bad enough for them to have to stop and fish around for the badge! (again, if it were a visitor or someone unfamiliar with the deck, it's not the same. I see those people stop and sit and read all the "parking rules" that are posted before they drive in. I understand that. But an employee who parks there EVERY DAY should have it figured out already!)

I also remember the days when writing checks was the only way to pay for groceries, and it was also before those automatic scanners. The cashier manually entered the prices. I still had time to fill out my check while standing there even though I watched carefully as it was easy for the cashier to make a typo with the prices!

 

[oybolshoi]

I also remember the days when writing checks was the only way to pay for groceries, and it was also before those automatic scanners. The cashier mannually entered the prices. I still had time to fill out my check while standing there even though I watched carefully as it was easy for the cashier to make a typo with the prices!

I had blocked that from my memory!

Heck, I remember the old days when I was a bank teller when we used huge NCR machines to process transactions - before we were networked - and when we used triple carbons and manual credit card machines to process cash advances for customers.

I remember manual typewriters and rotary phones, too.

 

[JEmaryland]

For those who have never written a check, what do you do if you want to order pizza delivery but don't have any cash?

Go without?

You can order pizza online with your credit or debit card.

 

[jax677]

I use coupons and write a check for my groceries, horrors.

My husband claims I am the fastest check writer he has ever seen. I fill most of it out in line or right before I get inline.

 

[LoraJ]

I used to be a cashier many moons ago and swore I would never write a check at a store. And I never have.

Many people don't realize when using a debit/credit card that you can swipe it (at most stores) once your first item has been scanned. So when the transaction is done they hit the total, accept and here comes your receipt. Definitely the fastest method. So I still do not understand why anyone would use a check over that. The money comes out of your account instantly. No risk of bouncing checks.

 

[laurie31]

You can order pizza online with your credit or debit card.

You can order it over the phone that way too. I always just give my credit card number after I place the order. The guy brings the slip for my to sign along with the pizza. (He gets a better tip that way too, because I can add it to the total just like in a restaurant )

And oh noes - oybolshoi has immortalized my typo!! LOL! Too funny that it was talking about how easy it was to make typos. Maybe I was just illustrating my own point! And yeah, I even remember the days before xerox machines, when you had to use that blue mimeograph paper that got stains all over everything!

 

[ols386]

I used to write checks when grocery shopping, I don't anymore, but when I did, I wrote out as much of my check as I could before getting right up to the check-out; the only thing I had to write once I knew the total was the amount, and I had my check ready to go, and finish filling it out right then and there.

One thing that does bug me though is now that I don't write the checks anymore (I use cash now, I don't charge to my credit card), I still try to have cash ready and as soon as I know the amount, I give it to the cashier, but that isn't quick enough for some people, who act as though they can't wait even a second or two for me to finish my transaction with the cashier, and they are trying to crowd me out of the way, when I feel like I'm already trying to hurry. That's kinda rude, and it doesn't make me rush anymore than I already am, it only ticks me off.

 

[jax677]

I don't see why I would give up writing checks just because I could tie it to a debit card and it would be the same. To me, I would still have to keep a ledger of the place/amount/date of it.

I have never had anyone illegally take money from my checking account but I know many people who have had that happen to their debit cards. No thanks, I will do what has always worked for me.

I do hate when people try to crowd around me at the register. Let me finish my transaction and then I will move.

 

[squirrlygirl]

You can order pizza online with your credit or debit card.

You mean YOU can do that They don't accept credit cards for delivery around these parts...

 

[kacaju]

I used to be a cashier many moons ago and swore I would never write a check at a store. And I never have.

Many people don't realize when using a debit/credit card that you can swipe it (at most stores) once your first item has been scanned. So when the transaction is done they hit the total, accept and here comes your receipt. Definitely the fastest method. So I still do not understand why anyone would use a check over that. The money comes out of your account instantly. No risk of bouncing checks.

And what happens when you swipe your debit card after they scan the first item and they hit total before scanning your coupons??

 

[Praying Colonel]

For me, the issue is not using checks. The issue is NOT BEING PREPARED to use a check.

 

[arminnie]

I've never heard of a check writer admit they were slow, just ike I have never met anyone that admitted they were a bad driver, but they are out there.

So true!

And there is a little something else. I've noticed a not so thinly veiled annoyance/disgust at "older people" that appears in some posts. It's a prejudice, just like racism, sexism and the like.

I am probably the oldest person on this thread (62) - and I haven't been offended. I haven't kept a paper check register in DECADES. Even my 88 year old father uses plastic to pay for his groceries.

I had to write a real check for something the other day and noticed that the address on it was from 20 years ago.

For those who have never written a check, what do you do if you want to order pizza delivery but don't have any cash?

I pay with a credit card when I place the order online. I don't know of any delivery places that will take a check. I don't think I know of any restaurants that will either.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Maybe it's a bit of karma for me even being involved in this thread today, but I went to Target, and purchased a couple of things. So I just had swiped my debit card through the machine and it asked for my pin number. I was getting ready to enter it, and the cashier had finished ringing everything up and told me the total just as I was getting ready to enter the pin code. The first 2 digits of the total happened to be the first 2 digits of my pin code. My mind went completely blank. I could recall part of it, but not all of it. I tried and failed so many times, it wouldn't allow me to try again. And the line is building behind me, I'm apologizing profusely to the woman behind me and the cashier, my face is red, I'm starting to sweat. I was SO embarrassed. I had to have DD run out and get DH's card whose pin number I could remember. OMG, I halted that line to a stop for over 5 min. I felt soooo bad. I should have just told her to cancel the transaction and left. But I just stood there frozen, frantically trying to recall my pin code (which I still cannot remember). So, I have learned my lesson I will not criticize check writers again!

 

[Nancy]

And what happens when you swipe your debit card after they scan the first item and they hit total before scanning your coupons??

They have to also hit the tender key to actually process the card. So cashier scans items and hits total. If your card is already in the reader and it states "processing" on the screen it doesn't do anything until the cashier actually presses the key for the payment type. So they an scan coupons, add or remove items, hit total a second time and then hit the EFT key to tender out the order. (or check or cash)

 

[bumbershoot]

I've never heard of a check writer admit they were slow...

Well I did. Said that one day I was in "la la land" and didn't do it very fast. So there ya go.

um... HUH????

Floopy = strange, weird, messed up. Not a Friends watcher, were ya?

Sherpani = brand name

(adorable and purse, I assume, are obvious)

"russa frussa" = words for frustration. Not a Dudley DoRight watcher growing up either?

"ding dang" = more words for frustration.



here it is without the silly, non-obvious, words. My purse has a cute and helpful-looking pocket in the front, both under and on the flap. I would put my card there while in line, then pull it out quickly without having to go through my wallet. Alas, after doing that a few times with 2 of my cards, they lost some or all of their magnetization. One works only in the bank's ATM, and at the Trader Joe's swipe-through, well, doohickey is just going to have to suffice here. The other stores I go to, even though the swipe-throughs look alike, it doesn't work. The other card is absolutely DEAD for machines.

The clever little pockets and the surprisingly strong magnet (or perhaps just the fabric? the embroidery? random chance? since there's always someone out there who refuses to admit that magnets can mess up cards) holding the flap down killed my cards.

 

[C.Ann]

I hate check writers and people with those little pop open coin pouches where they just have to dig for the exact change.

It's almost as bad as people who don't have their tollbooth money ready when it's their turn to pay.

I'm sitting here shaking my head. Complaining about how long it takes someone to pay for their purchase? If you're in that big of a hurry that you can't wait a couple of extra minutes, then maybe you should have planned your trip to the store when you aren't so rushed.

Slow down and take time to smell the roses.

ETA: FWIW, I'm a cc user. No purse, just the cc in the pocket. Super fast. Swipe and sign. No checks & no debit (with or w/o money back).

I was thinking the same thing. That seems to be the going thing lately- people complaining about the simplest things. Life is to short to worry about silly little things. To many people in other people's business.

Too much negative crap.Life shouldn't be all negative. So sad.

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I think some folks might benefit from a small dose of valium before getting in the check out line..

Of all the things in the world I "could" complain about, this is so far down the list I can't even find it..

 

[LaurenLC]

I'm not a huge check writer, but anyone that wants to huff and puff because I use coupons can happily do so... Unless you plan on handing me the money I would be saving out of your wallet, you can keep your comments to yourself.....I have grocery store clerks that stand in awe by how much I save, and I plan on continuing to do so..... Happy shopping!

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

It doesn't annoy me so much as baffle me but...what about the people who write checks on a daily basis and never carry a pen on them? If you know you always write checks, why would you not carry a pen?

 

[WannaBeAPrincess]

I've read this whole thread...I just was going to read the first page, but then I couldn't help myself

Check writer, debit/credit card user, to me it all boils down to one thing...consideration. Just be considerate of those who don't have all the time in the world to "smell the roses". Sure, we all could slow down a bit, but not very likely to happen since we all lead very busy lives in this day in age. So many people live in a "me" world, where nothing else matters but "me". That's what bugs me more than anything else. The older person that is struggling to grip a pen to write the check, the frantic new mom who is just trying to make it through the grocery store with a fussy baby...I have all the compassion in the world for them and would never in a million years look down on them for holding up the line. It's the person who is all about "me" who can't/won't end her cell phone call so she can properly communicate and pay for her items at the check out stand who I have no patience for, and all of those like her. And if you are about to quote my last statement and tell me that you are able to talk on the phone and check-out at a store just fine...don't bother. I don't believe you.