Do you still write checks?

**K9soul** · 03-26-2007, 12:22 AM

I pay my bills online and any online ordering is by paypal or my check card, but I still write checks occasionally. I guess I'm more with the times in that way, but I'm still in the dark ages in the fact that I don't own a cell phone.

**Logan** · 03-26-2007, 09:03 AM

I was just thinking of this, last week, Pam, when we paid the heating contractor, by check, for some work he did in our house. We don't write many checks at all.

I guess we mostly use checks to pay for things like that, when someone needs to be paid "on the spot". The only other things I can think of is that we pay our church pledge by check or cash, our petsitter gets a check or cash, and we usually pay our vet bill with a check. Everything else is done by automatic draft or by online banking.

**ramanth** · 03-26-2007, 12:22 PM

I still write checks or pay cash for just about everything. The only thing I pay for online are the two credit card bills.

Andy uses his debit card or cash.

I do a pretty cruddy job of keeping the checkbook balanced though. *laughs* I have .46 cents extra in my checking account and I have no clue where it came from.

**k9krazee** · 03-26-2007, 12:24 PM

My mom still uses checks to pay bills and stuff.

I use cash or my debit card to pay for everything.

**pitc9** · 03-26-2007, 12:29 PM

I pay about 95% of my things on line. I only write about 3 or 4 checks a month.

**Cinder & Smoke** · 03-26-2007, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by ramanth

I have 46 cents extra in my checking account
and I have no clue where it came from.

Well, don't fret ... wait a few days and
you'll usually discover that the balance has taken a noticeable shift
in the Other Direction!

**Lobodeb** · 03-26-2007, 02:31 PM

I don't remember the last time I wrote a check. Heck, there are few places that accept them anymore. And now, I just signed up to do this pay by touch thing, that's liked to my bank card, so I don't even have to use that anymore!

**Rachel** · 03-26-2007, 04:29 PM

For several years now I have banked on line and in one fell swoop can pay all our monthly bills. I do have a separate checking account for bigger bills - insurance payments, real estate taxes, estimated federal taxes and those I write out, but now that I think of it, that account (at a different bank) also has on line banking and I could take advantage of it.

For me it's a no-brainer to save .39 postage (and it's going to be going up too). I'm really surprised at the number of people who authorize payments to be withdrawn from their accounts. I'm too much of a control freak for that, and I could see problems in resolving discrepancies in what is owed, for example in a credit card account. Then too you have to remember to enter those amounts in your payment record.

It's only been recently that I started to use a debit card. Surprisingly I love it and wonder why I resisted.

One thing when using on-line banking one has to be aware of a change of address for the payee. When you pay by check the new address will be on the payment stub, but when you pay on line, you have to change the address of your payee. The companies never seem to bring a *change of address* to your attention and I have run into situations where they didn't get the bank check until after the due date (forwarding time I guess).

Come on, Pam, join the crowd. You'll love on line bill pay. Staci, take a fresh start and find yourself a nice bank with low minimum balance and on line bill pay. You are a bright young woman...you can do this.

**ramanth** · 03-27-2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Cinder & Smoke

Well, don't fret ... wait a few days and
you'll usually discover that the balance has taken a noticeable shift
in the Other Direction!

Don't I know it! I'm guilty of that.

Lately I have a buffer of $10 in the account so when monthly account fees get taken out, I don't overdraw the account.

**Cinder & Smoke** · 03-27-2007, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by ramanth

Lately I have a buffer of $10 in the account so when monthly account fees
get taken out, I don't overdraw the account.

Good Luck with the slush fund ...

I used to try to "hide" an extra $100 in my checking account ...
to "cover" the lil "Ooopsies" - forgot to write in & subtract out the $70.00 toy I bought;
and "DARNs" - when I'd make the $20 subtraction errors;
and "Oh, CRAPs!" when I'd discover I entered the SAME paycheck deposit TWICE!

But what's with the "Monthly Account Fees"?

You need to find a bank that lets you store you money for FREE!

**ramanth** · 03-27-2007, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Cinder & Smoke

Good Luck with the slush fund ...
But what's with the "Monthly Account Fees"?

You need to find a bank that lets you store you money for FREE!

I bank with the local credit union. It's something like $2 or $3 so it's not that bad.

As a teen working a part time job through high school I had an account at a large chain bank. One day they merged with someone else, became National City, and I was told that if I didn't have AT LEAST $300 in my savings account at all times then I'd get charged a WEEKLY fine. I didn't even make $300 a week and had car payments to pay and gosh forbid I actually want to spend my hard earned money.

Closed the account and I've been with Credit Unions ever since.

**Rachel** · 03-27-2007, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Cinder & Smoke

But what's with the "Monthly Account Fees"?

You need to find a bank that lets you store you money for FREE!

I'm with Phred on this one, but then I'm in an area that has a bank on practically every corner so have a lot to choose from. Still with a little research I would think you could locate a bank that works well for your particular needs as far as mimimum balances. That $2 - $3 is better spent on ice cream.