Amazon created a concrete shortage

[MossRoad]

I have noticed many posts about their banks providing checks free.

Do that many of you still use checks?

Nope. Almost everything is now electronic for us.

One of our kids is 24 years old. She's had a checking account since high school. She wrote her first check ever about 2 weeks ago.

 

[Big Barn]

Nope. Almost everything is now electronic for us.

One of our kids is 24 years old. She's had a checking account since high school. She wrote her first check ever about 2 weeks ago.

I haven't even stepped foot in a bank in years.

 

[kcflhrc]

One thing I will say is after a Bank of America flub on a large deposit I made I will never be without 2 different bank accounts at 2 different Banks. Basically the Teller at BOA took the Check Deposit for $29k, a boat I sold, and not only held those funds but held all funds. I was in the middle of Missouri with no cash and only the BOA Account. After an hour or so on the phone and finally getting someone that could help me, they took the hold off my account. Never again, I now have 2 checking accounts with Debit cards at 2 different Banks. You talk about a horrible feeling with no funds available to you. I also make sure I have cash now when I travel also, you never know.

 

[dmccarty]

We seldom have a problem with Amazon delivering orders on time. In fact, lately, it has been the opposite. I have told them to deliver a day or so later, on a Monday instead of Sunday, yet the truck shows up on Sunday.

One does have to be careful when ordering to make sure one is buying from Amazon and not another company using Amazon. That can delay an order big time.

When we built our house almost 15ish years ago, there was a world wide concrete shortage because China was buying up all of the concrete, supposedly for the Olympics but they seem to have also built large underground facilities for their ICBMs amount other things. We had to wait for our allocation to built our home which is on a slab.

The USPS is so bad in my parents area, I wish Amazon would start delivering packages. Our USPS is pretty good but my parents and other family members have horrible service.
Our area is growing by leaps and bound, has been for decades, and will continue to do so in the future. Even in 2008, growth continued. Our area is not in a bubble, there is simply too many people looking for not enough housing which is driving up rents and house prices. Given the shortage of construction workers, many left the trades because of 2008, I don't see the housing shortage solved anytime soon. That and the cost of materials.

I have heard of people who sold their house for a huge profit, moved into a rental and are waiting for a downturn in pricing to buy a house again. I think that will work in some markets but not in others. I think that would be a hugely fatal financial mistake in my area. Now, sell in our market and move else where might be a smart move.

Later,
Dan

 

[MossRoad]

I haven't even stepped foot in a bank in years.

Me either!

(my wife has worked for the same financial institution for 40 years and takes care of all that)

 

[Larry Caldwell]

My last bank account was in 1978. Since then, only an S&L, followed by my current credit union. Thinking back, I don't recall paying a banking fee for anything in 43 years. No mortgage points or loan fees, no account fees, no charge for running coins through the coin sorter, no ATM fees, nothing.

 

[Oaktree]

I quit using a bank and moved my financial business to a credit union: free checking, no account maintenance fees, and rock bottom loan rates. Also, they are so good to deal with: no hassle loans and great personal service.

Don't most credit unions require you to be employed in a certain industry or profession or are they open to everyone these days?

I have noticed many posts about their banks providing checks free.

Do that many of you still use checks?

I do. I don't have all that many bills, and it's not that big a deal. I like getting a paper copy of a bill so I can review it before paying. I have a tendency not to look as closely at an e-bill. Absolutely no auto-pay!!
Not real comfortable giving a company access to my account. Hacks happen, not often but they do.
Some places charge a fee to pay electronically.

 

[jyoutz]

Don't most credit unions require you to be employed in a certain industry or profession or are they open to everyone these days?

I do. I don't have all that many bills, and it's not that big a deal. I like getting a paper copy of a bill so I can review it before paying. I have a tendency not to look as closely at an e-bill. Absolutely no auto-pay!!
Not real comfortable giving a company access to my account. Hacks happen, not often but they do.
Some places charge a fee to pay electronically.

It used to be that credit unions were restricted membership as you said. The one I being to is a federal credit union that used to be strictly for federal employees when I joined. But now they have opened membership to anyone who lives in the community. All it takes to be a member is to open a savings account with $50.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Don't most credit unions require you to be employed in a certain industry or profession or are they open to everyone these days?

I do. I don't have all that many bills, and it's not that big a deal. I like getting a paper copy of a bill so I can review it before paying. I have a tendency not to look as closely at an e-bill. Absolutely no auto-pay!!
Not real comfortable giving a company access to my account. Hacks happen, not often but they do.
Some places charge a fee to pay electronically.

Membership depends on the credit union. There are employee credit unions and community credit unions.

My credit union offers free online bill paying. I log on once a month and send payment electronically, but nobody has access to my accounts but me. It saves me a stamp.

 

[Dftodd]

One thing I will say is after a Bank of America flub on a large deposit I made I will never be without 2 different bank accounts at 2 different Banks. Basically the Teller at BOA took the Check Deposit for $29k, a boat I sold, and not only held those funds but held all funds. I was in the middle of Missouri with no cash and only the BOA Account. After an hour or so on the phone and finally getting someone that could help me, they took the hold off my account. Never again, I now have 2 checking accounts with Debit cards at 2 different Banks. You talk about a horrible feeling with no funds available to you. I also make sure I have cash now when I travel also, you never know.

I carry about $500 in cash when I travel. Don't usually touch it, and it goes back in the safe when we get home from vacation. But at least we have cash if we run into an issue with our bank account. Wife and I each have a credit card as well. Both cards are from different banking institutions.

If for some reason there is an issue with the checking account, we can get back home.