Rant on check books

[cdaigle430]

I never pay for my checks, I think its because of employee perks(I work for a bank) but my other bank also never charges for checks...the only time is when you decide to order the fancy kind instead of the plain ones.

 

[Sigarms]

One of my grocery stores gives out stamps. Once you have enough to fill a book, you can redeem it for discounts on purchases. If you don't want them, there is a bulletin board you can put them on for various local charities.

I might have got the gree stamps mixed up with banking. I could of swore as a kid I put stamps in my blue bank deposit book, but I could be wrong. Doesn't make sense that you'd put stamps from a grocery store into a bank book.

Just remember collecting them as a kid with my parents, and thought is was for banking, but I could be wrong.

 

[Sigarms]

I never pay for my checks, I think its because of employee perks(I work for a bank) but my other bank also never charges for checks...the only time is when you decide to order the fancy kind instead of the plain ones.

Checks I ordered directly from the bank were bank checks. The chceks we're only like $25 or $30, but they wanted you to ship them via tracking which added another $20. Made sense at the time as if they are lost, your account number is out there, but at the end of the day, if the bank screws up the shipping, why should I have to be penalized.

 

[IXLR8]

My bank, a credit union actually, has free checks if you have a mortgage with them. As long as I write my account number on the back of a check and indicate if I want it to go to my savings or checking account, they will deposit it. No need for a deposit slip.

 

[Sigarms]

My bank, a credit union actually, has free checks if you have a mortgage with them. As long as I write my account number on the back of a check and indicate if I want it to go to my savings or checking account, they will deposit it. No need for a deposit slip.

I have a federal credit union and bank. The credit union I've been with with I was living all over the place (use them with my credit cards and a couple of CD's) and still keep with them, the bank I went with "local" when I knew this was the area I was going to stay in for the "long haul". It's an option (credit union) I didn't think of, but I do actually like my local bank where the counter people know me by name and I don't need my drivers license.

This is where I'm kind of "old school" and hanging onto my ways I guess:laughing:

 

[LouNY]

"Old school" until I retired from my job I never went with direct deposit,
out of several hundred people there were only 30-40 of us that still got checks.
I most always liked to swing by the bank make my deposit and get back some
cash for the week plus a bit to squirrel away for any future needs. Visit with the tellers
and go on about my business usually on a Saturday morning once in awhile on a Friday evening.
The Social Security and my pension both required direct deposits, I don't like this at all.
If I want cash now I have to write a check for cash it's much harder to accumulate cash to have on hand.

 

[Diggin It]

Some banks still offer free checks, but they're usually higher level accounts with monthly fees of require higher balances or other conditions such as having a linked mortgage or investment account to avoid fees.

 

[Oaktree]

Some banks still offer free checks, but they're usually higher level accounts with monthly fees of require higher balances or other conditions such as having a linked mortgage or investment account to avoid fees.

My bank has a "senior" checking account, you need to be over 65 (maybe 62) to open one. You get one order of checks a year at no charge, and no service charges. Enough for me, don't have all that many bills.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned here is ordering checks online. Before I was old enough to have the senior account I'd get mine thru Walmart. Way cheaper than going thru the bank.

Most kids and more than ever, adults cannot balance a checkbook. They depend on a bank or computer to manage their money and that is a mistake.

Just another of the dumbing down of America!

^^ I've never been able to do that. I quit trying longer ago than I can remember. Quicken solves all.

Same here. I suck at math. Always making addition/subtraction errors, typos, etc. Been using Quicken for 20+ years, reconciling every month, no problems.

I generally pay my bills by check, don't own a "mobile device", and wouldn't want my financial info on it if I did. I do like the option to pay credit card bills online, especially if I'm getting close to the deadline. I do use my bank's website to move funds between savings & checking.
That having been said, only monthly bills I have are electric, cable, and credit cards. Insurance, etc. also gets paid by check.

 

[arizona98tj]

Perhaps a new forum for "RANT ON (insert topic)!:laughing:

I know, who uses checkbooks anymore....

State of Minnesota motor vehicles department will only accept checks or cash for renewal fees (driver's license, car registration, etc.) And the county property taxes also only does a check. Those two offices are the main reason I still have a checkbook. Before someone says they probably have an old system that can't process credit/debit cards, Minnesota taxpayers recently paid for a new $100+ million licensing system.....nope, still uses checks or cash.

 

[not2old]

$45 is cheap. I just paid $90 for 200 business account checks a few months ago. :fiery: They aren't special except they have my company name above my name. They are the same size as standard personal checks. Not a darn thing special about them--No logo or anything. I like those because they fit in a standard folding check book I can stick in my pocket. I'm "mostly" retired so this will be my last batch of those. :dance1:

About thirty years ago, the Credit Union where I was banking for my business tried this on me. Not only did I not want to pay the exorbitant price for the cheques, I didn't want tht stupid huge passbook that goes with them. A regular personal size book fits in your pocket. They didn't change their mind until I asked to close my account.