Writing Checks

Not surprisingly, USA is the world leader in writing checks. The average in this country is 68 per capita per year.

The UK is down to 16, which prompted parliament to announce that they should be phased out in 10 years. The outcry from older people was so intense that parliament retracted the statement a few days earlier. Canada is 25, Mexico is 4 per year.

Also not surprisingly there are no checks in Nordic countries. All bills are paid electronically, although they have more stations to do that for people who are not good with computers.

Walmart is getting into bill payment centers, which seem to be about twice what a first class stamp costs. If a mistake with a written check costs you $25 fee, then it probably pays to do everything electronically.



I realize electronic cash is radical to most people, but should checks be phased out as antiquated.

don't write too many checks these days, but I sure hope the ability never goes away.

Five years ago I paid all my bills electronically. One, just once, a payment didn't go through, but I didn't realize it (long story why not). The bank I failed to pay called every day, several times a day, in the most rude and obnoxious manner to demand payment. Since them I pay them with a check every time. That way I get proof of payment I can show them.

Yes, I should be able to ahve proof of payment online, too. But that's harder to do in a country obsessed with paper.

Let me give you a small example. There is a tax, ro fee, paid yearly for the use of every vehicle. For decades, you went to a government office, paid there and were given a decal to put in your windshield. Later this was changed so that you could pay at any bank, without having to go to a government office, but the bank now gave you the decal.

Now, vehicles not sporting the decal after the deadline for the year were stopped by police, and could be impounded until the tax and the fine for late payment and for circulating without paying were paid.

Ok so far? A few years ago, about 10 or 12 maybe, decals were done away with. Now you just pay and keep the proof, on paper, in your car. Now you cannot be stopped for nonpayment, but if you're stopped for another reason the police will ask to see your proof of having paid the tax, and can fin you and impound the vehicle if you don't have one. But there was a huge outcry about ot having decals any longer. Much of it consitsed in lacking tangible, visible proof at all times.

I don't write many but they need to stay. I write for renewing the car, paying taxes, etc. Every now and again I need to write a check for a one-time thing and it is easier than it would be to set it up electronic. I cash them electronic as well so just keep the option.

Haven't had a checking account for 8 years
and don't miss it at all. My wife has one but
she never writes checks from it. I use a debit
card from savings account at the credit union.

I write perhaps 4 checks a year, mostly for impromptu things like auctions and charities when I don't have cash and they don't have a debit machine.

Everything else gets paid online or via my bank.

Quote: Evenbob

Haven't had a checking account for 8 years and don't miss it at all. My wife has one but she never writes checks from it.

But what about everyone else? Do you feel the holdouts are a drag on societies financial system, and should be forced to convert? If they don't have a computer at home, they can still be required to use a machine at Walmart or other facilities.

Quote: Pacomartin

But what about everyone else? Do you feel the holdouts are a drag on societies financial system, and should be forced to convert? If they don't have a computer at home, they can still be required to use a machine at Walmart or other facilities.

Frank Abignale, the Catch Me If You Can Guy,
says debit cards are very bad and he's never
had one.


"I don't have a debit card. I believe it's one of the worst financial tools ever given to the American public."
"The safest form of payment that truly exists on the planet is the credit card," says Abagnale. "I removed 99 percent of the risk because I spend the credit card company's money. If someone looks over my shoulder and gets my number, I have zero liability."

My wife has no debit cards, she read this article
a few years ago. She uses CC's for everything
and pays them at the end of the month. She
has an 820 credit rating, as she's fond of pointing
out to me.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/debit-card-security-top-reasons-concerned/story?id=13591862

In fact, just today, my wife bought a new
car with a credit card. Because her rating
is over the top, she gets offers in the mail
constantly. She usually throws them out,
but got one this week that she liked. Discover
gave her $15K with no interest for a year.

A local dealer is having a cash for clunker
deal, $3500 for any car made before 1986
as long as it's been insured for the last 6
months and has a plate and is drivable.
So she traded her 20 year old Jeep, which
I hate to see go, and a couple thousand
cash, with the $15K on the card, for a new
Chevy.

She'll end up paying no interest on it ever,
because she'll just make interest free payments
and put the balance on other interest free
cards as she gets them. She's been playing
with credit like this for 30 years and always
keeps the highest of high ratings. It's an art.

Quote: Evenbob

In fact, just today, my wife bought a new
car with a credit card. Because her rating
is over the top, she gets offers in the mail
constantly. She usually throws them out,
but got one this week that she liked. Discover
gave her $15K with no interest for a year.

A local dealer is having a cash for clunker
deal, $3500 for any car made before 1986
as long as it's been insured for the last 6
months and has a plate and is drivable.
So she traded her 20 year old Jeep, which
I hate to see go, and a couple thousand
cash, with the $15K on the card, for a new
Chevy.

She'll end up paying no interest on it ever,
because she'll just make interest free payments
and put the balance on other interest free
cards as she gets them. She's been playing
with credit like this for 30 years and always
keeps the highest of high ratings. It's an art.

That's not a bad deal but most dealers will give you a few years same as cash (0% interest) on a new car buy. I'd be worried about balance transfer fees when you have to transfer the balance from the Discover to the new card. Usually it's about 3%.

But I don't question your wife. I'm sure she knows what she's doing.