Oh no, another cash or check only thread

[kdonnel]

These types of problems you seem to be experiencing are likely very location specific. I cannot recall the last time I was waiting behind someone who was attempting to pay with a check at a retail outlet like Macy's, Krogers or Walmart.

Never said it was a problem.

Once or twice a year I end up in line behind a time traveler writing a check.

I make sure to watch as they walk away hoping to either see them disappear magically to another time, or pull out their flip phone.

 

[Moliphino]

These types of problems you seem to be experiencing are likely very location specific. I cannot recall the last time I was waiting behind someone who was attempting to pay with a check at a retail outlet like Macy's, Krogers or Walmart.

It's been seven years since I worked at Macy's, but it was not all that uncommon for people to pay with checks. More common for paying their credit cards off, but also for purchases. Usually it was older women.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

In my experience it’s smaller businesses that want checks in order to avoid processing fees. The guy who painted my house wanted cash.

Yeah this is where I see this more often. It's absolutely understandable because of the processing fees associated with cards but there is a difference in saying "you can't" to "this is sorta how it ends up".

FTR I bought my house without writing a single check.

Our mortgage company wouldn't accept a personal check. You had to have a cashier's check for the exact amount. Our builder preferred a cashier's check for larger cost changes made to the house plan that were not allowed to be rolled into the mortgage vs a personal check and we ended up doing it that way for the changes we made. The downpayment of $20K to the builder (split into 2 payments) was a cashier's check too as required by the builder.

When I bought my car I paid for it upfront to the tune of $7,000--that was also a cashier's check.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I am talking about someone writing a check at Macy's or Kroger or WalMart. Like it or not, that is not the norm anymore and those people look out of time, time travelers.

That's usually my experience and why I kick myself for opting to not go through the self-checkout when I almost always do that lol. That said it's totally fine if peeps want to write checks but I'll be the lucky one behind the 3 people using this method in the 20items or less line when all I have is several items

 

[RangerPooh]

Just spend the $15-20 and order a box of checks. Sure it might take years to go through but why not have them on hand. In the last month I easily just wrote 10 checks for various school fees. A few each year here and there, but it's good to have on hand. For instance, when DH changed jobs and we had to submit a voided one for direct deposit.

We have had one box of checks for so long that we've moved different states three times since we ordered them! No issues paying with them.

 

[RangerPooh]

These types of problems you seem to be experiencing are likely very location specific. I cannot recall the last time I was waiting behind someone who was attempting to pay with a check at a retail outlet like Macy's, Krogers or Walmart.

I have actually experienced this quite a bit recently. Often by elderly individuals, but not always. Usually at Kroger, but occasionally at Target and recently at JCP. Interestingly enough, a recent check writer at Kroger also needed help scanning their very full cart at the self checkout at kroger. Sadly it was the only line open, no fuller service checkout line available for the customer who clearly needed the assistance (and held up the rest of the long line).

 

[Searc]

I don’t know. I think on the flip of that there’s the implication that if you don’t write checks/carry cash you are too stupid to see that you will be DOOMED in case of an emergency and are incapable of “adulting.” Yet half the free world stopped using checks a couple decades ago and seem to muddle through just fine. You get the same conversations happening with landlines or no landlines. It’s going to depend on where you live whether either are necessary or not. I can go out for an entire day, take care of various errands and participate in various activities and never even have to pull out my wallet. It’s not about being hip or cool, it’s just the way my city is going. Okay, so maybe it’s cool to be able to pay for things with my watch or phone but better than that, it’s convenient.

I don’t auto pay anything except my cellphone bill (get a discount). I keep an eye on my accounts probably too much.

I use Apple Pay where I can. I still need checks.

 

[tvguy]

Just spend the $15-20 and order a box of checks. Sure it might take years to go through but why not have them on hand. In the last month I easily just wrote 10 checks for various school fees. A few each year here and there, but it's good to have on hand. For instance, when DH changed jobs and we had to submit a voided one for direct deposit.

We have had one box of checks for so long that we've moved different states three times since we ordered them! No issues paying with them.

Paying for checks would make me mad. Mine are free if I order them though the bank. Just like the safe deposit box, cashiers checks, notary and travelers checks.

 

[tzolkin]

I write checks every month. It forces me to look at my bills. If I put everything on auto pilot, I don’t track my spending as well.

I track every single receipt and detail of our finances and don't have anything on auto-pay, but I use our bank's online bill pay feature instead of writing checks. (I do use checks for things like school activities and contractors who may come to the house who prefer not to take credit cards; I just don't use them to pay bills)

These types of problems you seem to be experiencing are likely very location specific. I cannot recall the last time I was waiting behind someone who was attempting to pay with a check at a retail outlet like Macy's, Krogers or Walmart.

In my experience, it's age not location. I have seen people pay with checks all over the US, but they are always elderly. That said, I will often shop on weekday mornings so I probably encounter more elderly people shopping than people who only hit the stores on weekends or after work.

 

[wenrob]

Yeah this is where I see this more often. It's absolutely understandable because of the processing fees associated with cards but there is a difference in saying "you can't" to "this is sorta how it ends up".
Our mortgage company wouldn't accept a personal check. You had to have a cashier's check for the exact amount. Our builder preferred a cashier's check for larger cost changes made to the house plan that were not allowed to be rolled into the mortgage vs a personal check and we ended up doing it that way for the changes we made. The downpayment of $20K to the builder (split into 2 payments) was a cashier's check too as required by the builder.

When I bought my car I paid for it upfront to the tune of $7,000--that was also a cashier's check.

Almost everything we did until we got to the underwriting was done online and electronically including our earnest money. For our down payment a wire transfer was required. I think that had more to do with amount (40% down) than anything else.

We used a debit card for the down payment on my DH’s truck.

 

[gwynne]

I have actually experienced this quite a bit recently. Often by elderly individuals, but not always. Usually at Kroger, but occasionally at Target and recently at JCP. Interestingly enough, a recent check writer at Kroger also needed help scanning their very full cart at the self checkout at kroger. Sadly it was the only line open, no fuller service checkout line available for the customer who clearly needed the assistance (and held up the rest of the long line).

It is sad that someone who needed special assistance wasn't helped.

 

[wenrob]

I use Apple Pay where I can. I still need checks.

And I don’t need them. That was my point. I think it really depends on where you live.

 

[Jennasis]

Never said it was a problem.

Once or twice a year I end up in line behind a time traveler writing a check.

I make sure to watch as they walk away hoping to either see them disappear magically to another time, or pull out their flip phone.

We buy groceries by check every week. It takes no more time than a cash or card transaction. We hand the check over, they run it through the machine, I sign the pad...we walk away. No filling it out.

 

[Hikergirl]

I still need checks for certain things. my town water/sewer bill, taxes for our camp property and anything I purchase from the school (they stopped taking cash a few years ago).
I'm actually due to order more checks, I have no idea the last time I did- maybe a decade ago LOL

 

[amberpi]

And I don’t need them. That was my point. I think it really depends on where you live.

Where you live and who you choose to do business with. Even most of my farmers market vendors take square. We just don’t do business with those that don’t unless we have cash in hand. It’s easy to choose a different vendor if they refuse to be part of the modern economy and I’m ok with paying a bit more for it.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

When I bought my car I paid for it upfront to the tune of $7,000--that was also a cashier's check.

When I bought my new car outright in 2015 I was surprised that the dealer accepted a personal check for over 30K. I expected them to send me to the bank for a cashier's check, but I suppose they didn't want to risk that I might change my mind and never return. Of course, I didn't receive the title until the check cleared.

Same for DW's car in 2017. We financed, but a different dealer accepted a personal check for a 10K down payment.

 

[Searc]

Where you live and who you choose to do business with. Even most of my farmers market vendors take square. We just don’t do business with those that don’t unless we have cash in hand. It’s easy to choose a different vendor if they refuse to be part of the modern economy and I’m ok with paying a bit more for it.

See post 69.

 

[wenrob]

Where you live and who you choose to do business with. Even most of my farmers market vendors take square. We just don’t do business with those that don’t unless we have cash in hand. It’s easy to choose a different vendor if they refuse to be part of the modern economy and I’m ok with paying a bit more for it.

It drives me batcrap that my sister won’t use a Square reader or sign up for Venmo. She won’t put her appointment book on her phone either. She loses a LOT of business by refusing to come into this century.

 

[amberpi]

It drives me batcrap that my sister won’t use a Square reader or sign up for Venmo. She won’t put her appointment book on her phone either. She loses a LOT of business by refusing to come into this century.

It took me about 30 seconds to make a cash app or a Venmo account. I don’t get why people don’t do it.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Where you live and who you choose to do business with. Even most of my farmers market vendors take square. We just don’t do business with those that don’t unless we have cash in hand. It’s easy to choose a different vendor if they refuse to be part of the modern economy and I’m ok with paying a bit more for it.

The vendors who don't accept credit cards these days are quite OK with losing potential customers with uppity attitudes about payment methods.