Community Chat

[I am still oxox]

I can not remember the last time I wrote a check. I do get insuance checks. I have to pay one provider and get back checks from my insurance I am not sure what is going to happen to those 

[SharkE]

Be hard on the churches.  How can you tithe on Sunday ?

[quilter61]

I also, still write checks.  Not a lot, but there are a lot of small companies that charge me extra to use a card.  My dog groomer only takes checks or cash, no cards.   

[Caaareful Shopper]

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@SharkE wrote:

Be hard on the churches.  How can you tithe on Sunday ?

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@SharkE  My church was estabilished in 1803.  They initiated tithing online since before the pandemic.  These days they even encourage online tithing.

I realize not all churches have this capability though.

[nambee]

I embraced paying my bills electronically for my monthly bills years ago and love the convenience. I still receive paper bills. So far, all has gone well.

However, I do use checks for landscaper, plumber, etc. - the small local people, many who don't take credit cards. I also use checks to pay my real estate taxes and sewer and water. Our town has the option of automatic deductions but I refuse to give anyone permission to auto debit my account - too many issues chasing them to get money back if they make a mistake or there's a dispute. In all these instances I'm handing them the check directly and not using the mail. 

On another front, I still use cash a lot. I do not use my debit card except to get cash from the bank ATM and do not care to use my CC for small purchases. I also will pay cash instead of using a CC when they tack on fees.

I know there's a big push on all fronts to get us to a cashless society and sometimes I feel that using cash or paying by check is my little protest against the inevitable. But I know that we can't stop "progress" - sigh.

[deeva]

I haven't mailed a check in years because of check washing. And the medical center I go  to no longer accepts checks. 

When I had the interior of our home painted and replaced the kitchen countertops, I wrote checks because there was a 3% charge for using a cc. 

And let's face it, with all of the data breaches with companies like Equifax and others, our banking info and ss numbers are already exposed and being used by criminals. 

[geezerette]

@nambee 

I could almost have written your post myself.  I do much the same as you do.

I have to say, it has sometimes gotten confusing since all places have different payment methods they accept now.

[Stray]

We have had many mailboxes broken into in our area.  Thieves really just need your routing number & account number to make purchases & set up accounts.  So I really don't like writing checks & mailing them but I do pay our estimated tax by paper check as the IRS website keeps giving me error messsges so I mail the payments in the post office not via public mailboxes.  

I do have auto payments in case I forget.  I get an email stating my bill is ready to view & I check it before the auto pay & have had no problem 

I think online with trusted vendors and entities is actually much safer than writing & mailing a check.  But, if I hand a check to someone like my plumber, contractor or electrician I'm more comfortable & they don't accept credit card payments so no choice 

[Laura14]

@willowbark Our company does not have an option for echeck.

You can set up your own ACH draft which includes a verification process to initialize it that several consumers find frustrating and non-user friendly.

And we can't help with that as a matter of security protocols since it involves accessing the customer's personal bank account. 

Everyone needs to remember that check or credit card processors are completely separate from the company you are actually doing business with.

We contract exactly like we do with our utility providers to move the money from you to us and vice versa.

If there is an issue, often times, just like we can't restore the electricity, we can't help you when the processor goes down and takes your payment five times or doesn't record your payment with us at all.

It's very difficult to fix that, because humans aren't involved in the process to send your money between your bank and ours. And the humans who should be involved refuse to be because they don't have to with a monopoly in place on the businesses.

There will be a time for everything to go digital. Now, is not that time. 

[Cakers3]

You do not have to set up automatic payments.
You just permanently simply set up who is to be paid and enter the amount yourself and payment date. You will already have the person/facility/service etc. set up.

Some bills such as electric vary so we just check our account online then pay through the bank.
Some bills such as insurance are the same every month but we still do not use automatic payments. We enter those ourselves.

Personally I trust the bank more than any vendors.
When you enter the amount and date to be paid through the bank you are in control.

We also haven't used paper checks in years.
Remember the advice years ago to use gel pens because stolen checks can be "washed" and re-written?

Nothing is safe.