I still use checks regularly for large purchases outside of a retail situation or in situations where I'd feel uncomfortable using cash. For example, when a service company comes to my house to clean the air ducts, I write a check for the amount. I also recently used a check for a deposit on a condo for our family vacation. In stores, the debit card rules and my bills are all paid electronically, but checks do come in handy.
I only use checks for my rent, any medical bills, and oddly my mailroom at work for personal packages (they only accept personal check). I hate using checks though, and would either pay cash or credit / debit for EVERYTHING if I could!
I only write checks for things I can't pay electronically (condo fee every month), or for amounts that cannot be paid via credit card but is too large for cash (currently...e.g., wedding photographer, wedding cake baker, wedding officiant, wedding DJ....yes, there is a theme here).
Well... let's say I haven't abandoned checks altogether :) I still use them to pay for our property tax because there's a fee to pay by CC... Most of the time I use credit cards (paying off the balance every month) because we get bonus points and for monthly bills, we use electronic bill pay. We sometimes write checks to individuals too.
I pay almost all of my home bills over the internet or I use a credit card at local places and pay it all when the bill arrives. The reason why I sometimes have to use checks is because I budget pay my utility bills. They have regulations as to how much you can have in your account before they will not accept payments over the internet (usually $100), so when I get to that point I have to send them a check. I don't have the discipline to keep it in savings, and the amount of interest I would receive for this money (usually 1 to 2 dollars), I feel it's better to send a check. Also, my mortgage company charges a surcharge to send the payment over the internet, so I send them a check.
I guess I don't use checks as often...lots of stores I wouldn't even think of using them! Most days, I have my credit and debit cards in my wallet, but not my checkbook. I do need them for rent or to set up direct deposit, but all by other bills are paid via automatic withdrawal.
I haven't had checks for more than 6 years - I pay my bills using on-line banking, and use a debit card to shop or get cash as needed. The bank sends my landlord the check - I never touch it. And I am nearly old enough to retire!
I write a check for a student loan that's in my mom's name. I'd pay it online, but it won't allow me a to make payments from a bank account that's not in the loan owner's name. I also pay my chiropractor/doctor bills by check, since I can't pay online, and a couple other random bills that don't have a way for me to pay online, like my life insurance. I don't write more than one or two a month, out of 20 or so payments I make.
i did not know that rubber bands had so many uses. the two that feature prominently in my mind is that they are used to tie cash together and hold women's hair back in a ponytail
I need some advice for my siser and her family. They live in Austin Texas. Last year her adult son had a very serious auto accident. He suffered a severe head injury and had surgery to remove a skull "flap" to alleviate the brain swelling from the injury. The hospital absorbed the cost of these surgeries due to my sister's financial situation. Now that he has recovered, he is ready to have the skull flap replaced so that he may begin to drive and work again. However, the hopital refuses to do this replacement surgery and is considering it "elective" surgery not an emeergency and therefore not eligible for cost relief. My sister's financial situation has not changed and she is not able to pay the approximate cost of $30,000.00 for this replacement surgery. Is there any charitable agency that she can contact for help in paying for this surgery? She and her son are becoming very depressed over his inablilty to get this surgery and go on with his life. Any help will be GREATLY appreciated.Thanks!!
I write checks for the random service or items (GS Cookies, etc), but I use the Online Bill Pay service from my bank for the regular bills. Even for my rent check I have it set on autopay via the bank. I think I am down to one quarterly bill that is not on autopay. I even pay my friends and family that way when I owe them money. Then I don't have to hunt for an envelope or buy a stamp. I never use my check card. Instead I use my credit card for everything else and pay it off at the end of the month.
Yes, I used checks. For me this is a psychology of money question. While I know there is no difference, I feel more in control of my budget/bills by writing out a check and mailing it than in using automated systems.
yes, I write checks frequently. If I need to send money into school with the kids, it's really the best way. I still pay a lot of bills with checks, too. And I do fill them totally out. :)
Rent still gets done by check, and there's one membership I have that won't take credit cards. For the most part, though, it's credit cards all the way.
I don't carry my checkbook w/ me everyday, only the register so I can keep track of my expenses. I write checks for all of my dr visits as well as my mortgage. I fill in every line and don't mind it at all. :)
I live in New York City and find that despite some major advances for credit/debit card uses (for isntance, doctor's offices now somtimes take them), I'm still forced to pay rent and make donations with checks. I probably only use a few checks a month but they are all for large bills. Go figure!
I don't think I have ever used my checks for anything. I use cash or my debit card for most of my transactions. All my bills are paid electronically. My checkbook is covered in dust somewhere in my house...I see no use for it. Hello, 21st century!!
Yes, I guess I am still old school somewhat as I like to write checks to pay certain bills, but would never use them in checkout lines at stores -- just too time-consuming.
zorcy,
the general opinion seems to favour using oak/ hickory/ maple and so on. I have a nice length of mahogany here. Dark golden brown, almost red. would that be suitable for using as roasted / charred shavings to age and colour a few bottles of moonshine?Or is it just not used because it isn't widely available?
I still use checks regularly for large purchases outside of a retail situation or in situations where I'd feel uncomfortable using cash. For example, when a service company comes to my house to clean the air ducts, I write a check for the amount. I also recently used a check for a deposit on a condo for our family vacation. In stores, the debit card rules and my bills are all paid electronically, but checks do come in handy.
I only use checks for my rent, any medical bills, and oddly my mailroom at work for personal packages (they only accept personal check). I hate using checks though, and would either pay cash or credit / debit for EVERYTHING if I could!
I only write checks for things I can't pay electronically (condo fee every month), or for amounts that cannot be paid via credit card but is too large for cash (currently...e.g., wedding photographer, wedding cake baker, wedding officiant, wedding DJ....yes, there is a theme here).
Well... let's say I haven't abandoned checks altogether :) I still use them to pay for our property tax because there's a fee to pay by CC... Most of the time I use credit cards (paying off the balance every month) because we get bonus points and for monthly bills, we use electronic bill pay. We sometimes write checks to individuals too.
I pay almost all of my home bills over the internet or I use a credit card at local places and pay it all when the bill arrives. The reason why I sometimes have to use checks is because I budget pay my utility bills. They have regulations as to how much you can have in your account before they will not accept payments over the internet (usually $100), so when I get to that point I have to send them a check. I don't have the discipline to keep it in savings, and the amount of interest I would receive for this money (usually 1 to 2 dollars), I feel it's better to send a check. Also, my mortgage company charges a surcharge to send the payment over the internet, so I send them a check.
I guess I don't use checks as often...lots of stores I wouldn't even think of using them! Most days, I have my credit and debit cards in my wallet, but not my checkbook. I do need them for rent or to set up direct deposit, but all by other bills are paid via automatic withdrawal.
There are still some local companies that don't take electronic payments and/or debit cards, so until they do, checks is it!
I haven't had checks for more than 6 years - I pay my bills using on-line banking, and use a debit card to shop or get cash as needed. The bank sends my landlord the check - I never touch it. And I am nearly old enough to retire!
I write a check for a student loan that's in my mom's name. I'd pay it online, but it won't allow me a to make payments from a bank account that's not in the loan owner's name. I also pay my chiropractor/doctor bills by check, since I can't pay online, and a couple other random bills that don't have a way for me to pay online, like my life insurance. I don't write more than one or two a month, out of 20 or so payments I make.
i did not know that rubber bands had so many uses. the two that feature prominently in my mind is that they are used to tie cash together and hold women's hair back in a ponytail
I need some advice for my siser and her family. They live in Austin Texas. Last year her adult son had a very serious auto accident. He suffered a severe head injury and had surgery to remove a skull "flap" to alleviate the brain swelling from the injury. The hospital absorbed the cost of these surgeries due to my sister's financial situation. Now that he has recovered, he is ready to have the skull flap replaced so that he may begin to drive and work again. However, the hopital refuses to do this replacement surgery and is considering it "elective" surgery not an emeergency and therefore not eligible for cost relief. My sister's financial situation has not changed and she is not able to pay the approximate cost of $30,000.00 for this replacement surgery. Is there any charitable agency that she can contact for help in paying for this surgery? She and her son are becoming very depressed over his inablilty to get this surgery and go on with his life. Any help will be GREATLY appreciated.Thanks!!
I write checks for the random service or items (GS Cookies, etc), but I use the Online Bill Pay service from my bank for the regular bills. Even for my rent check I have it set on autopay via the bank. I think I am down to one quarterly bill that is not on autopay. I even pay my friends and family that way when I owe them money. Then I don't have to hunt for an envelope or buy a stamp. I never use my check card. Instead I use my credit card for everything else and pay it off at the end of the month.
I usually carry around a couple of checks. They have come in handy when the Credit/Debit card machine is down at the grocery store.
I still write several checks - probably 5 or 6 a month. I could do most of those electronically if I could be bothered to look into it.
Yes, I used checks. For me this is a psychology of money question. While I know there is no difference, I feel more in control of my budget/bills by writing out a check and mailing it than in using automated systems.
My landlord requires me to write a check every month but the rest of my bills are paid electronically :)
yes, I write checks frequently. If I need to send money into school with the kids, it's really the best way. I still pay a lot of bills with checks, too. And I do fill them totally out. :)
Rent still gets done by check, and there's one membership I have that won't take credit cards. For the most part, though, it's credit cards all the way.
This is extreme frugality, in all its glory!
With a list of 52, most people should be able to find one or two that they could apply. As a bag saver, these do work well.
I don't carry my checkbook w/ me everyday, only the register so I can keep track of my expenses. I write checks for all of my dr visits as well as my mortgage. I fill in every line and don't mind it at all. :)
I live in New York City and find that despite some major advances for credit/debit card uses (for isntance, doctor's offices now somtimes take them), I'm still forced to pay rent and make donations with checks. I probably only use a few checks a month but they are all for large bills. Go figure!
I don't think I have ever used my checks for anything. I use cash or my debit card for most of my transactions. All my bills are paid electronically. My checkbook is covered in dust somewhere in my house...I see no use for it. Hello, 21st century!!
Yes, I guess I am still old school somewhat as I like to write checks to pay certain bills, but would never use them in checkout lines at stores -- just too time-consuming.
zorcy,
the general opinion seems to favour using oak/ hickory/ maple and so on. I have a nice length of mahogany here. Dark golden brown, almost red. would that be suitable for using as roasted / charred shavings to age and colour a few bottles of moonshine?Or is it just not used because it isn't widely available?
I use checks for our utility bill, as the company has messed up automatic bill pay multiple times.