Checks..

[Andara Bledin]

The general consensus at work seems to be if you see anyone under 50 writing a check, they're floating the purchase. Doubly so if they're getting cash back.

Or they lost their bank card and are still waiting on the replacement. I've had to do that.

It isn't possible to float a check anymore ever since "Check 21" started. Oh you can try but you're more likely to have a "bouncer" if you do.

That's entirely dependent on when the establishment actually runs their checks. If they run them daily, then, yeah, you're screwed. But if they only do so once a week, then you're golden.

^-.-^

[Boochan]

Yeah, our POS software doesn't incorporate cheques properly (no point since they're used so sparsely) so we have a separate machine run off our fax line (ugh) that verifies them.. thats normally 2 minutes for it to dial, get an answer and send it through, we then transfer the approval number from the number to out POS software and scribbled on the back of the check as well as the stuff mentioned before.

Our checks don't run for what I'd say is too long a time.. we keep them until we do our banking (Mon/Tues/Wed on Friday, Thurs/Fri/Sat on Monday) and then they sit around for another 3, 4 days to be cleared.. which is an awful turnaround time. I can imagine many a check would be bounced due to the way our banking is done.

[onkko]

Hmm, i have seen check
I think it was about 1990 and that was my stepfathers checkbook.
I cant even think to use of checks other than float till payday.
We have bank transfers for bills and debit/credit cars for shopping.

[Andara Bledin]

I cant even think to use of checks other than float till payday.

Rent. Other than for business to business purposes, rental payments are really the only place that checks are regularly used any longer.

Oh, and paychecks, of course, but a lot of paychecks these days are just for records, since so many people have direct deposit instead.

^-.-^

[Dreamstalker]

It isn't possible to float a check anymore ever since "Check 21" started. Oh you can try but you're more likely to have a "bouncer" if you do.

Yup. I had to float a rent check once pending a transfer from a trust--transfer was supposed to have hit my account the day I mailed the check. I come back from holiday vacation to find out my rent bounced (for some reason the transfer never happened)...or would have, if my bank hadn't covered it. That put my account into an overdraft, but I was able to get everything fixed quickly.

I rarely use checks, mainly for rent and utilities.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Another thing about paying for retail purchases with checks is that checks sometimes require management approvals.

Like today. The girl working in electronics paged about 5 times for a manager to come and do a check approval. The 6th page was to tell management to cancel. Evidently the manager on duty didn't come back there to turn her key or put in her code or do whatever to approve the customer's check, and the customer got fed up and left without buying anything.

Sorry, that's what sometimes happens when you use an outdated payment method at a retail store.

[Pagan]

Hmm, i have seen check
I think it was about 1990 and that was my stepfathers checkbook.
I cant even think to use of checks other than float till payday.
We have bank transfers for bills and debit/credit cars for shopping.

Rent. Other than for business to business purposes, rental payments are really the only place that checks are regularly used any longer.

Oh, and paychecks, of course, but a lot of paychecks these days are just for records, since so many people have direct deposit instead.

^-.-^

My apartment complex won't take cash, it's either money order or personal/cashier's check. They do have a way that we can do it electronically, but it would involve letting them access to my bank account and there's no way in hell I'm doing that!

The other I use checks for is PNM (gas and electric). If you want to set it up to pay it online, it's $2.95. If you go to one of their offices, they don't take debit or credit cards. So, it's either cash, money order, or check.

[Peppergirl]

I've been anti-check since I got my divorce:

I opened up my new checking account, first one I'd ever had on my own. I was so proud. I deposited my payroll check, and since it was drawn on the same bank, the funds were immediately available. I even got the slip saying xxx.xx amount deposited on xx/xx/xxxx date.

Since my debit card wouldn't arrive for 5 more days, I proceeded to write checks all over town during the next week. Kroger, Walmart, Target and Meijer.

Then the notices started rolling in. I was like WTF? Turns out, the bank had placed a 5 day hold on my brand new account, which was not supposed to happen since my check was drawn on the same bank, and the teller had advised me it was immediate.

I began the tedious process of calling all the stores, and made good on them. I even had my letter from the bank, assuring all the places that it was a bank error, not mine.

All the places waived the bounced check fee except for Walmart. The bank reimbursed me, but it was a hassle. And to add further insult, despite the fact that I paid the check promptly, I (to this day) remain in the 'chex-systems' check clearing place that alot of retailers use. I've called them several times, faxed proof of payment and even asked for Walmart's help - to no avail.

I guess the point of my long-winded story is, I'm really glad that checks are becoming obsolete, since I'm not ALLOWED to write any at places that use 'chex systems' as their system.