A few weeks ago I ordered some more cheque books and my neighbour just brought them in after collecting them, and I wondered whether cheques/checks are still used in the UK or US. I do not often use them that often but there are times when a credit card cannot be accepted but a cheque/check will be, and I wondered if they were in use in other countries.
Cheques aren't used in Hungary. Like most people my utility bills are paid in cash to the postman. The only time I use my debit card is when I buy online or pay for goods in a large store.
Cheques are by far the easiest way of paying for your dog show entries. I can't imagine how we would manage without them!
I am glad I am not the only person who still uses cheques! Mind you, because I cannot hold a pen and write very well I just fill in the amount in figures, the date, and sign - and hand over to whoever to fill in the rest. But I pay my rent by cheque - I give my landlady a cheque for the electricity bill which is now in my name for both her and my bungalow, my meter being a sub-meter of hers - the delumptious one is happy to take cheques, ditto Nir and ditto Effie my computer guy. Actually most places will accept a cheque when you show your ID card but from what I understand only a few people here use cheques any more. Of course anything I buy by telephone from companies here accept either my Isracard or my Visa card, but I wondered what it was like in other countries, hence this thread.
My bank as stopped issuing cheques now as they say the Debit Card is same thing & can be used on line & in shops x
I can't think of any Working Trial clubs that have this option. There are a very few Obedience clubs which do have - but not any of the shows that we attend. I'm sure it will come in time though. The trouble is, I'm not happy about using on line banking - just too old to adapt!
@CaroleC - I will not do online banking or online checking my cards etc but I have no problem with using my Visa card when purchasing online as I only buy from sites I know and with which I am satisfied are safe. My Isracard can only be used here and someone would have to know my ID number to use it, so that is 100% safe. The one time my Visa card got "done" - and Visa never did find out how it happened as someone in England was using it - Visa were brilliant - the card was cancelled as soon as my statement came in and I noticed the problems, a new card was issued and the money taken from my card was refunded very quickly. But I do need cheques as I do pay certain people by cheque.
Still got business cheques but not personal cheques, but then I not written any personal cheques for over 2 years now, only business cheques.
I haven't had a cheque book for over 10 years. I buy online using debit/credit or paypal. I still use cash which gets quizzical looks lol. I never go in the bank if I can help it.
I need cash for taxis or if I ask one of my drivers to please get something from the shuk for me - or to bring me a shwarma - I can hardly pay them in plastic! And I always keep some cash for emergencies or, like yesterday, when the blanket men turned up after nearly a year and I wanted to buy something from them. When my cash supply is running low, if my neighbour is going downtown or to a shopping centre I give her my card for the hole-in-the-wall and she draws 1,000 shekalim for me [~£163] which lasts me for ages. The last time I went into my bank, which must have been over 4 years ago, was when I had an inheritance cheque to pay in, and I almost had a fight with the security guard outside as I was on my little foldable scooter and there is one step up into the bank. Not a problem as it is easily lifted up that step, but he insisted it was forbidden for me to take the scooter in. He very quickly learned that small scooters are classed as wheelchairs by law and as such are permitted to enter all public buildings, banks being classed as a public building, but I have never been back because I have no need to do so. As I did with the chequebooks yesterday, I managed to write out a note "please give [name] her ID# [whatever hers is] the chequebooks for me. Signed, added my ID# and gave her my ID card just in case of problems. Which there were not.
My bank (RBS) posts new chequebooks automatically when I get down to the last six. I can do everything else by phoning the Customer Service Manager, or by using local ATMs. I have been with them over forty years, and have never even bothered to change the branch - which is now thirty miles away! If it isn't broken ....................
What are checks? Lol Seriously though I rarely use checks. I opened a new bank account 5yrs ago & got my check books. I believe 4 books come in the batch. I'm finally on my last book (of 24 checks) so as you can see they last very long time. I only regularly checks to pay rent. Then to pay tax or DMV because they will charge a fee for VI or MC (I rhino 2 or 2.5%). So far this year I've written 2 checks for rent, 1 check to baby sitter (I usually pull cash out for the amount which is what I did this week), 1 check to Dentist who said he will start taking credit cards this year As Carol said for entries checks are good too. If I'm going to where they allow same day entry I will write a check or pay cash. If they require pre entry I will use a credit card. I pay for nearly everything by credit card. It is probably the safest way to pay & offers added benefits/protection. Also good rewards, think I got close to $900 rewards last year. I feel might as well earn something for paying bills or having a bite out.
We rarely use our check book as we get 6 bank checks a month and only use 2 to 3 of those. The rest of our bills are paid online.
Call me a dinosaur but between trying to figure out how to pay online and trying to get into my customer account and then having to type still more numbers and codes and then worrying about the accounts being hacked...more satisfying writing a check and writing a return address, putting on a stamp and putting the envelope into an actual mailbox...except for my MP3 player I'm not fond of technology.
