Top 25 things vanishing from America: #7 -- Personal checks
This series explores aspects of America that may soon be just a memory -- some to be missed, some gladly left behind. From the least impactful to the most, here are 25 bits of vanishing America.
I left the love affair I had with paper checks over a decade ago. Now, it's plastic -- but no, I don't mean credit cards. We're talking debit cards here, which have almost completely replaced paper checks in almost all consumer transactions I witness in checkout lines.
Except for those fancy cashier's checks we use to pay for larger purchases, the personal check is completely out of style these days. I'm estimating that in the last 10 times I've witnessed purchases at the grocery store or local restaurant, nine of them have involved a debit card (or, yikes, a credit card) or cash. No checks.
In many ways, the check has run its course: there are printing costs, theft, bad check fraud, illegible penmanship and the need to carry around a checkbook to just name a few. Isn't it easier just to swipe that debit card, punch in that PIN, and be on your way? And now sometimes you don't even need the PIN or to sign, for purchases under $20. Online bill payment doesn't just save time, it saves money, eliminating the need for a stamp.
Sure, all this is easier -- but I'm betting that many of us still use a check register or log to keep track of our checking account at any time. Most of us still have checking accounts, after all. I still have a checkbook that I carry around with my wallet, like the two are married or something. Perhaps it's just decades of habit more than a physical need, since I actually write maybe one check per month. But, getting rid of checks altogether just doesn't seem right to this old dog. Where are your checks?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
7-15-2008 @ 8:08AM
Lor said...
Although cell phones have become a handy way to communicate with others we still own a landline phone and we hope that they do not become extinct. Many of the phone companies are providing great services now for our landline phone such as long distance programs etc. Cell phones are great however they have been made very small so that one can carry it in their pocket. When talking on the phone for a long period of time it is more comfortable to use a bigger phone handle as opposed to a cell phone.
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 9:16AM
Bob said...
Lor,
I totally agree with you that a larger handset is more comfortable. But one thing I believe people don't think about is that a wired, landline phone is still necessary. With the proliferation of cell phones, cordless phones in the home, and other similar devices, they all need one thing to function, electricity. If there is a power failure, none of these devices will work. In the case of cell phones, if there is no electricity to recharge the battery, then it's a good looking paperweight. The wired, landline phone gets its power from batteries located at the local phone company. If there is an electrical failure, you can still count on your wired, landline phone to make emergency calls.
7-15-2008 @ 1:50PM
IcedRaven said...
Im so glad checks will be a thing of a past. I work at a grocery store and when people come through my line (specially old people) they take forever to write it out. Whats the date? How much did you say? and to top it off they ocassionaly write the wrong store name on there (thats if i can read thier awful writing in the first place). Landlines? oh wow im so glad those things are going out with the dinosaurs aswell. I Love my cell phone. Its so easy to use. Not that a landline isnt easy to use, its just not needed anymore. If these two things were gone tommarow I wouldnt miss them. If anyone wants to know. I am 20 years old. So my perspective might be different from an older person.
7-17-2008 @ 4:18AM
Carrie said...
In response to IcedRaven...not sure how old you may be,but I must be one of those"old people" you are talking about since I don't have a debit card and still write checks. i DON'T like paying over the phone because I constantly get the person who tried to put my routing number through claimed the bank said it wasn't the right one and when it is put in a second time after I call the bank to verify it was done right...it ends up not getting paid...and a "check bounce fee' is incured on my payment because"it failed to go through" NOT my FAULT to the people who put it through I give the right routing numbers and account and they screw it up everytime...so paying by mail is the only way I do it anymore...sorry for the OLD person here(I am 44 if you must know and if you are 27 or below I am old to you I guess LOL) Debit cards take the money out faster yes...but the accounts also have faster shortages if you are paying bills and it is harder to keep track of IMO...I will take the "old way" as long as possible and if I can't write a check...well...money orders will do nicely. Ok...now where did I put that walker I have to go now...thanks.
7-15-2008 @ 8:40AM
bill sailer said...
Why ""Yikes", a credit card. I pay no annual fee, and get back a couple of hundred dollars a year? Sure, they are waiting for me to screw up, but why should I? Also be careful how you pay by phone or the internet. There are heavy charges for any payment but a check by several companies.
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 9:15AM
Victor Escobar said...
That's why I use mycheckfree.com -- totally free, and all my bills are available in an easy-to-use dashboard.
7-15-2008 @ 9:48AM
Pam said...
What about when you are making your mortgage payment, I always send it out in the mail with a check. I never pay over the phone or with a credit card/debit card. What am I going to do if and when we can't use checks. That is all I ever use! I am NOT for this!! WQe need to have the checks STAY!! People still need them.
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 2:57AM
Mary F said...
Most mortgage companies offer you a check free system and they will deduct the mortgage amount out of your account on it's due date. If for any reason you need them to change the date a few days most will be accomodating. Just be sure to make the deposit into the account to have the funds available when they are scheduled to deduct them from your account. Hope this helps/
7-15-2008 @ 9:47AM
kira said...
they really need to vanish checks out completely. people are getting way too creative in faking them. i had a customer somehow erase numbers off her checking account at the bottom of her check so that the money wouldnt come out of her account. checks are just getting too risky. i always seem to have a problem with checks
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 10:11AM
tom said...
What is really GREAT AND FUN occurs when someone forgets to electronically deposit a paycheck in your account and ALL your creditors electronically debit the account without any funds to pay the charges!!!! THAT IS REALLY FUN TO CLEAR UP- ESPECIALLY ALL THOSE LATE CHARGES the CREDIT CARD COMPANIES- BANK OF AMERICA CHARGE!!!! THAT HAPPENED TO A COWORKER. I STICK WITH CHECKS- THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
Reply
7-30-2008 @ 9:59AM
dk said...
I am siding with you! this recently happened to my son and when he asked restitution from his company they told him to forget it or go to the state and fill out papers. The paperwork wasn't worth it so the company and bank won out. As for checks, I too am a dinosaur @ 52 and I prefer to have my back-ups for recents with the IRS and when people say they didn't receive payment and I know I have the copy. I use my debit card at the grocery store and mall but my husband had his number stolen once on a trip to Colorado. We use the computer to check our accounts and that helped because we caught it right away. You can use both worlds. and I really will use money orders if I am forced to.
7-15-2008 @ 10:34AM
Ed said...
I have to agree w/ Pam (Post # 6). My mortgage lender gladly accepts payment by personal check free of charge,but charges an additional $10.00 per payment if payment is made online or by telephone. Sure, you'd think they would realize the value and safety of getting their money instantly by allowing me to mak online payments for free...but I suspect their real motive is to encourag me to have my mortgage payent deducted automatically each month from my checking account (for which they do NOT charge anything!) And like Providian, who was fined hundreds of millions for deliberately post-dating customer payments, I've noticed that on several occasions, my lender says my checks seemed to have taken up to three weeks to arrive and be posted to my account, thereby incurring hefty late fees. Hmmm...so, now I simply pay them a month ahead, to prevent them from incurring that little scheme.
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 10:41AM
Christi said...
Check writting will not go away. Unless state and local governments upgrade to new technology we will still be writting checks for our taxes ie, vehicles, trailor, etc.
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 10:45AM
Liz said...
Yes it was an easy transition for me to exchange the duplex checks in for a quick and convenient card swipe. But try convincing my mom and dad.
Being a part of the sandwich generation for awhile, I have learned to pick my battles carefully within my family. Instead I am quietly pro-active to secure my sanity and “peace of mind”
First I loaded my parents up with a lifelong supply of the Bic click pen with the Secure Ink … it can’t be washed off the check. But it’s not just checks, think about the legal docs, prescriptions etc. Then I registered mom dad and my entire family--- we all live under one roof, for TrustedID. That might seem extreme but my life is too complex to deal with any unnecessary craziness caused by identity theft, credit fraud, oh and once again becoming more popular—medical id theft.
Anyway I sure hope the checkbook will hang on for at least five years. On a side note I was surprisingly disappointed to hear about “watering holes”.
LizzyG
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 12:17AM
Swoody said...
I agree with Christi, especially after what happened to Katrina victims. With all the financial institutions closed for extended periods of times, for miles around, the ony thing that was honored by opened businesses was a check. Electronic commerce is not dependable without power.
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 12:22PM
david said...
Check float is one of the mainstays of corporate america. You know, the time it takes for a check to actually get to the payemnt place and eventually end up debiting your account. By delaying the actual disbursement of money by just 1 business day, you can make the money work for you.
By example, if you disbuse 1 million dollars a day and it takes one extra day to hit your account, assuming an investment rate of 2.75% annual, you can earn an additional $77 that day !! All because you wrote a check and did nothing else. What would you do with your $77 dollars?
It's all free and perfectly legal. In fact, there are banks out there selling this product called controlled or remote disbusement.
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 11:58AM
Analyze This said...
Personal Checks? Good riddance! I can't believe that in the year 2008, there are still people (mostly women) standing in line at the grocery checkouts hand writing checks. Even though newer registers will print out the info on your check for you and all the customer has to do is sign it. Some systems even approve the check and cancel it on the spot and hand it back to you!
As far as I know, nearly all banks can issue a debit card which replaces the check at point of purchase. At Aldi stores, the money from a debit card purchase is out of my checking account by the time I get home 10 minutes later. I am probably writing one check per year for those rare purchases that don't accept plastic.
We're making a killing off Discover card when we shop and dine out. We pay our balance down to zero every billing and get cash back at the end of the year. Because of this, we charge EVERYTHING and pay no interest! Our best year we raked in $600 in FREE bucks! We now have an AMEX-Costco card that does even better!
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 3:11AM
Mary F said...
As a business owner I kringe when I see those debit cards. The banks charge between 1.5 to 2 % of the sale to allow the store owner to accept credit/ debit cards. The fee's are continually going up. I am in a small town and get very few bad checks. It is worth it to accept them and not get the finance fee's on my end.But good for you, Discover and American Express need more people like you. We have paid cash for years and will continue to do so as much as we can.
7-15-2008 @ 12:06PM
Analyze This said...
I think the people that are the most opposed to the vanishing checkbook are, those who stil think they can float a check on Wednesday before the money is deposited on Friday.
Float time has gone down from up to 10 days down to 10 minutes!
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 12:19PM
dillon said...
you forgot the millions of people who dont have computers that live pay check to pay check,many grocery stores who cater to low income people wont process a check real fast so you can float a check at the stores expence instead of the bank which hates this process and does every thing possible to stop check floating. stores that will allow floating will attract these customers sounds like good buisiness to me one example is food4less stores in western states.low income people who arnt on welfair will choose food 4 less over walmart,walmart will use instant electronic checks.
Reply