[MONEY] Still Paying Bills With Paper Checks? - Comments Page 3

I agree with everything you say, Bob. Virtually all my bills are paid either by credit cards on-line or my credit union's Bill Pay. Perhaps three or four times a year I still need to write a paper check. But it's been five or ten years (I can't recall exactly when) since I've had to order a new wad of paper checks, and at this rate I may never do so again. Plus I used to have to pay first class postage whenever I mailed off a check to pay a bill. I haven't bought any new stamps in years.

I would pay everything electronically or with a card if I didn't live in the 3rd world country of South Texas for 6 months each winter. Many businesses charge a 3% fee, or higher, to use a debit or credit card including paying our rent at a county RV park. Most governments across the country also charge a fee to use a card. Taxes and licensing fees for certain. Even the liqour store prices here are discounted at the counter if you pay with cash

I'm in the over 55 and pay all of my bills on line with the exception of two that haven't gone to electronic billing. Drycleaners and Propane Gas. I like paper bills especially from companies that can't get email addresses correct.

I keep a checkbook in case of an EMP attack, or a grid-down. 'Course, if that happens, there'll be so much chaos that we could all just tell the debtors, "hey, I PAID that-not my fault it's lost"!

55+ here. I pay everything online. However, I had to stop paying medical bills online when the payment showed on my bank statement as "WeDareYouToGuessYourProvidersName".

Therefore, I pay all medical bills by paper check. Second corollary: Put the Doctor's name in the Pay To block and they can't encrypt your info.

I haven't written a cheque for years and I don't get cheque books for new bank accounts that I open. I receive maybe 3 or 4 cheques a year in my business. Most people pay by EFT-POS and some by cash. I discontinued accepting payment by credit card because there were so few wanting to use that facility that the per transaction cost was exorbitant. I notice that many others have found this and often see signs saying 'No Credit Card'.

Okay, I just figured out only the mobile version of your last several articles comments keep only showing, "Most recent comments on "Geekly Update - 20 March 2013"

When I swiched to classic view, the actual most recent comments started to happen relative to the most recent article.

Glad this most likely means you are alive, and the AI has not started posting in your place. Maybe. *winks*.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Robots are everywhere. One of them must have been messing with the template for the mobile website. :-)

Up here in cow Hampshire we MUST pay our property taxes by paper check. That's the three checks that I write each year.

@63 I also write very few checks a year. I am however concerned about a cashless world system, which is indeed what we are encouraging by this practice; as it opens the possiblity of our finances being taken over and controlled by a tyrannical government or banking system.
The bible makes note of a system like this existing before Christ return.

Checks should remain an option. Eliminating them is like taking the spare tire from your vehicle and tossing it on a bonfire.

That younger people do not know how to write a check simply betokens their ignorance and lack of education.

Direct deposit of Social Security checks benefits the government. When you sign up for it, you are giving the government the right and power to WITHDRAW money from your account under the guise or pretext of "adjusting" or "correcting" mistakes in previous deposits. Whatever the pretext, it is foolish to give the government this power. Read the fine print. If you must use direct deposit, have at least two (2) checking accounts at different institutions. Use one to receive the deposits, but withdraw most of the money quickly, leaving only a minimum amount in that account.

I have been asked by businesses to pay them by check rather than by debit or credit card, so they will get 100 cents on the dollar, rather than have 3 or 4 percent siphoned off as fees to the credit card companies.

Bob, do you own stock in VISA or some fee-hungry bank?

Being disabled it is not easy for me to get to my bank. We have a cleaning lady in twice a week and since I don't have any money available I pay by cheque. Living in this village we have to pay our city taxes to the village by cheque. Apart from that I pay everything computer to bank. My problem is when I want to pay by debit card many people tell me their machine will not take debit cards only credit. I dislike using credit cards since I don't want any bills at the end of the month. I therefore ask if I can pay via computer.

My landlord and parking garage owner accept payment only by check. I have several times asked them to let me make an electronic direct deposit into their accounts, but they refuse. I keep a checking account solely for these two monthly payments.

While I can't be sure, I presume it's to let them underreport their income to the IRS.

A friend who ran a bodega told me that as a rule, only about half of a retail store's cash income gets reported.

I'm way over 55. I use checks to pay rent, medical bills and donations to charity, etc. Many other bills are paid on-line, charged to a debit card as are frequent Amazon purchases. I don't want to do away with checks altogether and you better stay away from my fax machine.

well I use checks and will as it helps me know what I have in my account so as to buy more foolish stuff.I don't have a smart phone and never will,they are a waste.To high in price and easily broken by my life stile,thank you but I will keep my checks.

I still use checks and use them for everything and yes they are free. I don't care if younger people don't use them, checks will remain around for quite some time. The only way they will disappear is for them to not be acceptable for payment.

I am also way over 55. I prefer to do paper checks for several reasons..1)I do not trust computer info 2) I prefer to pay when I KNOW I have money instead of hoping the bank does not decide I don't have the money and charge me an overdraft fee 3) I can keep the checks with the receipt and Know what I paid and when. I do online buying with credit card, but only for small purchases if possible at stores.

Bob,
A question for you and others that use their smartphones to do a mobile deposit of a check. What limits does your bank put on it? My bank, Citibank, says I can do no more than $3,000 in a month and no more than $1,000 on any given check. I think the $1,000 is also a daily limit. There's no technological reason for it, but they seem to think they are protecting me. From what, I don't know. The money appears to be available, but if I was to try and 'cash' it, I think they might not let me do so if I was to exceed either my savings balance or any overdraft protection I might have.

Some solutions for some folks:
1. Try to have your piano tuner and landlord and others accept a check written from your bank's bill payment service. That way the bank pays the postage and you don't have to worry about a check book supply.

2. Some government agencies will be happy to do an ACH withdrawal from your account if you don't want to write them a check and then mail it to them. The IRS is one such agency as is NY State.

I still have my checks and I find myself writing maybe 1 or 2 a year. If you are going to continue using checks, don't buy them from your bank, go online to get them. A number of years ago, when I was writing checks more frequently I actually splurged and got Harley Davidson checks and the check book carrier. I have enough now I don't see my needing anymore.

I still write a paper check to my church each week rather than have an automatic withdrawal taken from my checking account. It's kind of a nice reminder for me of my gratitude to God and my church. Everything else is either bill pay from a bank or by credit card. I don't use debit cards. Some of the yard workers in our area want only cash or checks which makes my checking account handy. I prefer paper billing-never know when my trusty computer might have a glitch. I was 76 years old and when I was about 12 my mother taught me to write a check properly. Sure enjoy your hints and the blog, Bob. Thank you!

Because I moved to Indonesia I have had untold difficulties with my UK Mastercard either with PayPal or trying to send payments to the UK bank - in this case Lloyds. What I have learned is that it is impossible to sign up for a Mastercard over the age of 55 in S/E Asia or to transfer Mastercard UK to Mastercard Indonesia. As I cannot purchase anything of quality in Indo especially medical supplies I now do not know where to turn to next. Maybe American Express allow any age but I am not a rich man. Indo does not allow their bank cards whether VISA or with Mastercard logo on it to use online - ATM's are used for exchange of cash.

The direct connection with this article's subject may not immediately be understood but is does because it shows there are many problems still encountered today trying to pay one's bills with one's own cash.

I haven't written a check in over 12 years! I have plenty of checks left on my checking account, but, the address, city and phone number are ALL wrong. Tee hee hee.

As any of you know, you can't use a check that is not printed up correctly, to match your Driver's License information. Heavens, even the information on my Driver's License is not fully correct. My license has the wrong address and city, the worst part my birthdate not right, either! I guess, I am really in a mess, aren't I? LOL

I use Bill Pay through my bank, my Debit Card, computer online pay, over the phone payments and Snap Deposit using my Smartphone, when I do get a check. As for my income - Direct Deposit, wouldn't have it any other way. I have been using Direct Deposit for 19 years for Social Security income and no issues. I first started using Direct Deposit back in the early 1980's. I can only say, it definitely saved me time and energy.