Question about bank checks

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Ok, I need your help. I'm not the best with addition, so I wrote a check to the organization I gotta pay rent to, but I miscalculated how much I had and the check bounced. I'm more than willing to pay the insufficient funds fee. The lady representative for that company told me to just write out a new check, which I did. So can they still keep trying to cash the first check?

 

[MacLeod]

Just to be on the safe side can't you just contact your bank explain the situation and instruct your bank to not honour that cheque?

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Yes I'm going to call them when they open. I'm just perturbed. The lady I gave the check to said I could write out a new check, but it seems that they keep trying to take out money every day with the old one somehow.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Get the original check canceled with your bank. That's the only thing that will make it invalid.

I once passed a check and then realized I didn't have the funds. I told the person I gave it to not to cash it until a few days later and they said they would. Well, they didn't wait, and it bounced. Twice.

The moral of the story is: don't trust people. Also, don't write bad checks.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Get the original check canceled with your bank. That's the only thing that will make it invalid.

This.

But know that they will probably charge you a fee for stopping payment on the check.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I'm more than willing to pay the insufficient funds fee.

Depends on the bank, but many banks will void an insufficient funds fee (usually once per year) if you call them up and ask politely if they'll remove it. It's just that most people don't bother to ask, so they still make money off of it while maintaining customer satisfaction with the people who do call.

So give them a call and ask (do it when you're cancelling the previous check). Can't hurt you.

 

[Captain Ice]

Locutus speaks the truth here. Call your bank and talk to them about waiving the fee. If nothing else, they'll be able to look at your account history and see if this has happened before on your account.

 

[trekkiedane]

I didn't even know checks were still used anywhere in the enightened (read: digitized) world.

But it reminds me of a sign hanging behind the bar at my local (when I had that sort of thing) dive:

NO SZECHS CASHED.​

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I last wrote a check on February 2, 2007.

I know because I checked.

Thank you.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ I should charge a fee for puns like that. And you can bank on it!

 

[Timewalker]

I didn't even know checks were still used anywhere in the enightened (read: digitized) world.

Not everyone carries cash or debit machines around with them. And some service organizations that do things like provide transportation for disabled people don't take cash because there's no traceable paper trail. So they take cheques, if the client doesn't want to set up a monthly arrangement by credit card.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

The biggest disadvantage of checks--processing time--has mostly been eliminated these days, anyway. With instant electronic systems, you just scan/photograph the check and the transaction can be completed almost immediately. This cuts out the biggest reason many establishments stopped handling checks: people bouncing them.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I didn't even know checks were still used anywhere in the enightened (read: digitized) world.

IIRC, the US is one of the few countries that still does.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Checks remain essential for certain types of transactions. Overcharge reimbursement, class-action settlement awards, and compensation for jury duty are examples that immediately come to mind.

 

[Captain Ice]

I last wrote a check on February 2, 2007.

I know because I checked.

Thank you.

I write one for the electric company every month because I refuse to pay fees to pay them online.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I last wrote a check on February 2, 2007.

I know because I checked.

Thank you.

I write one for the electric company every month because I refuse to pay fees to pay them online.

Ditto.

I was in a similar situation with the OP last year in which I gave my landlord a check and it mysteriously disappeared. After it still couldn't be found after a few days, I wound up having to cancel the original check and write a new one (got hit with the ridiculous fee though--banks love missing or bounced checks).

 

[Timewalker]

I write one for the electric company every month because I refuse to pay fees to pay them online.

Don't you have to pay a fee for writing a cheque as well? And there would be a cost to mail them or take them to the electric company in person, wouldn't there?

 

[Melakon]

The only check I've written for the last 5 years is for rent. They always seem to sit on it for at least a week, instead of immediately depositing. Plays hell with trying to determine your actual balance left when all your other payments are online or via card, which show up right away.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I use a spreadsheet precisely to avoid things like that: I always know exactly what I've spent, and what outstanding transactions may not have yet appeared.

 

[Captain Ice]

I write one for the electric company every month because I refuse to pay fees to pay them online.

Don't you have to pay a fee for writing a cheque as well? And there would be a cost to mail them or take them to the electric company in person, wouldn't there?

No bank fees for writing checks in the US.

Arizona Public Service (aka the electric company) also does not charge a fee for checks. They do, however, want to charge me $3.95 for paying online each month.

Since it only costs me $0.48 to mail the check, then I will continue to mail them a check every month.