Britain bounces checks after 300 years

[WillsBabe]

I rarely write cheques these days. To pay the window cleaner, and to pay funds into the odd savings account. I think a cheque book lasts me in the region of 3 or so years these days. I do think they have their uses, though I'm glad that retailers no longer take them. I'm impatient enough to wait while others pay with cards, waiting for people to write out cheques used to drive me up the damn wall!

 

[Lindley]

once you click the link from the email.

The what?

In every online billpay site I've used, you just choose a username and password. Email isn't involved (although some sites just use your email address as the username).

Have you ever clicked the "Forgot my password" link? They'll ask you a secret question and then (in most cases) email you a temporary password, which you're expected to change immediately.

The Virgina DMV website is the only place I've been to which insists on snail-mailing you a PIN code if you click the "forgot my PIN" link.

 

[Kestra]

I still use checks every now and then. Don't go through them really fast, but in some cases it's easier to use a check.

 

[John Picard]

once you click the link from the email.

The what?

In every online billpay site I've used, you just choose a username and password. Email isn't involved (although some sites just use your email address as the username).

Have you ever clicked the "Forgot my password" link? They'll ask you a secret question and then (in most cases) email you a temporary password, which you're expected to change immediately.

The Virgina DMV website is the only place I've been to which insists on snail-mailing you a PIN code if you click the "forgot my PIN" link.

Ah yes, the super-secret question. This is yet another inconsistency along with the Password/UserID length and structure.
Examples of super secret questions:
Mother's maiden name
School you attended
Favorite sports team (I don't even watch sports)
Your favorite pet's name
Your favorite vacation destination
Your favorite teacher/subject in school

Again, these all vary from site to site, making it a PITA to keep track of it all.

 

[Galactus]

I wish that the United States would do this. Most id fraud, at least in the US comes from good old fashion paper, either from "divers" or employees of the places you do business with. There is no way to protect yourself from it happening and writing checks does not minimize your exposure. Most banks these days and large business just convert your paper check to an electronic one anyway. Have been for years. I just saw an elderly lady at the store arguing with the cashier about getting her check back cause they processed it electronically. You would think that is something that just started yesterday.

For people that love Linux, Xbox 360, PS3, blu-ray, the latest greatest computer hardware, and the newest smartphones, you guys are beyond old fashion and out dated when it comes to processing transactions.

 

[Rincewiend]

Hm, i pay pretty much everything through my banks website...
Found an English explaination:
http://www.rabobank.nl/images/randomreader_2e_uk_0708_2942032.pdf

A nice description:
http://blog.gmo-web.info/post/2007/05/10/About-debit-cards-in-the-Netherlands

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I have only ever used 1 cheque as far as I can remember, and that was about 10 years ago.
All my bills are paid by Direct Debit or standing order. Any other payments I use online banking or website.

 

[Mallory]

There's still a lot of places around me that won't accept debit or credit card, it's cash or check only. None of my doctors or specialists will, for example. And for a lot of mom and pop restaurants I frequent simply don't want to deal with the extra hassle.

 

[sidious618]

I still use checks.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Except for the couple of places where I buy online, I use checks to pay for everything.

 

[Galactus]

There's still a lot of places around me that won't accept debit or credit card, it's cash or check only. None of my doctors or specialists will, for example. And for a lot of mom and pop restaurants I frequent simply don't want to deal with the extra hassle.

I can't even imagine that. Can't think of a single place around here that does not take a credit or debit card. That is business suicide, especially taking checks. Where do you live again, I need to move there.

 

[Candlelight]

We use maybe half a dozen cheques a year if we're lucky.

Used to use it quite a bit but electronically is so much easier.

 

[RoJoHen]

Most restaurants don't even accept checks anymore. Mine never did, and it was always a giant pain in the ass when someone didn't have an alternate form of payment.

On the other hand, my current apartment will accept no payment other than checks, which I find obnoxious. I can pay for everything online, but when it comes to my rent, I have to walk down to the leasing office and hand them a check.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If I somehow need to use a check, I can always use my bank's BillPay service. I just tell them who I want to pay, and the bank cuts a check themselves and sends it out. I don't have to write one.

 

[RoJoHen]

If I somehow need to use a check, I can always use my bank's BillPay service. I just tell them who I want to pay, and the bank cuts a check themselves and sends it out. I don't have to write one.

I have to physically hand my landlord a check along with my rent statement, and then they have to sign it proving that I physically handed them the check. It's really one of the most annoying things about my current apartment.


EDIT: On the other hand, I just checked my mail, and my grandma sent me a check for $300, so I guess they're not all bad.

 

[Holdfast]

The only time I have had to use cheques over the past few years is to pay tradesmen if I wasn't paying cash, and even there, some of them now happily take cards.

I've occasionally used cheques in other settings as a preferred option (esp. when paying a large bill by post), to avoid a surcharge, but if they were abolished that surcharge would be incorporated into standard cost, so I wouldn't miss the cheque option there.

I guess overall, I dislike the abolition simply because it removes a choice. But in practice, I don't think I'd miss them really. And if it led to overall lower transaction costs, which were passed along to the consumer (unlikely, but we can hope), then I would be happy with that.