OT: Absolutely Fuming!!!! #$%^&*

@ Jay Aitchsee

*Jealous*

Slinky wrote:I called today to place a new order for checks for my personal checking account. Its the first time I've placed an order in almost 2 years.

The sheisters want $20 for 150 checks!!!!

Ahem! We lawyers are very jealous of our term of abuse. We hate it when someone calls bankers or used car salesmen sheisters (or shysters). We own it.

I write fewer than 10 checks a year now. Almost everything can be paid on line, and that will only increase. I think the last checks I bought may be the last checks I'll ever buy.

I'm in Jay's camp. Why write a check and buy stamps when a few seconds in front of the computer takes care of it?

I just use my banks FREE bill pay. They will send a check to people or companies that do not or can not accept electronic checks. My bank will print the check and mail for no charge. My ex sends me a check every month from her account. The bank prints and mails it for no cost to her.

A couple of bills are auto pay, the rest are paid in person (it's close)
This way we get to choose between being late and "in the hole".
Late charges are always lower than overdraft fees.

You can actually "write a cheque" on any paper and it is legal as long as it has all the information on it that is on the cheque. They will hate you because it will need to be manually processed.

BlackSpinner wrote:You can actually "write a cheque" on any paper and it is legal as long as it has all the information on it that is on the cheque. They will hate you because it will need to be manually processed.

This is true, but most places will not accept any check that was not properly printed. Heck, most places will not even accept the "temp" checks you get with a new account that are only missing the account holder's name.

I switched to online checking six years ago, and would never go back to writing checks.

It is so much more convenient, and effortless, especially with repeating monthly payments, etc.

And no envelopes, no postage stamps, no trips to the post office, etc.

The only checks I write now are birthday gifts to kids and grandkids, so my box of paper checks lasts for years.

For security, it is important to use a random generated password of about 16 characters with a secure password program, and never click on a url or word in an email for access. Always use your browser.

Nate

I use online free bill pay. I did buy one box of checks which will probably last for years!!!

Paper money transfers of all kinds (including checks) are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Everything is going electronic. It sucks and I don't trust it (and I've been in IT for 27 years), but that's the way it is. I do 98% of my bills with Quicken which up/downloads everything with the bank. It works pretty well once you get it set up.

Well they eventually sucked me into using an ATM card. Even as they kept telling us they were free to use because it saved them paying a teller I said that the cost of buying, installing, maintaining and servicing the ATM would give them an excuse to start charging us once they got us sucked into using them. Which of course has happened. And some of the fees and double fees are absolutely outrageous. So far, knock, Knock, KNOCK, I've only once paid a fee to use my ATM card and it was an emergency. But its getting more and more difficult to find a free ATM.

And, assuming I live long enough, I'm sure they will force me kicking,screaming and swearing into doing my banking online but as usual for me it won't be until the last minute and w/o a fight. This online banking bit is just a matter of them telling us to bend over and us asking how far.

Slinky wrote: But its getting more and more difficult to find a free ATM.

No need to use ATMs either (except maybe for deposits). Get cash back at most any grocery store without a fee.

Jay

I do all my business at one bank. I do on line bill paying where possible. As long as you keep a specific balance in the bank (Totaling all accounts) and do direct deposit, everything is free. I get free checks with my choice of sports teams pictured, free ATM, AND a small amount of interest on checking balance. I found that smaller, local banks will do more for you than the National mega banks.

Slinky wrote:And, assuming I live long enough, I'm sure they will force me kicking,screaming and swearing into doing my banking online but as usual for me it won't be until the last minute and w/o a fight. This online banking bit is just a matter of them telling us to bend over and us asking how far.

I'm with you on this. I know that I will lose and be forced to pay my bills on line eventually. For now, I am resisting as long as possible. I love the internet (obviously) and some of the wonderful things it does and we can do with it. But with my MONEY, I will resist as long as possible.

I don't trust technology with my bank account. There are way too many criminals and unscrupulous individuals that will do anything possible to steal from people. Having my personal bank account more accessible than it already is -- NOT something I am comfortable with.

LSAT wrote:I do all my business at one bank. I do on line bill paying where possible. As long as you keep a specific balance in the bank (Totaling all accounts) and do direct deposit, everything is free. I get free checks with my choice of sports teams pictured, free ATM, AND a small amount of interest on checking balance.

I do the same... with a national bank. Love paying my bills on line - one, two, three and you're done.

I closed my account at a different bank a few years back b/c they were going to charge me for checks. Bye bye.