Checks SHOULD be a thing of the past
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | 4 Comments
I haven’t used a check at a grocery store in years. I have always used a credit or debit card when I’m out because it’s 1) faster and 2) more convenient. Chris and I have a collection of checks built up just so we can send off our cable, electricity, and gas bill every month but other than that, we never use checks.
There are more frustrating things that go on at the grocery store, but when you’re stuck behind someone who is writing a check it can also be quite irritating, especially if you only have a few items and you have your card ready. Of course, incidents like that have really become less frequent than a few years ago, but every now and then you will get the person who wants to write a check.
Really, when you think about it, writing a check at stores like Wal-Mart have become a moot point. After all, when you write a check, even if you fill the whole thing out and waste everyone’s time, the store runs the check like a debit card. It is electronic now and this way the stores are protecting themselves somewhat from check fraud.
I get annoyed when I see someone pull out a check book at the very end of their grocery store trip. Once everything is rung up and it’s time to pay is NOT the time to look for your checkbook in your gigantic purse; if you’re going to go ahead and pay with a check, perhaps you should have it ready before the entire order is finished. It’s not a surprise that you have to pay at the end. /end rant
I wish stores would ban checks for a number of reasons. I know that there are a few arguments in favor of check writing, like it is easier to keep up with your bank balance when you write a check. However, even that argument is somewhat flawed because you may record a deposit in your check book, but now banks are depositing checks whenever they want to and not necessarily in the order that you actually put them in the bank.
The demise of the check:: Stores aren’t accepting them; people aren’t writing them
Tags: wal mart, grocery store, bank checks
Rebecca from Baby Nursery | Tue, Sep 22 2009
I agree with you. I’m not sure why people still write checks and I have been stuck behind a few in the past month or so at the grocery store. I’ve noticed it’s usually elderly people and I wonder if they are afraid of using a debit card or if they are just creatures of habit and aren’t about to switch their ways. At any rate, you are right…there really isn’t a benefit to writing a check because the funds are still going to be immediately taken out of your account.
Jessica from Savvy Sponds | Wed, Sep 23 2009
While your frustration is understandable, it stems from the fact that writing out checks makes the process of grocery shopping much more tedious. Checks are useful for those who are not familiar with or comfortable with suing debit cards or credit cards. I for one always pay for car repairs by check.
Pini from The Florist | Wed, Sep 23 2009
I haven’t written a check since 1998…
grey from winnie the pooh nursery | Thu, Dec 17 2009
it is so much easier to swipe a debit or credit card these days. plus here in australia there is hardly any places that will let you write a check it is really no the best situation to do so in places like shopping malls etc.. sure the do have there place but just not there.