Pet Peeve: People who don't cash right away the checks you write them

[LynneSin]

Ok, I'm not talking like 5 minutes after I write the check but when it's two weeks later and it's not cashed I just get annoyed as all bejesus.

First, I rarely write checks. Every bill I pay is done thru online bill pay. Yes, I know there are risks but I've been pretty fortunate for 8 years of using online bill play AND it really helps with improving the credit.

But damnit, I know there is a $90 check out there for a bead class I'm taking. I really prefer using my debit card but she said for classes it was checks or cash only. With no ATM nearby I reluctantly wrote the check and asked if it would be deposited right away. I was assure it was but two weeks later and it's still not cleared through my acccount. Now everytime I go online I have to remember that I have $90 less in my checking account then what shows up on my balance. I wish this online banking tools had a feature where I could manually enter the check amount that I wrote so it can block the money from accidently being spent.

:grr:

[meegbear]

1. I was going thru that with my condo fees ...

I bite the bullet and spend a dollar for a money order each month (my credit union charges for them.)

I do online banking and maybe write 2 checks a year.

[LynneSin]

6. Seriously - I think that's a good investment

especially if they weren't cashing them within a week.

I think 7 days is appropriate and then I start bitching!

[meegbear]

17. What's worse is that there are only 5 units in my building ...

It seems that I'm the only one who's paying on the 1st or 2nd.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. I want to test this.

PM'ing my address. I promise to cash it quickly. Thank you for allowing me to repair your faith in humanity.

[MrScorpio]

3. So you should have left checks, you know this, right?

If you right them, it's going the wrong way

[soleft]

4. I copy and paste my online record into word

Then I add in all the outstanding stuff so i know what I really have left.

[Swede]

5. I wrote a check to my brother in November,he cashed it on January third.

Just when all the bills are coming due. I feel your pain.

[Buzz Clik]

7. My kid will sit on a check for two months.

I send him the money because he was "starving to death". College kids. :eyes:

[AlCzervik]

8. thats me, sorry.

i go to the bank about twice a month and if i have a check thats when i deposit it.

[LynneSin]

10. My bank has exactly one location within a 100 mile radius and I still get it deposited

believe it or not - ATM check depositing does work. It does take about a week for it to clear but it doesn't hold up progress. I usually try to do it at one of the 2 ATM that belong to my bank, but I've done it thru other ATM and it still works.

[AlCzervik]

12. well i swear if you send me a check i will cash it right away!

:D

[MissB]

9. Do you use Money or Quicken?

A simple personal finance program like those will keep track of your balance. I switched to Quicken last year after using Money forever. No real reason, other than I got it free when I puchased TurboTax.

I set up my Quicken accounts to connect to my bank and download transactions. I still enter items in Quicken, such as checks or debit purchases that my husband makes and doesn't hand me the slip for, but automatically downloading them saves me a ton of time.

Plus, you know what your actual balance is, not just how much you have in the bank.

[LynneSin]

11. That's just too much extra work

My online banking provides just about everything that these programs have and it's for free. The only thing it doesn't provide is a placeholder for checks written

[Gormy Cuss]

19. You're complaining because someone ISN'T taking your money fast enough?

Assuming that your checking account pays a tiny bit of interest, the longer it takes for someone to cash your check, the better for you because the money's sitting there accruing interest. It is annoying if you want to close the account, but otherwise it's one of the reason the old "balancing the checkbook" routine was important -- write the check, deduct it from your running balance and assume the money is gone. It's not unusual for people to sit on checks for a month or more these days in part because it requires making a trip to the bank or trusting the ATM deposit, something that can be problematic if you have a smallish bank with a limited network and a busy schedule.

[northzax]

20. but something like quicken

if it's really an issue for you, can handle all that as well. you can download all your accounts, monthly. I use moneydance, and I enjoy watching my credit card debt decrese every month.

I hear there is even a special Delaware version that will allow you to track your tolls!

[1gobluedem]

13. My landlord is like that

Once it took him seven weeks. But he did call and ask if it was okay to still deposit it. His usual time frame is about ten days to two weeks to deposit my check. Since it's the largest one I write, it can get annoying sometimes.

[LynneSin]

14. I would do what Meegbear does and go with a Cashier's check

that's just irresponsible, but at least your landlord said something.

[1gobluedem]

16. He's actually a really great landlord

But also an absent-minded professor...

[Yavin4]

15. My Roommate Sometimes Does Not Cash The Rent Checks For Months

In one year, he had 6 months of rent checks that he did not cash. I was regularly off with my checking accounts.

Because of this, I designed an Access database to track all of my outstanding expenses. It worked out really well.

[TK421]

18. No money orders? That's weird

I stopped writing checks for that same reason, too...they always managed to come back and bite me in the ass later on ( much, much later ).:(