# How many checks do you write? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992 "2012-10-17T12:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/41 "2012-10-17T16:22:01Z")
Like everyone else in the universe, I pay with plastic/electronic money for everything. I used to pay my rent only via check, but my new landlords will automatically withdraw it on the due date, so now not even that. I can’t even remember the last time I wrote a check. Re: Giving money to another person, my sister recently owed me money and she just transferred it into my bank account. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/42 "2012-10-17T16:35:10Z")
About 2 or 3 checks in the last 12 years. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/43 "2012-10-17T16:47:26Z")
We’re in the middle of a home remodel, so more than usual right now. We write checks to the contractor, the painter, to the guy who built the deck, to the guys who helped us move things in and out, etc. Usually, 3 or 4 checks per month for things like house cleaner or lawn maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/44 "2012-10-17T16:57:35Z")
Maybe two or three a year, but having said that I don’t recall writing any this year. And it’s “cheque”, not “check”, you cretin. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/45 "2012-10-17T16:59:51Z")
Just one a month, for rent. For everything else, I use either Chase’s online bill pay service or use my creditor’s website and pay by direct debit (whichever is easier). I’d do that for rent, too, except I live with my landlord so it seems silly. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/46 "2012-10-17T17:02:41Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > We’re in the middle of a home remodel, so more than usual right now. We write checks to the contractor, the painter, to the guy who built the deck, to the guys who helped us move things in and out, etc. Ditto. I’ll be writing two tomorrow, one on Friday, and one the week after, for contractors. On the other hand, I find I’m using cash more and more. I’d much rather the small shop owner get all of my money, rather than the credit card company or bank. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/47 "2012-10-17T17:40:38Z")
One a month for rent… and that’s about it honestly. Maybe the odd one here and there, so perhaps 1.1 checks per month? ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/48 "2012-10-17T18:34:14Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > And it’s “cheque”, not “check”, you cretin. 😉 Eau quae. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/49 "2012-10-17T18:57:03Z")
Once or twice a year. Last month I wrote one to put in a friend’s wedding card as a wedding present (they didn’t want boxed gifts). ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/50 "2012-10-17T18:58:46Z")
I pretty much only use checks to pay my rent. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/51 "2012-10-17T19:46:21Z")
Zero. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/52 "2012-10-17T20:25:21Z")
Slightly over one per month on average. Let’s say 15 a year. I pay my monthly rent by check (which is the main one). And there are a handful of other things I pay for by rent on an infrequent basis. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/53 "2012-10-17T21:27:48Z")
Only used 2 in the past 5 years to buy a house and a car (both bank cheques requested individually from the bank, considered as good as cash) - everything else is via DD or can be paid online/over the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/54 "2012-10-17T21:30:54Z")
I’ve never had an account with cheques attached. The last time I bought a bank cheque was 2009 iirc - apparently it’s a legal requirement to pay the bond on a rental property with a bank cheque.\* I grumbled. \*A brief Google suggests it can be done electronically. I don’t know if the law has changed or if the estate agents I went through were just too slack to register for it (I suspect the latter). ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/55 "2012-10-17T21:57:57Z")
> [@Rollo\_Tomasi](#): > > Only one a month, for my rent. If I could get my landlord to accept some other form of payment (that didn’t directly cost me anything) I wouldn’t even do that. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/56 "2012-10-17T21:58:29Z")
Rent, Comcast, electric, health insurance (and renter’s, but that’s an annual thing), and one more I think I’m forgetting. Electronic payments? I either haven’t bothered or don’t trust them enough to do so. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/57 "2012-10-17T22:33:30Z")
I voted 0-1, but I should point out that my bank writes and mails a few on my behalf. I just don’t ever actually touch them. ---
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/58 "2012-10-17T23:01:37Z")
One for apartment rent, one for board at the stable, maybe a couple more for co-pays at the acupuncturist’s office. Love my debit card!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/59 "2012-10-17T23:09:09Z")
I use at least two every month, for my house cleaners. And then once in a while for other things. For example, I just paid my property tax with a check. They charge extra if you pay electronically. And I’m having a handyman come in to do some work this weekend; I expect to pay him with a check. In general, the people I pay with a check fall into two categories: 1. People who do services for me in person, and who expect to be paid immediately upon completion of the service, such as the house cleaners I mentioned. A lot of them expect me to hand them the money right away, and they don’t take credit cards. A check seems to be the best option. 2. People I only pay once a year or less, such as the property tax bill and some insurance bills. It’s just not worth the bother to set up electronic pay for them (IMO), so I continue to pay them by check, even though the vast majority of my bills, and all my regular monthly bills, I pay electronically. I’m curious how the posters who never use checks pay the people in category 1. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992/60 "2012-10-17T23:24:14Z")
[ul] [li]My share of the morgage[/li][li]My car payment because the car sales person managed to screw up **both** my phone number & e-mail address on the paperwork and Chase won’t let me pay online without one being correct[/li][li]Credit card[/li][li]and at the moment paying off something from my HP account, but that ought to be done by Christmas[/li][/ul] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-checks-do-you-write/637992.md?page=4)