# I Hate My Bank SO Much **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546 "2011-07-19T04:30:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/161 "2011-07-25T18:22:08Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > Ok, that makes more sense. I don’t write any “real” checks; I only send online checks, so they are subtracted from my balance immediately. As for electronic payments, I do it manually, so that’s not an issue. If online payments are being subtracted from your balance immediately, then you are being screwed by your bank. They shouldn’t be subtracted until they have cleared. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/162 "2011-07-25T18:22:44Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > If you write a check, how do you expect your bank to know about it before it clears? Are they supposed to read your mind? > > Also, I’m not talking about some handwritten register that comes with your checkbook. I’m talking about a register in something like quicken. If they’re like me and write about one physical check every six months, it isn’t a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/163 "2011-07-25T18:26:26Z")
How can any of you seriously never write a check? For example, if you hire someone to do work at your house, how do you pay them? You can’t possibly being paying them by online billpay from your bank. Are you people paying workers with cash? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/164 "2011-07-25T18:27:14Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > If online payments are being subtracted from your balance immediately, then you are being screwed by your bank. They shouldn’t be subtracted until they have cleared. My dad’s bank does this when he pays his bills through their online bill pay. I think it isn’t actually being subtracted from your balance, but it’s showing as a pending payment and therefore isn’t included in the running balance available when you’re looking for your account balance. Which sort of makes sense, particularly here, where we’re discussing how irresponsible people can be. I think it’s the bank’s way of making sure you don’t bounce the e-check they are sending out. Personally, I hate the online bill pay feature from banks. Everyone I know that uses them ends up with a check every few months that never gets to the vendor because of who knows what. I just log directly into my account on the vendor’s website and pay with a bank debit that way. Then, I know they got it. > [@LonghornDave](#): > > How can any of you seriously never write a check? For example, if you hire someone to do work at your house, how do you pay them? You can’t possibly being paying them by online billpay from your bank. Are you people paying workers with cash? Literally the _only_ checks I regularly write are to my gardener (once every three months) and my house keeper (once every two weeks). Because I only write two things, it’s really easy to keep track of those in my head, particularly since the amounts never change. Every so often I have to pay an electrician or something, but again- those are such rare situations that I don’t forget the one outstanding check to Bob’s Plumbing or whatever. Most businesses take debit or credit cards now. That’s how I pay for steam cleaning at my house or my hair and nails at the salon (assuming I don’t grab cash ahead of time- which I do try to do, since I’d rather small businesses not eat the fee for credit processing). ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/165 "2011-07-25T18:29:50Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > How can any of you seriously never write a check? For example, if you hire someone to do work at your house, how do you pay them? You can’t possibly being paying them by online billpay from your bank. Are you people paying workers with cash? I can’t remember the last time I wrote an actual check. I don’t even have a checkbook. It was at least 3 years ago. Anytime I have work done on the house or something, I enter them as an online payee and send them a check that way. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/166 "2011-07-25T18:30:16Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > If they’re like me and write about one physical check every six months, it isn’t a big deal. It’s basic financial management 101. Further, there are benefits beyond simply keeping an accurate balance reflecting pending and uncleared transactions. It allows you to check and see if your bank makes mistakes, which they do. It allows you to track and analyze your spending patterns. It’s also just one part of managing your overall financial situation? ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/167 "2011-07-25T18:31:25Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > If online payments are being subtracted from your balance immediately, then you are being screwed by your bank. They shouldn’t be subtracted until they have cleared. How am I being screwed? I like it coming out of my balance right away. That way I always know exactly how much I have in my account. There is no waiting for something to “clear.” ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/168 "2011-07-25T18:32:31Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > It’s basic financial management 101. Further, there are benefits beyond simply keeping an accurate balance reflecting pending and uncleared transactions. It allows you to check and see if your bank makes mistakes, which they do. It allows you to track and analyze your spending patterns. It’s also just one part of managing your overall financial situation? Just curious and don’t get your panties in a wad, but how old are you? ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/169 "2011-07-25T18:35:21Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I can’t remember the last time I wrote an actual check. I don’t even have a checkbook. It was at least 3 years ago. Anytime I have work done on the house or something, I enter them as an online payee and send them a check that way. Are you seriously saying that a worker is okay with you essentially just telling them that a check will be in the mail? These are usually people that expect payment immediately. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/170 "2011-07-25T18:36:06Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > How can any of you seriously never write a check? For example, if you hire someone to do work at your house, how do you pay them? You can’t possibly being paying them by online billpay from your bank. Are you people paying workers with cash? I use credit cards. If they don’t take credit cards, I don’t trust them. I live in Chicago, I can always find someone else to do it. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/171 "2011-07-25T18:37:23Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > How am I being screwed? I like it coming out of my balance right away. That way I always know exactly how much I have in my account. There is no waiting for something to “clear.” It is not their money. It is the equivalent of them taking a penny from all of their customers. It may not affect anyone significantly, individually, but it is theft from their customers. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/172 "2011-07-25T18:38:26Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > Just curious and don’t get your panties in a wad, but how old are you? 32 ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/173 "2011-07-25T18:39:21Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > Are you seriously saying that a worker is okay with you essentially just telling them that a check will be in the mail? These are usually people that expect payment immediately. Yeah so far everyone has accepted this except one person. Granted, I know the people who usually do work for me and they trust me. In the case of the person who wanted payment right away, I paid in cash. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/174 "2011-07-25T18:39:49Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > It’s basic financial management 101. Further, there are benefits beyond simply keeping an accurate balance reflecting pending and uncleared transactions. It allows you to check and see if your bank makes mistakes, which they do. It allows you to track and analyze your spending patterns. It’s also just one part of managing your overall financial situation? I check my online statement every day and compare it to the receipts from the day. I guess I just instantly check my stuff, rather than physically sitting down and writing everything out. What’s the difference and how, exactly, am I being screwed here? > [@LonghornDave](#): > > Are you seriously saying that a worker is okay with you essentially just telling them that a check will be in the mail? These are usually people that expect payment immediately. Most do. Have you ever asked? Like I said, I usually pay cash or get a check right there, but my dad has several rental houses and I have to say that it initially amazed me how many contractors were perfectly happy to fax over an invoice and let us pay it at our leisure. Seriously. Blew my mind, it did. I can’t even think of one in the last five years that has said no to that (and that’s a solid 5 years of various work on 5 different houses in three different cities). ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/175 "2011-07-25T18:40:23Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > 32 Wow, I was expecting you to say you were in your 70s. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/176 "2011-07-25T18:40:54Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > It’s basic financial management 101. Further, there are benefits beyond simply keeping an accurate balance reflecting pending and uncleared transactions. It allows you to check and see if your bank makes mistakes, which they do. It allows you to track and analyze your spending patterns. It’s also just one part of managing your overall financial situation? Sure, but I find I can improve my financial situation by spending that time working instead of double-checking an automated system that didn’t produce any errors for the few years before I stopped keeping up. Works for me, heck the only reason I wrote that many checks in the past year is that I bought a condo. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/177 "2011-07-25T18:41:26Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > It is not their money. It is the equivalent of them taking a penny from all of their customers. It may not affect anyone significantly, individually, but it is theft from their customers. I don’t see it that way. I would prefer they take it out immediately for reasons stated previously. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/178 "2011-07-25T18:46:37Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I check my online statement every day and compare it to the receipts from the day. I guess I just instantly check my stuff, rather than physically sitting down and writing everything out. What’s the difference and how, exactly, am I being screwed here? If you go through the effort of checking online and going through your receipts every day, why not simply incorporate a financial tracking software to the process. Also, I don’t physically write anything out. I just enter the transactions into quicken. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/179 "2011-07-25T18:47:38Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I don’t see it that way. I would prefer they take it out immediately for reasons stated previously. What about if the recipient never deposits the check? How would you ever know they actually received payment? ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546/180 "2011-07-25T18:49:19Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > Wow, I was expecting you to say you were in your 70s. I highly doubt the demographics of Quicken users trends anywhere close to that age. You’re probably off by 2-3 decades in fact. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-my-bank-so-much/589546.md?page=10)