# To the nincompoop who wrote a check for a bottle of juice... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 20, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580 "2003-10-20T21:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/61 "2003-10-22T20:01:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes. Thats correct. I’m the asshole who bought the juice. And I’d like to take this opportunity to appologize to the world at large for my unexcusable indiscretion of writing a check for it. Silly me. > > At any rate CanvasShoes, I’m glad you can see some humor in my ranting. But come on. It’s been deemed rude to write a check? Please. I’m only bitching about it because so many here are insinuating that writing a check in a checkout line is unacceptable behavior. Checks work really well for me. I have a carbon copy for balancing my account and I can view a scan of all my checks online if I happen to lose a checkbook. Instead of having a pile of scattered debit reciepts I have an organized book of them. Frankly, using a debit card was a terrible experiment in home accounting for me. Good riddance. > > I would agree that cash is king, although I’ve noticed that my spending habits tend to soar out of control when I carry cash. So, I’m back to my trusty checkbook and it really suits me better than any other option. If that choice makes me an asshole in the eyes of others, well, I guess I can live with that. > > As for my earlier rant, I was practically foaming at the mouth (Note to self: Posting while drunk and pissy is not a wise move). I did not intend to suggest that people should not rant here as that would be damned hypocritical of me. I did want to suggest that it’s really no one’s business to tell others how they should make a personal transaction. Enough said. > > Perhaps we can agree to disagree? Giggling! Wow, you are quite a gracious man!! And come on, you were NOT really the guy who bought the juice were you? (I’m blonde, so I tend to believe people at face value for the most part :D). At any rate, I don’t think the rant was about check writing itself, but in writing a check for one teensy item, it did seem weird, and, given the amount of time it takes to write a check, a bit inconsiderate. (I didn’t see anyone say “assholish” but then, the memory is the first to go, and the way the board is acting today, I’m not going back to the OP to check). Also, I don’t think anyone was actually trying to “make someone toe the line, or obey”. We were just ranting our annoyance. I think it’s just as inconsiderate for the clerk and customer to stand there idly chatting for 5 minutes when there’s a line also. But you’re right, you’re (if you really WERE the juice guy) “allowed” to buy whatever you want with checks, and others are allowed to go to a bulletin board and rant about how annoying it was. Neither thing is “trying to change someone” or “trying to run someone else’s life”. Close enough? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/62 "2003-10-22T20:30:31Z")
Why thank you, **Canvasshoes** , you’re one of my favorite posters too! 🙂 **Blowero** , while I admire your smart ass response to my question, (the certificate was a nice touch), as I’m a bit of a smart ass myself, it’s not that I agree with writing checks for amounts under $10 (which for the record, I think is lame), it’s that it appears that many posters in this thread seem to think check writers are rude _in general_ because they don’t use debit cards. That’s ridiculous. It’s easier to keep track of money spent because you enter it into the register _when you write the check_ vs. later. Later for me easily translates into “never.” That’s just me though. Of course, it’s just me writing the check, I’m not forcing anyone else to, so my reasons are enough to validate _my_ writing checks. Using a debit card is like using a credit card and while I admire those who are diligent in keeping track of every expenditure on a credit card, I seldom do. Once I get home, digging through a pile of crumpled reciepts in my purse (if I remember) and entering them into my check register is not my idea of a good time. It’s a hellavua lot easier to just enter in the transaction when it’s made, since my register is already open. And I’m not carrying around an extra checkbook or anything, I’ve got my cards and checkbook all in my wallet. So that’s why I got a little upset with all of the “get with the times people!” comments. Uncalled for, IMHO, since many people choose to write checks not because they’re behind the times, but because it’s an easier way to manage money then using a debit card. That doesn’t make them rude, it makes them smart enough to practice the money management techniques that work best for _then_, not to mess up their accounting so they don’t piss off some impaitent twit in the checkout line. I’d like to repeat that Mr. JuicyMcJuice was an idiot. Checks should be reserved for amounts over $10, as should credit card transactions. Just for the record. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/63 "2003-10-22T21:09:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\*Please see this thread: > [To people who don’t “get” rants](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=218698) \*\* _Ahem_ _Pssst! Hey **blowero**! If nobody reacts to the threads in the Pit, it wouldn’t be any fun, now would it?_ Oooh, can I say it? Pretty please? “Fuck you Blowero – I’ll shove my check up your ass!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/64 "2003-10-22T21:11:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gangster Octopus \* > Not only did he waste your time in line, blowero, but think of how much time you wasted having to write your rant. Oh, crap - you’re right. **DAMNIT!!!**. I wasted all this time writing the rant, when I could have been working at my incredibly mind-numbing job. WHY. MUST. LIFE. BE. SO. DIFFICULT… [smashes computer keyboard] standard disclaimer applies - author may not have actually smashed keyboard; actual uptightness may vary Lezlers - You still haven’t explained to us why you couldn’t just as easily keep a ledger with a debit card. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/65 "2003-10-22T21:42:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Magickly Delicious \* > _Pssst! Hey **blowero**! If nobody reacts to the threads in the Pit, it wouldn’t be any fun, now would it?_ The reactions are fun, but the people who are so obtuse as to simply say “Why are you complaining? Calm down; it’s not that important”, i.e. the ones who totally miss the point of a rant, as I explained in the other thread, are not particularly fun. They just sound dense. > [@](#): > > “Fuck you Blowero – I’ll shove my check up your ass!” Good answer - glad I wrote it. May I suggest the addition of the phrase “wad the check up real tight” to precede it? BTW, I can tell you are trolling for some sort of reaction from me; sorry to disappoint you.😉 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/66 "2003-10-22T21:54:27Z")
so - would it have been better had the purchase been for a bottle of beer? ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/67 "2003-10-22T22:10:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\*Lezlers - You still haven’t explained to us why you couldn’t just as easily keep a ledger with a debit card. \*\* Because it’s too damn close to using a credit card, that’s why. I don’t enter in credit card transactions into a ledger, so I’m not in the habit of entering debit card transactions into a ledger. I know myself, and I know I’d forget 8 times out of 10. You still haven’t explained to me why I should risk messing up _my_ money management in order to make _you_ happy, smart guy. Are you going to spot me the extra $50 bucks when I overspend because I forgot to record a few debit card purchases? No? Then mind your own damn business. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/68 "2003-10-22T22:17:31Z")
Oh! **Canvasshoes** I forgot to mention, I can’t do Quicken or MS Money with my bank. It’s a small local bank, and not available on many computer money management programs. I prefer to support my local banks and stores than be some faceless, nameless peon at one of the bigger ones. So the whole “easy download!” option doesn’t exist for me. ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/69 "2003-10-23T06:36:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\* and your incredibly compelling reason that you just _had_ to do it was… > > You can’t control your impulse spending??? > > It occurs to me that if you’re going around writing checks for bottles of juice, maybe your method isn’t reigning you in as well as you think it is. \*\* _Sigh…_ You’re absolutely right **blowero** , I shouldn’t have splurged on the juice as it clearly wasn’t in my budget this month. I’m just not thinking as clear since I canceled the debit card. I sincerely hope that you can find it in yourself to forgive me. I have a long history with juice and while it’s embarrasing to admit…I may have a juice problem. It’s not like I can’t quit anytime I want, mind you, it’s just that I have been under so much stress lately. Should you happen to find yourself in line behind me in the future, I really hope you can find it within yourself to understand where I am coming from and kindly cut me some slack. If you are unable to do so, then please, by all means, kick my ass up and down every aisle of the store and you can sleep well knowing that you have done your part to rid the world of injustice. Putz. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/70 "2003-10-23T06:51:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lezlers \* > Because it’s too damn close to using a credit card, that’s why. I don’t enter in credit card transactions into a ledger, so I’m not in the habit of entering debit card transactions into a ledger. I know myself, and I know I’d forget 8 times out of 10. Is it just me, or does that make no sense whatsoever? > [@](#): > > Then mind your own damn business. Huh? _You’re_ the one who posted in my thread, and then _demanded_ that we respond to you. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/71 "2003-10-23T15:34:32Z")
It doesn’t need to make sense _to you_, we’re talking about _my_ money management routine. It’s got nothing to do with you and certainly doesn’t call for your approval. I asked people to respond to the fact that check writers many times write checks because it’s easier to manage money that way. That was ignored and the posts that prompted it, people alluding to the fact that checkwriters were rude in general, continued, as if it had never been posted. I never asked you to nitpick it and try to find reasons why it’s not a good method. I only asked for it to be acknowledged and maybe fight a little ignorance that all check writers are not rude, inconsiderate bastards. After that, I was responding to various comments directed towards me. You asked me a question, I answered it. If you don’t want to deal with me anymore, quit asking me questions. It’s not that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/72 "2003-10-23T16:44:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\* > > Lezlers - You still haven’t explained to us why you couldn’t just as easily keep a ledger with a debit card. \*\* I can answer that for my particular bank (Bank of America). For some odd reasons, transactions _disappear_. They will appear for around 24 hours, then disappear and put the money back into my account, and after that, they’ll reappear again and take the money OUT of my account again. I’ve gotten several overdraft fees because of this. I’m used to doing my banking online and using a debit card - Citibank was awesome about keeping everything current. But I can’t do the same thing with Bank of America that I did with Citibank - i.e., check my transactions after a few days to write them down - because half the time, not ALL of the transactions that I’ve done are THERE. I never had a problem with staying organized with Citibank, but with BofA, I have the hardest fucking time keeping my finances in order. I’m writing checks at the moment because I have a duplicate of those, so if I forget to write it down, it’s still right there. However, I carry cash for anything under $20. But in terms of keeping track of my account, it’s easier to write a check. I’m not saying this is the guy’s excuse, but it very well could be one reason. (And yes, I am going to change banks. I just haven’t had a chance to get to another one lately.) Ava ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/73 "2003-10-23T16:54:09Z")
Still not addressed as a reason for using checks is that debit cards are a higher risk proposition which many consume advocates and credit counselors strongly advise you not to use. And again, I completely understand the point of your rant, blowero. But it is based on completely stupid assumptions about what is reasonable behavior. It is kind of like if you posted a long rant about how the person in front of you at an intersection slowed down before making a turn. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/74 "2003-10-23T17:49:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by obfusciatrist \* > It is kind of like if you posted a long rant about how the person in front of you at an intersection slowed down before making a turn. Actually, it would be more like if I posted a rant about someone slowing me down by driving a horse and buggy down the middle of a busy street. And if I pointed out that it’s sort of an old-fashioned way to do things, people came to their defense, saying “Well, a horse-and-buggy is more convenient for me; I get confused with all those levers, buttons, and dials on automobiles”.😉 Lezlers: > [@](#): > > I never asked you to nitpick it and try to find reasons why it’s not a good method. I only asked for it to be acknowledged and maybe fight a little ignorance that all check writers are not rude, inconsiderate bastards. I’m pretty sure I never said “All check writers are rude, inconsiderate bastards.” In fact, I’m reasonably certain that I said if _you_ are not holding up lines, then this thread isn’t about you. > [@](#): > > After that, I was responding to various comments directed towards me. You asked me a question, I answered it. If you don’t want to deal with me anymore, quit asking me questions. It’s not that hard. Fuck you. You are the one who loudly interjected herself into the thread (even though it’s not about you), and you are the one doing the lion’s share of the whining. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the goddamn kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/75 "2003-10-23T18:06:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SkyBum \* > Should you happen to find yourself in line behind me in the future, I really hope you can find it within yourself to understand where I am coming from and kindly cut me some slack. I DID cut you some slack. I resisted the temptation to club you over the head with my baguette, and instead simply went to another register without saying anything. How much _more_ slack would you like? Perhaps next time I could genuflect right there on the floor of the market and worship the mighty check-writer, then toss rose petals at your feet as you exit the store? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/76 "2003-10-23T18:33:14Z")
I wrote a check yesterday for a single banana. It was a quarter. But I needed cash, so I wrote it over. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/77 "2003-10-23T19:20:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\* > Lezlers: > > I’m pretty sure I never said “All check writers are rude, inconsiderate bastards.” In fact, I’m reasonably certain that I said if _you_ are not holding up lines, then this thread isn’t about you.\*\* Can you please point out where in this thread I said “ **blowero** said that all check writers are rude”? Oh, you can’t? Probably because _I never said that_. Stop putting words into my fingertips. I was addressing my comments to the posters who _were_ saying that. Just because you started a thread doesn’t mean every damn post needs to be directed towards _you_. Ego, much? I made a point of saying that I thought Mr. McJuice was an idiot, specifically so you’d know that my comments were not directed at _you_, but at the people that were actually posting the comments I was addressing. Your lack of reading comprehension is not my problem. > [@](#): > > \*\*Fuck you. You are the one who loudly interjected herself into the thread (even though it’s not about you), and you are the one doing the lion’s share of the whining. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the goddamn kitchen. \*\* Now, now. No need to get your panties in a bunch. I didn’t loudly interject shit. I merely brought up a point I made previously and asked for it to be addressed. Settle down sweetheart. Not everything is _about_ you. Sometimes threads tend to veer off of their orginial subject a bit, and onto a broader spectrum. I know it’s frustrating when not all attention is being lavished on you, but sometimes other people feel the need to say something. It’s okay though, if you kick up enough of a fuss, I’m sure everyone will be back to stroke your bruised little ego. Poor baby. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/78 "2003-10-23T19:27:41Z")
I’m with Lezlers on the debit card thing. I don’t use them because it’s too easy to NOT record transactions. That’s the way I handle my money and it works for us. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/79 "2003-10-23T20:46:40Z")
blowero: So, instead of responding to all the comments giving perfectly good reasons for why someone would continue to use checks in a grocery store, reasons that have nothing to do with being stupid, annoying, behind the times, or intentionally messing with your day you’d rather just stick your fingers in your ears and continue shouting “Can’t hear you! He sucked! Can’t hear you!” Just wanted to be sure. Since I’m slow and humorless and have difficulty understanding your fine wit, I just wanted to be sure I was reading you correctly. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/80 "2003-10-23T21:28:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lezlers \* > Settle down sweetheart. Not everything is _about_ you. Sometimes threads tend to veer off of their orginial subject a bit, and onto a broader spectrum. I know it’s frustrating when not all attention is being lavished on you, but sometimes other people feel the need to say something. It’s okay though, if you kick up enough of a fuss, I’m sure everyone will be back to stroke your bruised little ego. Hee, hee - that’s hilarious, coming from the whiney girl who said “HOW COME NOBODY’S RESPONDING TO ME - NOTICE ME! NOTICE ME!”😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580.md?page=5)