When is the last time you wrote a check?

The last time I wrote a check must have been more than 15 years ago. (And ten years ago, so-called 'Eurochecks (which were the common, standard domestic cheques here) have been terminated.

I pay all my bills with checks. And I refuse to use direct deposit for my work payments. I get a check and make the deposit myself.

Come to think of it, I don't know if my landlord accepts anything but checks.

He'd probably accept a postal money order, Roberta. But that's just an extra hassle, having to go to the P.O. and purchase a money order with a plastic card. Most landlords I know aren't really set up to accept credit or debit card payments. I get checks direct-deposited to my account, but I don't do online banking. Just mail me my monthly statements, please.

I write cheques every few months...when I haven't found time to get to the hole in the wall thingy and they won't accept credit cards.

That's why we've got "bank cards" (debit cards).
(You even get cards, which work in the machines like debit cards and look like those, but which are linked to your credit card account.)

This makes me wonder where you were in the states that didn't accept a debit card, as I've not encountered that in... ever!

My guess is that your troubles are due to slight variations between US and Canadian banking systems. The main one being that US check cards often have a master card or visa logo (for whatever reason), while ATM (ABM) cards don't. And shops here only accept "certain" cards--the whole thing seems rather dubious because everyone who has a US debit card just happens to have the certain card the shop will accept.

lord forbid you should try to use anything bigger than a twenty. they'll look at you like you're trying to hand them confederate money.

Just on Tuesday - school tuition - they only take checks.

I also use checks for church. So pretty much school and church is where I write checks.

Or other stray items - like sports for the kids - usually need checks for those.

I have a bank card - but it is a visa card as well. All the bank cards I know - have either VISA or MasterCard associated with it so you can use it as a debit with your pin or as a credit card. I've not experienced a bank card that was just debit.

Yes, there's a big push for them.

I used to be able to pay at the grocery store by ATM card, but they won't take anything without a MasterCard or Visa logo anymore.

Here in Hawaii I see $100 bills changing hands all the time. Often in places like McDonald's or Burger King.

You guys must have the Royale with cheese there.

It's not variation, it's verification. My debit card always works at an ABM in Canada, and i could use it at a bank to get cash. It would never work at a cash register in a store. I suspect the card verification system won't make international calls.

That#s really a big difference to our debit card (bank card) system: those issued here (in Europe), work at any ATM and most cash registers worldwide. (See Maestro)

NOTE: the last post by Beth was actually made by me. I forgot to log her off first.

I was curious, so I looked it up. Apparently, Canada is in love with bank/debit cards. Last year, more transactions were done with banks cards than cash. They have almost completely wipes out cheque usage.
It almost impossible to get a pay cheque without direct deposit.
I have a MasterCard, it's a bank card too. The money comes out of the chequing account first before I go into debt, which is nice.. I hardly use it. I mostly just use the bank card as most businesses are on the Direct Payment/Interact system, with remote machines.

That's what inflation looks like; $100 bills has common usage, because they're like $20 in most other places.

Sure. It's why ATMs these days dispense nothing but $20 bills. Anything smaller has hardly any value.

I honestly only write one check a year now and that’s for my property tax bill on my condo. Everything else is bill pay.

Most of the time I pay my bills (gas, electricity, water, council rates, etc) at the local post office. (this is in Oz. Others' payment options may be different.)
A very convenient service. One stop/pay most bills.

But on the odd occasion ( eg the dentist, or annual accreditation with my professional association, or RACV subscription ) I usually pay by cheque, through the post.

I never use my credit card online to pay any bills.