Why I hate cheques

soolin

I rarely get cheques and do try and discourage people from using them however I accepted one for a very small item on my private account. A total of £3.80 with postage.

Waited several minutes in a queue by the automated paying in machine only to find it wouldn't take the cheque as it had a crease in it.
Got in main queue for cashiers behind several business people banking takings and collecting coin, , Finally got to pay my cheque in 20 minutes after arriving at bank. I was almost at the stage of not bothering as I'd already sent the item the day before as I'd had the cheque for a few days and just hadn't made it to the bank during opening hours.

It made the idea of insisting on paypal only very tempting.

jammin_2

soolin wrote: »

It made the idea of insisting on paypal only very tempting.

I feel your pain, but it's not very MSE to dump a free cheque in favour of non-free PayPal. Still, depends on how much your time is worth.

jabdc5

I understand cheques are being phased out by the big banks.

soolin

jammin wrote: »

I feel your pain, but it's not very MSE to dump a free cheque in favour of non-free PayPal. Still, depends on how much your time is worth.

Well the fees for paypal for me would have been 24p so yes my time is worth a great deal more than 72p an hour. I appreciate that some peoples might not be, but I am self centred and this is about me.

hermum

Can you walk to your bank? If you have to drive-pay parking etc it isn't cost effective at all, without factoring in your time. Makes paypal seem cheap in comparison.

iieee

I hate cheques too. I took that option off my listings a long time ago. My bank doesn't have a branch locally which means that I need to get a bus into town to pay cheques in - which costs £2.80, a lot more than the paypal fees for the low value items I usually sell. And then you have to wait days to check it has cleared before you can send. I hate having things hanging around and back in the day when people did pay with cheques, I used to ship before they had cleared just to get them out the door, and was lucky that none ever bounced.

I know lots of people hate paypal but personally I find it a million times easier than the alternatives! [/sales pitch]

lindseykim13

I still accept cheques although i've only had 2 in the last few months i just leave them on the side until i'm next in town then pay them in, obviously i've already sent the item i just take the risk they won't bounce! My banks always empty too

KrazyKel

I had a buyer recently sent a cheque, all for £2.49
they sent it in an envelope just larger than the 1st class size, so had to pay £1.10 to collect it from royal mail grrr

frivolous_fay

If I couldn't pay in cheques at the PO I'd be totally stuffed, as the co-op branches are few and far between (and Britannia isn't taking co-op payments for ages yet)

soolin

frivolous_fay wrote: »

If I couldn't pay in cheques at the PO I'd be totally stuffed, as the co-op branches are few and far between (and Britannia isn't taking co-op payments for ages yet)

I don't even go to the PO anymore so unfortunately even though i do have a Co Op account it would take me as long to queue up at the PO as it does to queue up at the bank.

I really don't understand though why they won't use a bank transfer? If someone asks about a cheque i always say I prefer a bank transfer and send all my bank details across and they still go to all the bother of sending a cheque and paying 32 p for a stamp to send it.

itsnotfair_2

I like cheques, postal orders, oh and cash if you can get it because it saves greedy Paypal getting their hands on more of my money. I put them in an envelope provided by my bank before I go. Straight in, into the machine. Sorted. Wait a week then post. Not too hard really.