You may think of checking with paper checks as something in the past as there are digital payment options such as Venmo, Zelle, and Apple Pay, but there remain some scenarios when it’s more beneficial to use paper checks. Here’s when it may be safer or preferable to choose a personal check, how to use checks in a safe manner, and when it’s OK to skip them.
It is possible to write your check in one of the following situations:
- Shopping at a local business
- Giving money as a gift
- Tracing important payments
- Secure your identity
Shopping at a Small Business
Because of their size and credit card processing fees, some small companies aren’t willing to accept credit card payments. In fact, one study showed that only 27% of small-scale businesses choose digital payments (think credit cards or ApplePay) over non-digital ones (cash, checks, and money orders). If you’re hiring someone to cut your lawn, purchase items from a local market or flea-market vendor or even hire a dog walker, you may be able to keep a checkbook on hand to pay the bill.
Gifting Money
If you’re short on time and are headed to a birthday celebration, wedding, or another important family gathering It’s probably best to stash money into a gift card. However, when you’re giving money away as presents, top stub checks may be more appropriate than cash. Although both checks and cash could easily get lost when you are rushing to open gifts, one is specifically addressed to the individual and the other isn’t.
This helps the recipient be able to recall who gave them money. If they set cash to the side and revisit it later, they may not recall who gave it to them. Gifting money via check may additionally encourage the recipient to save the money rather than spend them immediately. They’ll have to visit a bank or use an app that allows them to cash or deposit it, which may take a little more effort.
Tracing Important Payments
When you make a big payment such as a down payment on the new property, college tuition amount, a deposit for the reception venue or even making a payment to a government organization like the IRS You may need to use a paper check. This can help ensure your payment was received because you’ll be able to see what the recipient of the check does when it deposits or cashes the check-in of your bank’s next statement or through your bank’s online platform. Some banks may even provide you with an image of the check that was cashed to make sure it’s the correct one.
This could even prevent you from having to pay extra fees due to late transactions since they will be all in date. In addition, if your check is stolen or lost You can ask to stop your payment by calling the bank’s customer support line or online via your bank’s website. To place a stop payment on your check, you’ll need to pick the “stop payment” option via your bank’s online portal. However, you have to do it prior to when the check has been cashed. You might also have to enter your account number, the check’s number as well as the amount for the cheque. Be aware that you’ll most likely be charged a fee to stop the check. The cost varies from bank to bank, however, you could be charged approximately $33 to stop the cash, and some banks will charge more.
If You’ve Been the Victim of Fraud
Are your confidential financial data been stolen or compromised? It’s not a problem for everyone. One study showed that in the year 2018, 14.4 million people in the U.S. were victims of identity fraud to the tune of $3.4 billion worth of loss. And, even more troubling, the same study revealed that more victims were required to pay from their own pocket to cover the cost of that fraud. In light of these statistics, It’s natural that you’d need to ensure your personal information is safe in case you’ve had to deal with something similar. A lot of people return to cash or paper checks instead of using debit or credit cards in local stores. They may also decline to enter their payment information on retail websites online or opt for online or digital payment methods. Although writing a paper check isn’t a foolproof method of protecting your confidential information off the internet and using your credit card more often could reduce the risk of identity theft, fraud, and other financial crimes.