A Cheque Book.

[issatree]

Hi All,
At our Mens Shed, Wed. discussion came up on Cheque Books.
1 Chap who is Left Handed, said that Westpac Bank provide him with Left Handed Cheque Books.
Also being L/H, I asked NAB if they had them, Answer, " We don't have that many customers who still use Cheque Books ".
Well that to me is Cods Wallop, as I know of a few NAB People that still use Cheque Books, but how many are L/Handed, I wood not know, & that is only in Geelong, Vic. & we are mainly of the Older People who don't or can't use the Electronic Method.
We are told, by 2017, all cheque books will be invalid.

[BobL]

According to this news item dated June 2014 there are no plans to get rid of cheques in Australia.

FWIW Wikipedia shows
Finland stopped using cheques in 1993
Poland stopped in 2006.
Canada is stopping in 2016
The UK is set to go cheque-less in 2018 - provided sufficient alternatives are in place.

[Chris Parks]

To give you an idea of cheque use and its decline. Over the years I sold Clearvue products I would have been paid by cheque less than five times. I was dragged kicking and screaming into the electronic banking world when I started CV and now I am a total convert. The only cheques I write are for my super fund and no more than three a year. The biggest hold out I have found for electronic banking are accountants which surprised me.

[doug3030]

The last time I wrote out a cheque was in 2006.

[rrich]

I had to put a deposit down on a purchase to be ordered. That was the first cheque I had written in probably 10 years.

The solution for the lefties in the group is to use top stub cheque book. BTW - There are many printing companies that will print cheques in almost any format with a huge variety of backgrounds. I don't know if they print a stub on the right for the lefties.

BTW - When we got married 49 years ago, it was decided that the cheque book was 50/50. I made all the deposits and SWMBO writes all the checks. It's worked.

[Master Splinter]

I don't think I've written a personal cheque since the early 1990's. I'm a leftie too.

[Sawdust Maker]

still use ours

[Handyjack]

I still write the occasional cheque.

I accept cheques as payment and receive about one a month.

[Sturdee]

The solution for the lefties in the group is to use top stub cheque book. BTW - There are many printing companies that will print cheques in almost any format with a huge variety of backgrounds. I don't know if they print a stub on the right for the lefties.

The last place that I worked at had their own printed cheques by Kalamazoo but the format and design had to be approved by our bank's head office in Sydney. They would place the order and check the printed cheques before passing them on to us all at our expense and the minimum order for the cheques was 50,000 copies.

Whilst possible it's not something to be entered into for a personal account.

Peter.

[Sir Stinkalot]

I like writing cheques as it is really retro. I also like to write cheques for things I don't want to pay .... just to provide maximum disruption to the person requesting my money ..... that reminds me rates are due soon!

[AlexS]

Quite a few people still pay me by cheque, and I write the occasional one.
Haven't been offered bitcoins yet, though.

[issatree]

Hi All,
Thank you for all your input, but I still like our C B.
I feel we wood both be in trouble, trying, at this late Stage of Our Lives, getting around Electronic Banking.
I have enough trouble with the PC, let alone E/ Banking.
Funny how 1 Bank has L H C B's, & their competitors don't.
Might have to change to Westpac ?????. Then Again ..........

[Handyjack]

One of the theoretical advantages of a cheque is if you have a requirement for two to sign. This could be an advantage for any organization but only works if the bank actually checks the signatures.

With electronic banking and great secrecy of PINs, having two people authorize a transaction may have its limitations and problems.

While we all put our trust in those handling money in any organization, there are those who move it to their own account.

[Sturdee]

One of the theoretical advantages of a cheque is if you have a requirement for two to sign. This could be an advantage for any organization but only works if the bank actually checks the signatures.

Doesn't matter if the bank checks the cheques for the correct signatures or not for if it's not correctly signed then the bank is responsible for reimbursement if the money was misappropriated.

Many years ago , even before computer became the norm, I used to work for a major bank when the decision was made to stop checking the cheques for correct details as the cost of checking and dishonouring them for minor details was more expensive then the occasional time when it went wrong.

It was cheaper to pay up without question rather then employ 500 members of staff checking all those cheques. Saved them money but it was the beginning of the decline in personal service and the bank's eternal drive for ungodly profits.

Peter.

[Mulgabill]

Wow Sturdee! That brings back some memories! When as a teenager I worked for one of the big 4 (or 6 as was then) and one of my jobs was checking signatures on larger cheques, I can't remember the amount of the cheques but it was pre-decimal.

I could do without cheques as I do internet banking but SWMBO still insists on having a cbk for her transactions, maybe 3-4 a month.