A checking account and paper checks are almost mandatory in the US. If you need to make a large payment to an individual or small business, say a landlord or s

A checking account and paper checks are almost mandatory in the US. If you need to make a large payment to an individual or small business, say a landlord or someone doing work on your home, it's still usually the preferred payment method. It's not that there aren't electronic alternatives, it's that most of the alternatives involve someone paying (often significant) fees. For example, my rental company accepts online payments via credit/debit card, but if I do that they charge a $30 "convenience fee" for my $900 rent payment. I could set up automatic payments by giving them permission to draft from my checking account, but I refuse to do that since it removes the only leverage I have should a dispute occur. The only remaining options to pay without fees are cash or check, so every month I put a paper check in the mail.