7 ms·

Why couldn't you use a cashier's check?

espinchi 7y ago
That's not a thing in (most countries of) Europe any more. I was shocked when I came to the US and saw that checks are still in use
- redis_mlc 7y ago
  Check and cashier's check are different things. A cashier's check is like a domestic SWIFT.
  - raverbashing 7y ago
    Exactly why it is not needed, the banking system supports transfers between banks in SEPA for free or very cheaply. Some people/business will still ask for a cashier's check though.
  - kjaftaedi 7y ago
    The point the person you are replying to is making is that to Europeans, checks are a thing that only exist in Hollywood movies. It's difficult to imagine in a modern world, people or institutions writing or printing something on a piece of paper, and saying, "here, this is money".
    - Scoundreller 7y ago
      Still a thing in France, at least as of last year. Got stuck behind someone at the Carrefour (grocery store) paying with one. Ugh.
    - pujjad 7y ago
      Still common in the UK. I know friends in Wales who can only pay by cheque because a two-signature policy applies to their bank account.
- Bayart 7y ago
  Very common in France for bigger transactions or guaranty deposits.
njarboe 7y ago
People in the US don't trust cashier's checks. For good reason. They are easily forged.
firebird84 7y ago
Some people would balk at the idea since they have bad credit and no bank account, and hence have to fork over a fee to walmart/publix/your local check cashing place in order to make it liquid. Cash works for everyone. I agree, cashiers checks are safer, but some people have reasons to prefer cash.
- t0mas88 7y ago
  Unless you're homeless you will have a bank account in Europe. For the simple reason that you can't really live without one. Taxes, salary, state allowance and mortgage are all done by bank transfer and nothing else.
- desas 7y ago
  In the UK all big banks offer "basic" (no credit attached) free bank accounts as the government were musing placing a public service obligation on them to make it compulsory. In the UK, government benefits are paid by bank transfer.
tiku 7y ago
We don't really use checks in Europe, at least not in the Netherlands..
- pujjad 7y ago
  But in the UK we do. You can set up a bank accounts which requires two signatures, then only cheque payments are possible. Very quiant, annoying and backwards.
  - Wildgoose 7y ago
    I am the Treasurer of a Charity we set up to keep our local Library open. We need two signatures on our cheques - but not to be "annoying" or "backwards". It's simple security to stop a rogue actor emptying our bank account!
    - pujjad 7y ago
      Yep I get that, but the artist playing at our charity festival have complaint every time about having to deal with cheques both I (treasurer) and the other finance officer have to sign. Why is it that in the 21st century we can't have a digital online two-signature policy yet have to sign a paper which signatures one easily can forge. That's backwards. We got cryptocurrencies but no way to implement a digital two-signature policy? Odd.
mamon 7y ago
Because they are not used here since 19th century :)
eb0la 7y ago
In Spain the bank charges you for this service (you can negotiate the amount). There is no commision for cash, but you must fill a form to tell the taxman that you are getting a more than given amount (3000€ if I remember well)
Daniel_sk 7y ago
I have never seen a check in my life :-) (EU), they are not used or supported (maybe in some special cases, but 99% of people never used a check here). Larger sums are always paid with bank-wire transfer which is free and usually fast (instant or 24 hour), smaller payments are done with debit (or credit) cards, and then small payments can be done with cash.
- majewsky 7y ago
  When I was a teenager, my mother was playing a lottery that sent out winnings as checks through the mail. She always gave those to me to cash in because I was the only one in the family who had a checking account at the local bank. Her bank did not have branch offices, so it was literally impossible for her to cash the check.

That's not a thing in (most countries of) Europe any more. I was shocked when I came to the US and saw that checks are still in use

redis_mlc 7y ago
Check and cashier's check are different things. A cashier's check is like a domestic SWIFT.
- raverbashing 7y ago
  Exactly why it is not needed, the banking system supports transfers between banks in SEPA for free or very cheaply. Some people/business will still ask for a cashier's check though.
- kjaftaedi 7y ago
  The point the person you are replying to is making is that to Europeans, checks are a thing that only exist in Hollywood movies. It's difficult to imagine in a modern world, people or institutions writing or printing something on a piece of paper, and saying, "here, this is money".
  - Scoundreller 7y ago
    Still a thing in France, at least as of last year. Got stuck behind someone at the Carrefour (grocery store) paying with one. Ugh.
  - pujjad 7y ago
    Still common in the UK. I know friends in Wales who can only pay by cheque because a two-signature policy applies to their bank account.
Bayart 7y ago
Very common in France for bigger transactions or guaranty deposits.

njarboe 7y ago

People in the US don't trust cashier's checks. For good reason. They are easily forged.

firebird84 7y ago

Some people would balk at the idea since they have bad credit and no bank account, and hence have to fork over a fee to walmart/publix/your local check cashing place in order to make it liquid. Cash works for everyone. I agree, cashiers checks are safer, but some people have reasons to prefer cash.

t0mas88 7y ago
Unless you're homeless you will have a bank account in Europe. For the simple reason that you can't really live without one. Taxes, salary, state allowance and mortgage are all done by bank transfer and nothing else.
desas 7y ago
In the UK all big banks offer "basic" (no credit attached) free bank accounts as the government were musing placing a public service obligation on them to make it compulsory. In the UK, government benefits are paid by bank transfer.

tiku 7y ago

We don't really use checks in Europe, at least not in the Netherlands..

pujjad 7y ago
But in the UK we do. You can set up a bank accounts which requires two signatures, then only cheque payments are possible. Very quiant, annoying and backwards.
- Wildgoose 7y ago
  I am the Treasurer of a Charity we set up to keep our local Library open. We need two signatures on our cheques - but not to be "annoying" or "backwards". It's simple security to stop a rogue actor emptying our bank account!
  - pujjad 7y ago
    Yep I get that, but the artist playing at our charity festival have complaint every time about having to deal with cheques both I (treasurer) and the other finance officer have to sign. Why is it that in the 21st century we can't have a digital online two-signature policy yet have to sign a paper which signatures one easily can forge. That's backwards. We got cryptocurrencies but no way to implement a digital two-signature policy? Odd.

mamon 7y ago

Because they are not used here since 19th century :)

eb0la 7y ago

In Spain the bank charges you for this service (you can negotiate the amount). There is no commision for cash, but you must fill a form to tell the taxman that you are getting a more than given amount (3000€ if I remember well)

Daniel_sk 7y ago

I have never seen a check in my life :-) (EU), they are not used or supported (maybe in some special cases, but 99% of people never used a check here). Larger sums are always paid with bank-wire transfer which is free and usually fast (instant or 24 hour), smaller payments are done with debit (or credit) cards, and then small payments can be done with cash.

majewsky 7y ago
When I was a teenager, my mother was playing a lottery that sent out winnings as checks through the mail. She always gave those to me to cash in because I was the only one in the family who had a checking account at the local bank. Her bank did not have branch offices, so it was literally impossible for her to cash the check.