4 ms·

> I don't understand why overdraft hasn't been outlawed. It's a felony to write a check that you don't have the funds for. Oh, you mean for the bank.

sschueller 4y ago
Do checks still exist in the US? Edit: Here in Europe no one uses checks since I can remember (since the 80s?). In Switzerland lots of cash and direct bank transfers.
- anvuong 4y ago
  Last year, my first month salary in the US came in the form of a check, since I didn't have my bank account ready at the time. So yeah checks are still common.
- noahtallen 4y ago
  Not sure if sarcastic, but: Yes, definitely! Not that common, but sometimes useful for big in-person purchases or down payments. I have needed to write one maybe once in the last five years. Banking apps let you deposit by taking a picture. But I’ve received a few checks as gifts or payment.
- cobertos 4y ago
  Yeah, I just got paid with one the other week. It was the easiest way to take money when the person has no tech savvy (and can't figure out how to send an ACH)
- jackson1442 4y ago
  You generally can't pay rent in cash, and the last place I lived wanted $20(!!!!!) in service fees to pay online through _any_ means. They got a hand-delivered check each month. So yeah, they're pretty common here still, mostly in businesses that haven't kept up with the times.
- bluedino 4y ago
  > Do checks still exist in the US? Of course. I was stuck behind an older lady writing one for groceries, just the other day.
  - illegalsmile 4y ago
    Same. It seemed ridiculous. The whole process of writing a check and having the cashier do special things because of that is so arcane at this point. Plus the lady missed out on a good dollar or two of cash back if she were to have used a credit card! She was old but not THAT old.
unethical_ban 4y ago
I can't tell if you're defending overdraft. Banks see it as a source of revenue. I don't have sources, but I recall stories where debit transactions were processed out of chronological order and caused overdrafts which then kicked off hefty fees for overdrafts of something like a dollar. Having a bank service break and causing your funds to be unavailable, or having negligent processing that can't keep up with modern banking, is much different than passing hot checks.

sschueller 4y ago

Do checks still exist in the US? Edit: Here in Europe no one uses checks since I can remember (since the 80s?). In Switzerland lots of cash and direct bank transfers.

anvuong 4y ago
Last year, my first month salary in the US came in the form of a check, since I didn't have my bank account ready at the time. So yeah checks are still common.
noahtallen 4y ago
Not sure if sarcastic, but: Yes, definitely! Not that common, but sometimes useful for big in-person purchases or down payments. I have needed to write one maybe once in the last five years. Banking apps let you deposit by taking a picture. But I’ve received a few checks as gifts or payment.
cobertos 4y ago
Yeah, I just got paid with one the other week. It was the easiest way to take money when the person has no tech savvy (and can't figure out how to send an ACH)
jackson1442 4y ago
You generally can't pay rent in cash, and the last place I lived wanted $20(!!!!!) in service fees to pay online through _any_ means. They got a hand-delivered check each month. So yeah, they're pretty common here still, mostly in businesses that haven't kept up with the times.
bluedino 4y ago
> Do checks still exist in the US? Of course. I was stuck behind an older lady writing one for groceries, just the other day.
- illegalsmile 4y ago
  Same. It seemed ridiculous. The whole process of writing a check and having the cashier do special things because of that is so arcane at this point. Plus the lady missed out on a good dollar or two of cash back if she were to have used a credit card! She was old but not THAT old.

unethical_ban 4y ago

I can't tell if you're defending overdraft. Banks see it as a source of revenue. I don't have sources, but I recall stories where debit transactions were processed out of chronological order and caused overdrafts which then kicked off hefty fees for overdrafts of something like a dollar. Having a bank service break and causing your funds to be unavailable, or having negligent processing that can't keep up with modern banking, is much different than passing hot checks.