topic Personal checks in Personal Finance

Personal checks

Jnbmom — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 18:58:57 GMT

Aside from my navy and penfed banking accounts I also have an account with a local CU. I never got checks when I opened the account because I just pay most things online or with my debit card.

I have a our local personal property tax that I need to pay (well actually a few bills lol ) anyhow I was going to pay online but you have to put each bill separately and of course they charge a fee per transaction, umm no. So anyhow I thought I guess I will order some checks, good grief it was 22.00 for the most simple check style and 15.00 for processing and shipping 😠are you kidding me.

So I thought about ordering online from someone other than my bank, just curious if anyone else does this? I mean I assume they would be honored by my bank correct? Or I could transfer and use navy account as I have free checks from them and just avoid the hassle.

Just wondering if anyone of you use these online check sites?

Thanks

Re: Personal checks

gorgon — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:19:53 GMT

Checks Unlimited and the like have deals for first time customers. I got 200 checks and 100 address labels for $5.99 shipped.

https://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/checks

Re: Personal checks

Jnbmom — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:26:55 GMT

@gorgon wrote:
Checks Unlimited and the like have deals for first time customers. I got 200 checks and 100 address labels for $5.99 shipped.

https://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/checks

Thank you

Re: Personal checks

MakingProgress — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:31:01 GMT

Walmart Checks

https://www.walmartchecks.com/index.aspx

Re: Personal checks

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:39:54 GMT

I don’t know about you but with the absolutely massive amount of damage that can be done with your checking account, I would just get the free checks from Navy Federal’s supplier rather than sending my info somewhere else online. I have always paid the steep prices of my bank’s preferred check supplier rather than go to a cheaper place because I didn’t want to give my checking account info to another business. It’s easy to transfer money between accounts these days, I personally wouldn’t take the extra risk.

Re: Personal checks

Caardvark — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:55:26 GMT

My local bank is Chase and you can go into any branch and they'll print a few "courtesy checks" at no cost. Did you ask your local CU if they offer a similar feature?

Re: Personal checks

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 20:18:17 GMT

Stupid question - why not use the bill pay functionality within your bank? NFCU should be able to print/mail a check with an account number, etc directly to the local county in question, and it'll be faster than ordering checks, *AND* should be free. Unless I missed something?

Re: Personal checks

Jnbmom — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 23:56:54 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know about you but with the absolutely massive amount of damage that can be done with your checking account, I would just get the free checks from Navy Federal’s supplier rather than sending my info somewhere else online. I have always paid the steep prices of my bank’s preferred check supplier rather than go to a cheaper place because I didn’t want to give my checking account info to another business. It’s easy to transfer money between accounts these days, I personally wouldn’t take the extra risk.

Thanks, I think I might just transfer to navy and dig up my checks since I have yet to use them lol

Re: Personal checks

DaveInAZ — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 13:55:59 GMT

@Caardvark wrote:
My local bank is Chase and you can go into any branch and they'll print a few "courtesy checks" at no cost. Did you ask your local CU if they offer a similar feature?

Yes, I've done that at Chase and my local credit Union. Just don't try it at Wells Fargo, I stopped by a branch and asked at the greeter rep, thinking perhaps I needed a manager to do that. She jerked her head at the teller line and said "Get in line", and then they charged me $5 for 3 checks.

Re: Personal checks

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 16:13:57 GMT

We have a company account there just to maintain relationships with them.
 
They were the hardest to setup, generated the *MOST* errors in sign up (like the bank officer literally did it wrong multiple times) requiring re-work and re-doing paperwork, and caused the biggest headache. 
 
Chase, OTOH, isn't even local to us, and they were the easiest to work with, once we went in to the actual branch.  And we opened like 10 accounts at once.  Took a while, but they were all 100% correct.

Re: Personal checks

SBR249 — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 18:09:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know about you but with the absolutely massive amount of damage that can be done with your checking account, I would just get the free checks from Navy Federal’s supplier rather than sending my info somewhere else online. I have always paid the steep prices of my bank’s preferred check supplier rather than go to a cheaper place because I didn’t want to give my checking account info to another business. It’s easy to transfer money between accounts these days, I personally wouldn’t take the extra risk.

I'm not really sure that that is a huge problem. I mean, every time you hand out a check to pay for something, it's printed with your contact info, your bank name, your bank routing number, your bank account number, and your signature right there on the check. Handing over the same info to a check printing company doesn't seem like it would be that much more risky than handing it to some random schmo that you are paying. I'm not saying you should just go to any XYZ Check Printing LOL Inc. But most reputable check printing companies should be OK. Last time I ordered checks, I got them from Costco because I liked their designs more.

Re: Personal checks

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 18:33:45 GMT

@SBR249 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know about you but with the absolutely massive amount of damage that can be done with your checking account, I would just get the free checks from Navy Federal’s supplier rather than sending my info somewhere else online. I have always paid the steep prices of my bank’s preferred check supplier rather than go to a cheaper place because I didn’t want to give my checking account info to another business. It’s easy to transfer money between accounts these days, I personally wouldn’t take the extra risk.
I'm not really sure that that is a huge problem. I mean, every time you hand out a check to pay for something, it's printed with your contact info, your bank name, your bank routing number, your bank account number, and your signature right there on the check. Handing over the same info to a check printing company doesn't seem like it would be that much more risky than handing it to some random schmo that you are paying. I'm not saying you should just go to any XYZ Check Printing LOL Inc. But most reputable check printing companies should be OK. Last time I ordered checks, I got them from Costco because I liked their designs more.

Well I don’t use my personal checks if I can avoid it for the same reason. I watched my mother and grandmother deal with check fraud when I was a kid (it was a huge problem in CO back in the 90s) so I have only ever written checks for rent most of the time. I have the same box of checks I got when I opened my account in 2012 and I’m still on the first book of them and I bought them with dupes in case someone ever decided to try to run check fraud (that’s actually what got my mother and grandmother out of it quickly was having those but it was still a big ordeal to get the money back and open all new accounts).

Re: Personal checks

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 00:18:07 GMT

I have ordered from the Bradford Exchange several times. Most of the banks that I have been with seem to direct you to Harland Clarke when you click reorder but the price is often too high IMO. The Bradford Exchange has always really impressed me because of the quality and the way they arrive. It is quite the professional looking package. I have never had any check fraud. There have never been any issues from any bank by using their checks.

Since online payments became the norm, I maybe write 5 checks a year(if that). When I do it is usually some kind of contractor or I'm mailing in renewals for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. So a book of 100 today will probably last me 10 years minimum. In any case, you still need to frequently check your accounts for unauthorized charges.

Re: Personal checks

CreditInspired — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 13:33:49 GMT

I’ve ordered bank checks online and not only are they cheaper, they offer a kazillion different designs and yes they’re safe. Never had a problem. I order from here

https://www.checksunlimited.com/p/321/safety-checks/?dcm=cpc&keycode=84F9&dkc=88YV&utm_medium=feeds&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=84F9&utm_term=Safety+Checks&mkwid=sljfhRFxD&pcrid=246896792053&pkw=&pmt=&pdv=m&product=054782&pgrid=51959843198&ptaid=pla-358887749219&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1ta34evo4QIVhEoNCh1dCQaCEAQYASABEgLD9fD_BwE

Re: Personal checks

FlaDude — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 18:34:17 GMT

@MakingProgress wrote:
Walmart Checks

https://www.walmartchecks.com/index.aspx

I bought mine here too, just like any of the other cheap check places they will try to sell add-ons, just skip them all.

Like Dogbert mentioned, doesn't your bank offer a free bill pay service where they mail the check from your account?