If you paid with a money order, particularly a non-bank money order, tracing the payment can be costly and time-consuming. If there is any dispute over your payment, you can easily produce your mailing receipt and provide the business or creditor with a copy of your canceled check. (Being able to document the mailing date of a payment can be important with some types of payments, such as insurance premiums or taxes.) Once your check clears, youвЂ™ll have access to a copy of the canceled check through your bank. When you mail someone a paper check, you can select the type of mail service that you want to use, along with a tracking method. If traceability is important to you and the payee doesnвЂ™t accept debit or credit cards, paper checks offer a level of traceability that you canвЂ™t get from money orders, cashierвЂ™s checks, automatic bill pay systems, or cash. ThereвЂ™s no fee to deposit a check, so thereвЂ™s generally no minimum purchase required. If you donвЂ™t have another form of payment, this could result in you wasting money on an item you donвЂ™t need in order to meet the minimum. This fee can take a big bite out of small purchases, so many businesses set a minimum amount for credit card purchases. Credit card processors and banks charge businesses a fee when customers pay with a credit card.

Some Retail Shops Enforce a Minimum Credit Card Purchase.

You may also occasionally encounter an old-fashioned retail business owner who abhors plastic but who is happy to take your check. These businesses include insurance agents and companies, some government offices, tradespeople, organizations (such as churches, fraternal lodges, and community groups) that charge dues or accept donations, and landlords.

As strange as it may seem, some businesses donвЂ™t accept credit or debit card payments. Some Businesses Prefer Paper Checks or Money Orders.Since the ATMs are also likely to be out of service, a paper check may be the only way that you can buy food and other necessary supplies for you and your family. If the power or phone systems are down in your area, checks and cash are likely to be the only way youвЂ™ll be able to make a purchase. You Can Pay During Utility Outages.В Stores rely on electronic equipment to process debit and credit card transactions.

These payment processors charge a fee every time you use a credit card to make a payment. Utility companies and government agencies may accept credit or debit cards, but only through third-party processors. Some Businesses Charge Extra Fees for Credit Card Payments.Here are several ways checks can be more convenient, save you money, or protect your finances: Sometimes it makes more sense (or is your only choice) to use a paper check instead of another means of payment. However, in spite of all this, there are a few compelling reasons not to ditch your checkbook entirely. Since money is not withdrawn immediately from a bank account when someone writes a paper check, bouncing checks (and paying high fees) becomes more of a concern. Additionally, personal checks often contain a wealth of personal and banking information for identity thieves and other scammers. If a checkbook is lost or stolen, victims might face a nightmare of trying to undo the damage. Security is another reason for the decline in use of paper checks. Online bill payment services make sending payments easier by automating the process. Many online merchants only accept credit and debit cards. For many people, it is faster and simpler to swipe a debit or credit card than it is to write out a check while shopping at brick and mortar establishments. This change in consumer behavior is the result of several factors, including the introduction of more convenient payment methods, the growth in online shopping, concerns about fraud and identity theft, and a desire to avoid bounced check fees. In fact, I canвЂ™t remember the last time I wrote a paper check.

In fact, some of my purses even had a special compartment that provided easy access to my oft-used pad of checks.В Nowadays, however, I leave my checkbook at home. Until about five years ago, I used to carry my checkbook everywhere.

My checkbook supplies