[reaperducer]

(1) stop using checks already

I always find it interesting how people of a certain age, and especially in technology bubbles, enjoy restricting their options so much, as if there is some kind of nobility in giving themselves fewer choices and less freedom in life.

Best tool for the job is on Windows? No way, I only use bespoke FrotzOS distributions on a laptop I built myself from parts I reflowed in my co-living oven.

One of the best movies of all time is on TV tonight? No way, I only watch video if it comes in an internet stream, and only from services I have to tunnel through three VPNs to reach.

Write a check? No way, I only use the Spltzit app for finances, even though it's not accepted everywhere.

Checks are a thing, and will remain a thing for many more decades, or even longer. Get used to it.

[jacquesm]

Checks are only a thing in the US because there is no proper banking infrastructure. Here in the EU we can transfer money person-to-person, person-to-business and business-to-business instantly between a very large variety of banking institutions spanning 10's of countries. No need for routing instructions, correspondent banks, transfer accounts or any of that bs, and it's cheap to boot.

There is absolutely no reason why the United States could not do the same, in fact it would be easier there. Payment systems in the United States are archaic and error prone. They also tend to offload the risk of fraud onto the consumers/merchants and I suspect that plus the fees are the bigger reasons why the banks are reluctant to get their act together.

[reaperducer]

Checks are only a thing in the US because there is no proper banking infrastructure.

Tell that to the French hotel my wife stayed in 15 months ago that only took cash or American Express travelers checks.

[jacquesm]

> Tell that to the French hotel my wife stayed in 15 months ago that only took cash or American Express travelers checks.

And chip-and-pin and likely also credit cards but they tend to not advertise that fact because they hate the fees and the slow settlement. That's why in France every cab driver ever has a sign on their back seats stating that 'unfortunately, their credit card processing machine just broke down' (by law they have to accept them but if the machine broke down on that day they get dispensation for that day so this loophole is immediately abused, if this happens to you simply stick to your guns and sooner or later it will turn out that the machine works just fine).

I spend a ton of time in hotels in France (and elsewhere in Europe) and have yet to see one that did not have a wide selection of payment options.

This page:

https://about-france.com/banks-payment.htm

has this passage on it:

" France is a country in which the use of cheques is also widespread. However French traders, shops, hotels etc. will not usually accept payment by cheque unless the cheque is on a French bank; some places accept cheques in Euros on banks in other Eurozone counries, but most do not, given the increased risk and the possibility of bank charges. It is generally impossible to pay for anything using a cheque on a bank situated outside the Eurozone."

Even that seems a bit archaic to me because I haven't seen checks (or rather: cheques) in France in a decade or more but American Express travelers checks may be the exception, but this post from 2014 basically says not to bother:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/don-t-b...

"

Brought Amex travellers cheques in Euros on our trip to France only to discover NO ONE, not even banks take or cash them. Have tried paying with them in hotels, restaurants, and stores-no takers. Exchange bureaus (even Ria which is recommended on American Express website in Lyon) would not cash them. Spent a good couple hours wandering and visiting the following to no avail: La Poste (used to cash, but not any more), BNP Paribas, LCL, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole, Bank Populaire, CE.

Take note: don't bother with travellers cheques-will never use again. BRING a debit card, credit card with chip/pin technology, and some cash."

Which pretty much mirrors my own experience.

[zenlot]

I guess you're not including UK here? Checks are a thing in UK and is very common for .gov institutions: driving licence? Write a check. Overpaid taxes? Receive check. Pay national insurance gaps? Write a check. It's good though that pretty much every banking app has ability to scan and deposit a check to your account in a matter of seconds.

[AndrewDucker]

I can't comment on the rest but I recently paid for my driving license electronically.

[sadfklsjlkjwt]

For taxes you can choose whether to get a check or have the money deposited directly into a bank account.

[drcongo]

I can't remember the last time I even saw a personal cheque in the UK.

[zenlot]

I remember - few weeks ago.

[yjftsjthsd-h]

I don't necessarily disagree, but you're glossing over the trade offs in making those decisions. Windows is a poorly behaved proprietary operating system from an extremely poorly behaved company with a long history of doing questionable things. OTA TV has ads and I presume lower quality. Checks, as we are discussing, have what appears to be some long-standing security problems. By all means is the best tool for the job, but don't mistake "works (ignoring costs aid side effects)" for "best", and please don't assume that just because people are very picky about what they use means that they're not doing so for legitimate reasons.

[sadfklsjlkjwt]

Many countries have phased out checks. Others only have them as a legacy option. The change happened really fast.