check lady

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

She was always kind of polite.. but it was always a long process to ring up each item individually.

I had one where the checks did clear. But the part that pissed me off was the fact that the person did this for 20 items (one at a time) with the $20 over, it was the middle of the Christmas rush and there were no other lanes to go to, AND this is the kicker. She was using WoodForrest bank checks.

For those not in the know, WoodForrest bank is a bank that frequently takes some of the retail space in the front of the Walmart and set up shop. Yes this woman was writing and processing 20 checks to get $400 back when she could have just walked 10 feet and made a withdrawal.

And not bogged down the line for 30 @#$%ing minutes.

[Catwoman2965]

The only things I even use checks for anymore are rent and the electric bill. I pay my other utilities either in cash or with my check card, and I would do the same with the electric bill, but the local electric company charges a 2.5% "convenience" fee if you use a card rather than a check or cash. Considering the fact that our electric bill is our largest utility bill, often being more than all of our other utilities combined, I am NOT going to give them extra money when I don't have to.

But yeah, for the most part, checks are becoming more and more obsolete. Just a matter of time before most apartment complexes allow rent payment online and/or via cards.

Mine already does - i never write checks for anything anymore, unless its non-bill related, such as for a fundraiser, etc. but all my bills get paid online.

[PepperElf]

I thought that Wal-Mart had system in place where IF you write a certain number of checks in a day & you go over that amount that you can't write anymore checks for that day?

I don't know about walmart but the Navy Exchange had it setup like that. You could only write a check for X amount over and it had a daily cap. IIRC that cap included going to the other stores they owned too.

Yes this woman was writing and processing 20 checks to get $400 back when she could have just walked 10 feet and made a withdrawal.

That right there makes me wonder if something was up. but seriously if i need that much money i'll just go to my bank and make a withdrawal. (or walmart i guess cos my bank has a miniature branch in there, but really the bank itself is closer)

[klhanson]

So apparently this woman and her husband own a flea market and she needs the $20's for change or something like that.. but still.. if you have a checking account why not just go to the bank and get the money out that way unless you know the check is going to bounce. And if $500 worth of checks bounce.. and theres a $30 fee for each one.. OUCH

[EricKei]

I love how many places these days have a machine set up that treats checks as if they were debit cards without PIN's ^_^ The money comes straight out of your account, and the computer fills all of the information in, except for your signature. IF the transaction is declined, no goods for you!

I am NOT going to give them extra money when I don't have to.

The power company that ... "served" ...my last house gave you the option of paying them via direct debit from your checking account, for a $3 fee, or paying by credit card through a 3rd-party company, for a $3 fee x.x

You think that's bad? I've had more than one place want $15 extra for get this, paying a bill over the phone!!

My old phone company charged for making payments in person (at a local phone store), but not online. Note that you could only actually make in-person payments at franchised-out stores -- the ones owned by this company would not take payments. Naturally, you could not just to down to <phonecompany>'s main office and pay them there...

[Raveni]

why not just go to the bank and get the money out that way unless you know the check is going to bounce.

That's the trick there. They know the ATM will bounce, but expect to get paid and drop off the cash at the bank before the weekend is over.

Since she's done this before, it's probably worked well for her in the past...

[PandaHat]

You think that's bad? I've had more than one place want $15 extra for get this, paying a bill over the phone!! Oh they'll take your payment by snail mail or online for free but for some inexplicable reason they want to charge a huge fee just for paying over the phone? I would've thought if anything the snail mail way would be more expensive seeing as how it involves more paperwork and in the case of check payment, more risk.

Because they have to pay someone to be on the phones ready to answer your call. It's also why banks encourage you to use the ATMs rather than go in branch.

[PandaHat]

... I write my check out before I get to the register, except for the amount, and I have ID out and ready to hand over.

EWhen my mum first got a checkbook in her youth she seriously considered pre-signing all the checks to save time. Yeah. Glad she realised why that was an idiotic idea!

[Racket_Man]

CHECKS??????

what are these things called checks you speak of????

I literally have not written a check since 2007. either I pay in cash or use my debt card (even for large electronic purchases). If pressed for some kind of "check" I will get a money order.

[EricKei]

I know businesses still deal in checks all the time (not just for paychecks, either), but it's rare these days that I see a regular person use them.

[lachesis]

So apparently this woman and her husband own a flea market and she needs the $20's for change or something like that.. but still.. if you have a checking account why not just go to the bank and get the money out that way unless you know the check is going to bounce. And if $500 worth of checks bounce.. and theres a $30 fee for each one.. OUCH

She'll end up doing what a lot of my customers do... Call the bank and whine about how we charged them a fee for over drafting their account. Never mind that we have a policy in place in our back office to courtesy call those customers that will o/d to make a deposit so we can pay the check instead of causing them "embarrassment" that it was returned. We did the work to pay the check. You were advised of the fee. Thus you pay for the courtesy of not having to work with the company who got a rubber check.

But I digress. That woman new EXACTLY what she was doing. She didn't go to the bank because there weren't enough funds to take out for her needs. She was using your store to kite those checks.

[emax4]

Well, look at the bright side: think of how much faster the line is without having to ring up separate orders/checks, and think of how much happier the customers are now that they can get out a bit faster. Yeah, it's Wal Mart, (speed? What's that?), but still...