The respectable way to purchase goods and services now are debit/credit/prepaid cards, digital wallets, buy now pay later options, and payment service providers. Cash is losing popularity, yet it is still an acceptable payment for quick trips to the store. What is not respectable and sadly stereotyped as a senior citizen payment method are personal checks. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Personal checks are not out of style, nor is it going out of style.
1- A Traceable Paper Trail
The paper trail begins when someone writes a check to someone else or at the register. The paper trail ends at the bank. A copy of the paper check written in image form is accessible through online banking or printed on bank statements. The image form is proof the recipient received the money. This image is also vital as evidence to dispute transactions. If you request it, add carbon copies to the checkbook so you can have a copy of the written check for bookkeeping and disputes. An alternate way to trace the paper check is by calling the bank to learn about its status.
2- Companies Want to Avoid Processing Fee Payments
When a person uses a debit card or credit card, the company has to pay hefty processing fees out of pocket before receiving payment. The company may also pay a third-party processing vendor to process debit and credit payments for them, which is still an expense. Checks, like cash, avoid processing fees. Examples of companies preferring paper checks to plastic cards are rental homes/apartments, non-profit organizations, small businesses, self-employed freelancers, micro-merchants, and government offices.
3- A Backup Payment in a Power Outage
Companies rely on electronic devices to process electronic payments, including digital wallet apps and plastic card transactions. A power outage stops electronic devices from operating, so companies can’t process payment. This is true for ATMs, meaning consumers don’t have access to cash. A phone outage stops the internet from connecting to smartphones. Thus, no access to digital wallets and online payment apps either. The situation is problematic for everyone. There is no need to wait until power is on again to receive goods and services with a personal check. A paper check is a backup plan to get your items without delay.
Do not listen to so-called experts. The end of personal check use is not coming anytime soon. Personal checks still maintain importance for people and businesses. Small businesses rely on personal checks to avoid costly card processing fees. People need personal checks because it is an offline method to pay. It attracts people who don’t have internet access on their cell phones to pay for items. It attracts people who don’t have sufficient credit to obtain a credit card or prefer checks to debit or prepaid cards. For those reasons, add this brilliant idea to your list of payment options. Let personal checks fill the gap of shopping in-person, shopping online, and paying bills in any establishment.