# I May Never Have To Write Another Check



## OneEyedDiva (Apr 4, 2022)

Finally the company that manages our co-op has adopted an online system that we can use for things like submitting maintenance and home improvement approval requests, keep up on news and events in our community, access certain documents, receive our monthly carrying charge statements (co-op speak for HOA fees) and pay them online. I've been hoping for this for a few years. Most of my checks were to pay carrying charges, so I only wrote one a month unless I was including a check in a sympathy card. I will have over a hundred checks left but that's okay. Being able to pay now with a credit card will give me about $155 a year in cash back rewards. Never got that using checks.  Accessing the bills online will help save trees.
@Pecos


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## Remy (Apr 5, 2022)

I was doing online banking until I got put on my stepfather's accounts since I have his financial durable power of attorney. Problem was, when I logged onto my account, his was there also. And that bothered me, so I went back to checks.

I pay cable with my credit card now and also the Consumer Cellular. So that's less checks. I still pay my rent with a check.


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## Bellbird (Apr 5, 2022)

N.Z. Banks have abolished the use of cheques. I don't know how the elderly folks are getting on, those with only cheque accounts. I guess they would have to get cash or eftpos card to withdraw their money.


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## Chet (Apr 5, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Finally the company that manages our co-op has adopted an online system that we can use for things like submitting maintenance and home improvement approval requests, keep up on news and events in our community, access certain documents, receive our monthly carrying charge statements (co-op speak for HOA fees) and pay them online. I've been hoping for this for a few years. Most of my checks were to pay carrying charges, so I only wrote one a month unless I was including a check in a sympathy card. I will have over a hundred checks left but that's okay. Being able to pay now with a credit card will give me about $155 a year in cash back rewards. Never got that using checks.  Accessing the bills online will help save trees.
> @Pecos


A credit card is preferable to auto-pay which is getting more and more prevalent these days. With auto-pay they will be making withdrawals even after you are dead. Your heir will have to undo that mess that they are not familiar with.


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## Geezerette (Apr 5, 2022)

Agreeing with Chet. Auto -pay anything can be very easy to start and very hard to stop. I only tried one once and ir took me 90 days to undo it. 
My apartment’s management also went from checks to an on line payment arrangement for rent to come straight from our checking accounts. I’m not crazy about it but all the apts are doing it. And we do on line service requests. But I still call the office for something urgent in addition.


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## Alligatorob (Apr 5, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> I May Never Have To Write Another Check


I was hoping to read that you no longer needed to pay anyone anything!


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## Autumn72 (Apr 5, 2022)

Alligatorob said:


> I was hoping to read that you no longer needed to pay anyone anything!


Thought you won the lottery, di they still have that ?
Since war in Ukraine, people being killed right online to see, children too
With covid-19 forever, I feel maybe good news someone won the lottery....oh, well....


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## dseag2 (Apr 5, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Finally the company that manages our co-op has adopted an online system that we can use for things like submitting maintenance and home improvement approval requests, keep up on news and events in our community, access certain documents, receive our monthly carrying charge statements (co-op speak for HOA fees) and pay them online. I've been hoping for this for a few years. Most of my checks were to pay carrying charges, so I only wrote one a month unless I was including a check in a sympathy card. I will have over a hundred checks left but that's okay. Being able to pay now with a credit card will give me about $155 a year in cash back rewards. Never got that using checks.  Accessing the bills online will help save trees.
> @Pecos


I can barely even write anymore due to typing on my device, so anything that allows me to pay online (and with my credit card) is a good thing.  I also pay every bill on my credit card for cash back.  I wish my HOA would adopt the same procedures.  So happy for you!


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## OneEyedDiva (Apr 6, 2022)

dseag2 said:


> I can barely even write anymore due to typing on my device, so anything that allows me to pay online (and with my credit card) is a good thing.  I also pay every bill on my credit card for cash back.  I wish my HOA would adopt the same procedures.  So happy for you!


Thank you my friend Like you I pay everything possible with my credit cards to reap the benefits of cash back rewards. The only things I don't pay are my electric bill (because they charge a $4.95 fee to pay with a card) and automatic payments for Legal Shield, which I've had for decades (used to market it) and Verizon due to their discount for making automatic payments from checking.


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## OneEyedDiva (Apr 6, 2022)

Chet said:


> A credit card is preferable to auto-pay which is getting more and more prevalent these days. With auto-pay they will be making withdrawals even after you are dead. Your heir will have to undo that mess that they are not familiar with.


Good points except my son, who I invited to move back in after my DIL died, inherits this apartment. If he's smart, he'll choose to live here after I pass because he will not find a cheaper place to live. Our mortgage is paid and our carrying charges (aka HOA fees) are about 37% of what average apartments in this area cost and about 26% of what apartments in the infamous Bergen county (not far from us) cost. So automatic payments for the unit and electricity would continue. Since he and my grandson want to keep my timeshare (also willed to them), the maintenance fee which I pre-pay with monthly auto payments would need to continue as well. Automatic payments stop in December of each year and a new payment schedule is then set up in January based on the new annual fee. The timeshare mortgage is also paid off.

My son and oldest grandson know how to access my credit, bank and other accounts. Every six months, we have meetings to refresh them on how to do what needs to be done in those accounts, including getting the cash back rewards due, if I become unable to transact business and after I pass. My son is co-owner on my credit union accounts, but not the bank, even though he can access and make transactions if necessary. I put this in place in case I ever need to pay for nursing home or (preferably) in home care.  But even if they didn't have access, once banks find out the account holder is deceased they'd close the account and automatic payments would not be possible. Another thing, as far as credit cards, if I haven't charged anything, there's nothing to automatically pay. Any expense I've left after I'm gone needs to be paid anyway as stipulated in my will.


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## Lee (Apr 6, 2022)

I trudge down to the park office every month to hand over a cheque for the lot rent. Ridiculous in this day and age.


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## OneEyedDiva (Apr 6, 2022)

Well looks like I will not being using the online payment system but I will still opt for paperless billing. The three options are pay 2.99% of the total cost if using a credit card. 9.99% of the total cost if using a debit card (which I never use for anything) or no fee when using a checking account. I figure rather than add my bank account information to the site for automatic payments, I may as well keep writing checks. There's a mailbox looking receptacle in our courtyard for the sole purpose of conveniently depositing our checks and returning any completed forms. I usually do that when I take the garbage to the garbage area.


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