sorry jaysen - wasn't trying to imply u write checks in line - just using it as an example of how backwards the USA is for check writing compared to canada (where we never see any one write checks - let alone in a grocery store)... i never use debit here in USA for same reason - i know what's 'under the hood' -- in canada we have a country wide interac system which is secure and encrypted and the user liabiltity is limited to around 50.00 in case of theft etc.. here in usa - the debit system is up for grabs based on who set it up - your transaction could leave say target and be transmitted across the street to jo's variety store unencrypted on its way to the bank...there are no regulations here for debit -- so i avoid it and use credit cards - which data wise are much safer (my dh attended a cisco conference on this security and its issues here in usa - after that we stopped debit almost entirely). plus i hate it when i go to a store - and use debit - and the cashier hits all the ok buttons for me on her side -- i am capable of ok;'ing it myself thanks -- they will ok it to the 'pin' entry before i get to view it -- then say ok enter the pin - i am like "nope - i want to see what i am approving" -- but they do it cause there are still a lot of people in my area who are ...umm... less educated on how to use debit - and the cashiers think they are helping them by 'doing it for them'
as for not trusting auto-debit - your right -- i worked for ontario hydro -- we put in a new billing system that was supposed to be fool proof and not allow meter roll over billings (thats when the meter at your home goes from 9999 to 0001... and the system thinks sometimes that a whole new 1000kwh has been used - means a really large bill) - well it didnt - and then it did the auto drafts from peoples accounts -- some people had there entire life savings withdrawn (usually seniors living on thier savings.... average person didnt have 20k in the bank :) ).. and us people on the phones had to tell them 'we will get your lifesavings back in 30 days... thanks' -- eventually the president of ontario hydro had to personally go to each of the 5 banks (we have 5 in canada plus credit unions) and put money back in to dozens of accounts of people the billing system left destitute (imagine - rent bouncing, ins bouncing etc etc - it was a nightmare -- one woman that called me had 18k withdrawn by our billing system...) i dont want to scare people away - but mistakes happen - even in computers and big billing systems. once even CIBC (a major canadian bank) moved from a branch and left all its files out on the curb unshredded - boy did it hit the fan when that happened - was only a few years ago... i also agree with the bill-pay checks - not using them - i couldnt believe that the bank mailed a check on my behalf when i requested eft... they didnt even tell me - and it took weeks longer than if i just sent the payment myself... lance has good idea - a template may exist by Avery :) ml ml On Apr 14, 1:00 pm, Jaysen <[email protected]> wrote: > Don't get me wrong. I never write checks in line. I use cash. Or debit > (or credit if the amount is over my debit limit). I respect both the > person behind me and the poor poor cashier who will need to interpret > my writing too much for that. My problem is that I don't trust the > outside agents for online stuff. I will use my banks bill pay for a > limited number of trusted transactions, but the insurance company? > They won't accept the payment from my bank and insist that I use their > system. I quick call to their support asking for PCI and SA70 > compliance certification (which they didn't have) convinced me that I > did want to trust them with any info at all (yes I know that checks > contain account info but the regulatory requirements are completely > different for data archival of this info). > > And I too support MW not doing this. There is a distinct > accountability that one has when they have to manually write the > amount of a transaction. Suddenly some "essentials" became less > essential once we actually took the time to write the check. > > Jaysen > > On Apr 14, 10:15 am, ciara belle <[email protected]> wrote: > > > i have written more checks in the 1.5 years i lived in the USA than in > > the 7 years at my last home in Canada... (1 book in Canada in 7 years > > (since i had to order checks when i moved), compared to 5 books in > > USA).. but i hate writing checks... and complain almost every time i > > do (it irritates me no end when someone writes a check in the express > > lane for 2.00!! argh... use debit!) and while my writing is also bad > > - the thought of buying consumables for quicken (or any other > > financial software) stopped me from using it for writing checks (plus > > ensuring i am hooking up to a printer etc etc)... i helped my boss > > print checks with quickbooks - that was a never ending nightmare of > > lining up, printing, re-lining up, reprinting etc... > > > sorry Jayson -- with much respect to cinnamon bun time with your > > wife.. :), but i whole-heartedly support MW Not supporting check > > printing... (would rather move forward than backward -- and check > > writing is heading backward..., bill payment online etc is forward.) > > > jmho > > > ml > > > On Apr 13, 10:52 am, Kevin Hoctor <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > On Apr 13, 2009, at 9:37 AM, Jaysen wrote: > > > > > The problem is that I "know the stuff under the hood" and do not trust > > > > the IT side of the modern methods. Not to mention the accountability > > > > point of having to go through the task of actually dealing with the > > > > check. > > > > Jaysen, > > > > I understand but the reality is that check use is way down and the > > > trend is accelerating. I'm still planning to add check printing but it > > > won't sell many more copies of MoneyWell. For me, I trust the "stuff > > > under the hood" much more than I trust myself to pay a bill on time > > > with a check. ;) > > > > > But the real bonus to the manual method is eating homemade cinnamon > > > > buns with the Mrs when we do the bills Saturday AM. I guess I would > > > > rather waste some paper then give up a few minutes with her. > > > > And you can't beat that with any size stick. > > > > Peace, > > > > Kevin Hoctor > > > [email protected] > > > No Thirst Software LLChttp://nothirst.comhttp://kevinhoctor.blogspot.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "No Thirst Software User Forum" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/no-thirst-software?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
