she wants to be added to my checking account so we can ditch her checking account and not keep the minimum required balance in her account. She used to get free checks with her PNC account, and has a full check book with nothing used out of it because she doesn't ever write checks, because who still writes checks? I never bothered to get checks with my account because they charge like $18, and I have never written a check since i've had the account, because who still writes checks? So since she will be ditching her account she insists that we order some $18 checks for my (I guess "ours" now) checking account. I think it is silly as I don't write checks, and never anticipate needing them ever again.
All of our bills are automated and get paid electronically. Everything else we use a CC for. In the rare instance a place doesn't accept any CC then we have cash. I can't imagine a scenario where we will ever write a check again, and I feel like the $18 just for her peace of mind is a waste of money. I told her we can just get a few "starter checks" for 25 cents a piece if she feels like we really need to write a check at some point in the future, but now she is imagining a scenario that we not only need to write a check, but it will be to someone who won't accept a starter check.
How do I reason with her? Also, am I overlooking some scenario where I will legitimately need to write a check? I fully anticipate never needing checks again.
There are plenty of places that require checks (or cash) with
no other method of payment available. Examples of checks I write each year:
1) Lily society plant sale, and membership, and occasional donations
2) iris society sale " " " "
3) small antique dealers who do not have charge account mechanisms
4) Library fines
5) payment to a friend for something or other, often a reimbursement for something they've paid for and we are splitting cost
6) gifts for wedding, birthdays, graduations
And then, DH is
always paid by check or cash. He has a small handyman/carpentry business. He does not accept charge cards. Actually, as I think about it, any of the work We've had done is paid for with check or cash.
So I guess that you don't need checks if you are willing to pony up cash for all of those things above. The ones on the list 1 - 6 are small potatoes costs, under $250.00 But to hire a workman and pay for tuckpointing, new roof, a major paint job, etc--that goes into the thousands. Not sure I'd like to use cash for that.
I would get cheap checks and let her find out how many she uses annually. Personally, I hate carrying big wads of cash. Hate it, and in my near ghetto 'nabe it's not safe. I find that my charge card carries me though 95%% of my purchases. But sending cash through the mail (to the 1 -6 purchases on my list) and cash gets lost and etc--that is a problem.