Where's a good place to order new checks?

[slackmax]

How about Walmartchecks.com ?

They are only about 8 cents per check, which is nice and low.   
My credit union charges 25 cents per check. Just trying to be frugal.
I suppose I am worrying about Walmart being hacked and having my banking info taken.

Thanks

 

[achvfi]

Costco is the place to order. You will get several books of checks for 20-30 $ I think

[kanga1622]

We've used Walmart checks for our last 3-4 orders. Always been happy with them.

[Scandium]

We've used Walmart checks for our last 3-4 orders. Always been happy with them.

Good grief, how many do you use? My bank gave me two boxes 8 years ago, and I've yet to go through a single booklet!
To be helpful; frugal answer is to order as few as possible and stop using checks. Autodraft everywhere, or electronic billing through your bank. They'll even send a check for you if that's the only way.

[nereo]

We've used Walmart checks for our last 3-4 orders. Always been happy with them.

Good grief, how many do you use? My bank gave me two boxes 8 years ago, and I've yet to go through a single booklet!
To be helpful; frugal answer is to order as few as possible and stop using checks. Autodraft everywhere, or electronic billing through your bank. They'll even send a check for you if that's the only way.

I don’t want to be the jerk, but checks are one of the least secure ways of making and receiving payment, and comes with minimal protection. They are easy to forge, easy to alter, have your name address, bank and account number right there on the front and it can take days for the banking system to even detect that a fraud has occurred. I strongly recommend everyone to minimize their use. In todays world that is very easy to do.

[Chris Pascale]

My bank gives me 12 at a time. With how few checks I write nowadays, it's not much an inconvenience.

[pdxvandal]

I despise writing checks and my national bank charges an absurd $36 for one box. I'll have to look at some of the options here myself.

[stclurker]

Obligatory "what's a check???" LOL 🤣🤣🤣

[Brystheguy]

Writing checks to young people is actually the pinnacle of frugality because they don't know how to cash them! 😀

[solon]

I always use www.1983rus.com

[traveler]

Open an account on an online, branchless bank like Ally. You get free checks (and a very good savings rate).

But yeah try to get yourself out of check usage. These days I only use checks to pay rent, and even those are automated via Bill Pay.

[snic]

I order checks, what, every 10 years? Last time I ordered them from Walmart and was happy with them. I think there was a pretty hefty delivery fee, though, so the deal wasn't as good as I originally thought.

While I agree that generally it's a good idea to avoid checks and stick to electronic methods, sometimes they are simply the most convenient way of making a payment. For example, Zelle and similar methods tend to have limits, and sometimes you have to pay a contractor more than that limit, or they don't accept Zelle etc.

[Ron Scott]

I forget, but I think I get free checks from Chase. Rarely use them.

I need a check to pay my property taxes. And there’s a trend to charge more for paying with a credit card so we might write an extra check here and there because of that.

It’s an outdated tool tho.

[nereo]

I need a check to pay my property taxes. And there’s a trend to charge more for paying with a credit card so we might write an extra check here and there because of that.

It’s an outdated tool tho.

For those vendors and agencies, most banks will issue checks to them directly via their online portal or app, and you don’t even pay for the stamp or envelope.

[slackmax]

OP here.   

I make some recurring payments by phone, via my checking account, if there is no fee.

But, as others have stated, checks are the cheapest way to make certain payments. There are often fees for paying with credit card, whereas they will take a check for free. 

For example, I would pay my phone bill online but they have a fee to do that ($3 I think) , and also a fee to pay cash ($3), so I keep mailing in a check, using a stamp and the cost of the check.   It's just cheaper.   

Good to hear the positive testimony for Walmartchecks.com. May end up using them.   8 cents per check and free delivery, so the website says.  And only have to buy  120 checks.

[nereo]

For example, I would pay my phone bill online but they have a fee to do that ($3 I think) , and also a fee to pay cash ($3), so I keep mailing in a check, using a stamp and the cost of the check.   It's just cheaper.   

Check to see if your bank offers free bill pay (I know TD and BofA do, as do many others).  They will mail payment on the date you specify, and you don't even have to pay for the stamp. 

[kanga1622]

We've used Walmart checks for our last 3-4 orders. Always been happy with them.

Good grief, how many do you use? My bank gave me two boxes 8 years ago, and I've yet to go through a single booklet!
To be helpful; frugal answer is to order as few as possible and stop using checks. Autodraft everywhere, or electronic billing through your bank. They'll even send a check for you if that's the only way.

We always buy the duplicate checks but only one box at a time. One of the orders was when we moved and needed to change the address on our checks. :) We spent years writing weekly checks to daycare and a couple local companies that only took paper checks for monthly bills. No more daycare and everyone now takes online payments. So we have been on the same box of checks for a couple years.

[starbuck19]

OP here.   

I make some recurring payments by phone, via my checking account, if there is no fee.

But, as others have stated, checks are the cheapest way to make certain payments. There are often fees for paying with credit card, whereas they will take a check for free. 

For example, I would pay my phone bill online but they have a fee to do that ($3 I think) , and also a fee to pay cash ($3), so I keep mailing in a check, using a stamp and the cost of the check.   It's just cheaper.   

Good to hear the positive testimony for Walmartchecks.com. May end up using them.   8 cents per check and free delivery, so the website says.  And only have to buy  120 checks.

I used to bank with Chase and they would charge me $25 per box of checks every few years, on top of other egregious fees and practically 0% APY for the money I had w/ them. As such I closed both my checking and savings accounts w/ Chase and now am getting lots of free checks for my Fidelity Cash Management account and my SoFi checking account, and much better terms than w/ Chase.

[clarkfan1979]

My main banking account is from US Bank. I have had it since 2006. I just ordered a new set of checks for $36. I think it's a bundle of 100 checks? I'm guessing it will last me 5-10 years. I could spend a few hours trying to figure out how to save $10, but I decided that it's not worth it.

[Scandium]

For example, I would pay my phone bill online but they have a fee to do that ($3 I think) , and also a fee to pay cash ($3), so I keep mailing in a check, using a stamp and the cost of the check.   It's just cheaper.   

Ok I must know; what kind of phone company doesn't have at least an online bill pay option?! Both my internet and voip phone, and multiple cell phone services I've used let me pay with credit card for zero fee (points..). I think the voip does a bank draft? I'm surprised they'd even let you mail them a check, that sounds like a massive hassle, for them and for you.

Someone mentioned property tax, but even my county and state services, HOA, electric and water bill, have an online payment portal and autodraft from my bank. No need to mail them a check. Extra bonus it's done automatically so no late fee ever.

I haven't had large contractor work done, that's the only I can think of where a check would be used..? I don't remember the last time I wrote one.

[ChickenStash]

I think the last box of checks I got was maybe 7 years ago when I moved to my current house and I ordered it through my bank.  They had some amount of free checks with the checking account package. I have yet to use them up.

Online bill pay will send checks to the less tech-savvy companies just fine and at no additional cost to me. Otherwise, it's the property tax bill or a contractor that needs a check so that's very few that get used.

[rantk81]

Yeah... Outside of paying a contractor/home-repair person, or making a payment at the DMV, I never use checks.  Maybe one or two per year on average.  I still have checks from my bank with my address from 2 moves ago on them.

[HipGnosis]

I always use www.1983rus.com

That URL is not good.   Please tell us what you meant to type.

[Panly]

I always use www.1983rus.com

That URL is not good.   Please tell us what you meant to type.

try with an older computer

[Roadrunner53]

I despise using checks, but some places just don't take CC or if they do, you get charged extra for using it. We use checks for the guy who plows the snow, lawn guy, septic cleaning guy, town taxes, beautician and dog groomer. I am sure there are more but can't think of others at this moment.

[solon]

I always use www.1983rus.com

That URL is not good.   Please tell us what you meant to type.

try with an older computer

1983 R Us

[Money Saver 1]

I havent seen a hand written personal check since I worked at a gas station in 2005.  Chances are youll be immediately suspect for fraud as soon as you get out your checkbook.  ATMs and mass produced plastic cards pretty much killed the paper check method.

[mspym]

I despise using checks, but some places just don't take CC or if they do, you get charged extra for using it. We use checks for the guy who plows the snow, lawn guy, septic cleaning guy, town taxes, beautician and dog groomer. I am sure there are more but can't think of others at this moment.

Good grief, help a small business owner out and pay cash 💵

[GilesMM]

We use checks several times per month to pay vendors who provide assorted service at our home.  The only recurring one is the gardener.  Like most of them, he is not set up any other way or just prefers a check.


We are still on a box of checks from 2007 which has an address from another state which we departed from in 2008!  Nobody cares about the address.  I will need another batch soon and I think the credit union does them for free.  Otherwise, Walmart or Costco are cheapest.


Checks seem insane.  We lived in Europe 20 years ago and checks didn't exist. Same for Australia and Latin America.  All payments are electronic and secure.  Someone sent me a $400 check last month and it went to my old address from 2020; luckily the new owner forwarded it to me!

[snic]

I havent seen a hand written personal check since I worked at a gas station in 2005.  Chances are youll be immediately suspect for fraud as soon as you get out your checkbook.  ATMs and mass produced plastic cards pretty much killed the paper check method.

That might be true at a big box retailer or even a small business like a restaurant or beauty salon. But it is still the norm for many business to accept checks. Anyone from plumbers to landscape guys to roofers to handymen - basically almost all contractors accept personal checks, and most of them would rather that you write them one right after the work is done (or on whatever schedule you've agreed, e.g. 50% up front) rather than wait for an official check from your bank sent via online bill pay. Some are starting the accept Zelle and credit cards (the latter usually with a fee).

[logjammin]

(or on whatever schedule you've agreed, e.g. 50% up front)

You know what I'd do if I had a million dollars? Two checks at the same time.

[solon]

(or on whatever schedule you've agreed, e.g. 50% up front)

You know what I'd do if I had a million dollars? Two checks at the same time.

Bonus points for Office Space reference.

[Scandium]

I despise using checks, but some places just don't take CC or if they do, you get charged extra for using it. We use checks for the guy who plows the snow, lawn guy, septic cleaning guy, town taxes, beautician and dog groomer. I am sure there are more but can't think of others at this moment.

wait! which forum am I on??! Around these parts we clean our own septic!

[slackmax]

Update from OP here. 

My Walmart checks arrived. They are fine. The website was straightforward. There was a 'surprise' tack on at the last minute of a $4.00 processing fee. The total per check was 12 cents.  120 checks for $14.67 total.

They gave me an estimated time of arrival of May 17, and they arrived May 15.
So they took 16 days to arrive. I chose the no tracking option, since just to have tracking would have been an additional $8.00.

So my Walmart checks experience was good !
 

[ender]

I'm surprised that banks don't provide checks for free.

I've not paid for checks once in the last 20 years.

[nereo]

I'm surprised that banks don't provide checks for free.

I've not paid for checks once in the last 20 years.

Amusing follow up - we had some banking business and mentioned how odd we found it that some people in the US still do business by personal cheque and how in the rare cases when we needed a paper check we just used the banks free, mailed direct to vendor check

The bank guy, who turned out to be the regional manager, tapped his computer and said “oh, well since you have a mortgage through us you free personal checks too!”

So somehow we left with a packet of “starter checks” which I doubt we will ever use, and a booklet of checks being mailed to our home. This seems even less convenient than having my bank mail payment. At least they covered the postage, envelope and addressing.

[Cadman]

I'm not surprised by the use of checks, I just used one the other day when I bought a pickup truck load of gravel and saved 5% on the transaction. What does surprise me is that you're not getting them for free.

I know a lot of banks charge, but would a local credit union be an option for you? They tend to offer freebies like this when you sign up.

[seattlecyclone]

My advice would be not to overthink this. If your bank gives you checks for free, great! If not it's going to be a ~$20 purchase you make perhaps once a decade. Not worth spending more than a few minutes comparison shopping, and really not worth switching banks over this one thing.