Pluggers by Rick McKee for November 25, 2022

I’m kinda thinking we pluggers may be the last generation writing checks……thots?

Maybe 22 years ago ….

Dangnabbit Y2K bug.

Her pen’s been hacked! Someone’s hacked her pen!

Nostalgia Attack: Thinking back to that special birthday date so long ago …

You mean I am not supposed to use “1968”?

I write checks for taxes both state and federal. They want to charge too much for credit cards.

As a home owner, I use a fair number of checks. Most small businesses seem to prefer them over paying 3-4% to the CC company. Even some larger places; 3% of $12 grand for window replacement is non-trivial.

That is definitely me; maybe it’s because we only write 2 – 3 checks per month ;)

Checks are an identity thieve’s gold mine providing your: legal name, bank account #, address, signature, then if it is not printed on the check and they ask to see an id your driver’s license # and DOB.

I have two banks, two bill pays. Never write a check, yet I can mistaken the date, in other venues.

The term ‘credit card’ was first used in 1887 in “Looking Backward,” by Edward Bellamy where it described a form of debit card. This idea was followed by “Charga-Plates” issued by individual department stores for their favored customers and Travel Cards issued by individual airlines. Airlines eventually joined together so one card could be used by different airlines and they implemented an installment plan.This concept of customers paying different merchants using the same card was expanded in 1950 by Diners Club, which produced the first “general purpose” charge card. But it still required the entire bill to be paid in full at the end of the month (i.e., charge cards not credit cards).It wasn’t until 1958, with BankAmericard and American Express, that the industry was able to establish a system where a card issued by a third-party bank could be accepted by a large number of merchants. In 1966, MasterCard was born when a group of banks established Master Charge to compete with BankAmericard and in 1976, BankAmericard became VISA.Early credit cards in the U.S were mass-produced and mass mailed [mail drops] unsolicited to bank customers. Mail drops were outlawed in 1970 due to the financial chaos they caused. After 1970, only credit card applications could be sent unsolicited in mass mailings. And by 1973 the system was computerized reducing transaction time.Credit card issuers usually waive interest charges if the balance is paid in full each month. So how do the issuers make money? Issuers charge the businesses a processing fee, between 1.5% to 3.5% of each transaction’s total. Also, most card issuers compound interest on a daily basis based on the individual card holder’s credit history (the holder’s annual percentage rate or APR). And, is it possible that the issuer will charge interest on full amount of the charge, even when part of it has been paid. This is one of the little details that should be on the back of the monthly statement.

I only write a check about once a year….and when I do, the luddite merchant that insists on payment by check automatically loses my business if I can find ANY alternative who provides for online credit card payment the next time I need that good or service.

It’s the century we grew up in.. the one where we learned how to write checks.. in school no less.

And some plugger veterans recall when their commanding officer was a Centurion!

One of the few times it makes sense to pay by check is to avoid automatic renewals if they have your cc#.

me thinks you are correct. I hope we even have money to back up those checks, or whatever they make us use.

Haven’t written a check in many many years. When I moved some years ago and opened a new checking account, I placed the checkbook somewhere—who knows where?!

Not just Pluggers… it happens every new year ;-)

I actually wrote up the paperwork today to reorder checks before I run out. Though if our regular checks run out I do have the set with our PO Box on them instead of our house address.