Text 12798, 79 rader
Skriven 2010-12-02 07:00:36 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
  Kommentar till text 12782 av Roy Witt (1:387/22)
Ärende: Mailboxes
=================
Roy Witt wrote to Robert Bashe on Wednesday December 01 2010 at 15:03:

RB>> American checks are long and very narrow,

RW> LOL! Says who?

Me. The ones my sister has (Fifth Third Bank of Cincinnati) are 6.8 x 15.2 cm
(work out the inches yourself if you want). My German checks are 10.5 x 15 cm.
Just measured them.

RW> Mine fit in a #6 3/4 envelope (3 5/8 x 6 1/2").

9.2 x 16.5 cm. But that's the envelope, not the check.

RW> Business size checks fit in a #10 envelope (4 1/8 x 9 1/2").

Still the envelope size. How about the check size?

RB>> Or do you have a special check printer?

RW> I have an HP 6500. It's a copier and fax all in one printer. It uses
RW> 8x11.5 paper. My checks come from Office Depot in that same format, 4
RW> to a page.

Now, _that_ would, of course, make a difference. If you don't print the checks
individually (that is what I've referred to up to now), and they aren't the
small size the banks issue, you'll have much less problems. But I thought you
were _required_ to use the personalized checks from you bank... is this not the
case?

RW>>> Yeup. But there's no paper trail. I want a paper trail.

RB>> You mean the cancelled check. Yes, my sister has noticed that problem
RB>> too. No proof when the check was cashed and you can't see the
RB>> endorsement.

RW> I don't get the check returned. I must go to my bank's website and
RW> print the cancelled check GIF here if I want a paper copy.

That's what I meant. I know checks are not generally returned nowadays.

RB>> Such a pity that direct account transfers by private persons are
RB>> unavailable in the States

RW> They're available. I paid my bills online and if required, I could
RW> make a payment to a private citizen if I wanted.

Sure you can, but it's by check, not direct account transfer. The next time you
pay a bill online, look to see what data the bank requires. For a direct
account transfer all you need is the name of the recipient and the account
number and routing number of their bank (no address). If your bank only asks
you for the name and address (but not the account number or routing number of
the payee's bank) - and that's what will happen - they're sending a check.

RB>> - that would solve most of these problems (and have the advantage
RB>> that bill payments wouldn't make the USPS rich).

RW> You would rather the banks get rich?

I don't bank at places that charge high fees, and luckily that is easy in
Germany. In the accounts I have, I pay nothing for the account, nothing for
direct account transfers, nothing for a bank debit card (Maestro) and at one
bank even nothing for a Visa credit card (_not_ a debit card, a "real" charge
card). The banks here make their money from the interest they charge for
overdrafts (not penalties, as in the States) and the difference in interest
they pay for money in an account and that they charge for lending it.

In contrast, the bank fees in the States are sky-high and the cumbersome
checking system doubtless has something to so with that. But as long as nobody
complains, the system will stay as it is.

RW> If the PO goes broke, who's going to deliver all that junk mail!?

How about the Pony Express?

Cheers, Bob

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