On Jun 7, 3:19*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Jun 2012 20:25:42 +0100, Janet > wrote:
> >In article >, Brooklyn1 says....
>
> > *Most people incur a fee with a personal check.
>
> > *Must be an American thing; no fees are payable for bank cheques here (so
> >long as the account is in credit).
>
> > *Janet UK
>
> I don't know what you mean by "the account is in credit"... here in
> the US a checking account is required to maintain a minimum balance or
> the account will be closed, but still folks have to buy their check
> books and pay the bank a fee per check used. *Because of the fees
> fewer and fewer people have checking accounts anymore, they've
> switched to plastic and the occasional money order. *The only
> exception I know of to have free checking is if one maintains a rather
> large minimum bank balance. *Also a lot of people have stopped using
> checking accounts because they are lousy at handling money so use
> debit accounts instead... in the US writing a check with insufficient
> funds (passing a bad check) is a serious criminal offence, they can go
> to prison. *Attempting to make a purchase with insufficient funds in a
> debit account simply cancels/blocks the sale at point of purchase and
> stuff has to be put back. *I hate to be on the checkout line behind
> debiters (debters).


Actually, most banks allow a customer to say yes or no to coverage of
over-balance expenditures. You have to opt in or opt out, depending
on the bank's policies. It's expensive - here, like $27 per instance
- but it saves embarrassment if you find yourself in a position of not
realizing what your balance is.

I have free checking (free in all ways - I order checks from "Checks
Unlimited," so I do pay for those, but not a lot) - I write 2 or 3 a
month, maybe - ones that I mail. I pay no fee for my checking account
itself, nor do I pay for writing checks beyond the cost of the check.

N.