What to Consider Before Whipping Out That Checkbook

Fees. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, and fees are one of those little annoyances you have to deal with when you use checks. Of course, your bank has to charge you something to cover their costs; handling all that paper isn't free or easy. It's up to you, of course, to find the best deal on banking fees. But the real culprit is the price you pay for those handy checks the bank prints up for you. What many people don't realize is, that's one fee you have real control over, because you don't even have to use the bank's checks.

Recall the way checks started out, as purely handwritten "cash letters." It wasn't until the mid-1700s that checks evolved beyond handwritten notes authorized by an individual's signature. It was then that British bankers began offering printed checks with serial numbers to help them keep track of a depositor's checks.

This was a great idea that let the bankers charge their depositors even more fees. But no one ever vested the banks with the sole power to print checks. The fact is, anyone can print your checks for you -- and when it comes right down to it, legally a check doesn't even have to be printed as long as it includes all the proper account information, the bank's location and address, and your signature. The bank or creditor might not honor it (there's that pesky policy issue again), but a check would be perfectly legal even if it were written on construction paper with a crayon.

It's easier to use printed checks, if only to keep the bank from getting testy. But who prints them for you is your choice. There are hundreds of check printers online who can offer you personal check designs in just about any style you like (as we'll discuss in detail a bit later). You can even print out your own checks if you have the proper equipment. Businesses do this everyday, using Harland checks, Quicken business checks, and Quickbooks business checks. All you need is the proper software and check blanks, and you're in business.

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