After many many problems with my previous bank, I signed up for the Electric Orange account from ING. It's a checkless checking account! It pays 4% interest (goes even higher if you keep a huge balance.) There are no fees. ING even lets you pick the amount of overdraft protection you want. If you do use the overdraft feature, you're just charged interest (about 12%) until you pay it back--no crazy fees. In the event that you do need a paper check, they'll send one to anyone you want for free. How do you access your money? Set up direct deposit for your paycheck (you can also mail checks in, but account for snail mail lag time.) Then use the ATM/Mastercard check card to access your money. They have affiliations with thousands of ATMs that allow you to withdraw cash with no fees (and an easy lookup feature--found out my local Target has one!) They also offer free bill pay. I rarely write checks anyway, preferring to use cash or (rarely) my debit card. I already had an Orange savings account, so it took me all of 90 seconds to open the checking account. A checkless checking account sounds a little scary, but that 4% interest was enough to win me over! Are you brave enough?

I am a little on the scared side to do this...My parents tried this for two months and they got "over charged" on three purchases they made and there were no checks to use as "proof" of what something costed them. Also, last week when I read an article in the paper, I pretty much want to stop using checks all together! All a person needs is your account #- router # and they can use these "checkless" checking accounts VERY EASILY or they can even set up accounts on EBAY or places like that with your checking account!!! I think it's kind of scary- because if the wrong person gets your info now days you're screwed. It's the same with credit cards, but at least you don't have to give that "security code" off of your card to people at stores- that makes me feel a little better.

__________________
One happy wife and mommy!!!

I moved all of our accounts to ING several months ago. I LOVE the versatility of the accounts and the ease of transferring money. I have a checking account at the local credit union. I only use the local account for deposits and an occasional check. I send Echecks and use bill pay most of the time.

__________________

i barely write checks as it is the only place i write them is to the school and any misc bill other than that i pay online use my debit card or pay cash so esentially i'm already doing this but it makes it easier for me if i do need to deposit a check to have a local bank.

__________________
'The will of God will never take you where the
Grace of God will not protect you.'

HAVE A BOOTIFUL HALLOWEEN

I hardly ever write checks either, but I do need to use them at my kids' school, and I don't always have enough notice to wait for a paper check. Ever since a secretary at one of our county high schools was caught embezzling last year our schools aren't allowed to accept cash for anything except for the purchase of a single lunch.

I guess I am set in my ways. I don't want the hassle of changing everything over. I also recieve checks everyweek that can't be set up for direct deposite.

__________________
Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

I write checks for everything and do not even have a debit card. Heck I just learned how to check my balance online last week. My theory is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

__________________
~Happiness is a large family~

Agreed!

I also don't have a debit card. I pay most of my bills online and still write checks. Unfortunately many places aren't accepting paper checks any more and my oldest DD usually steals the money I have in my purse (whole nother issue) so I'm sorta screwed. DH is not good about keeping track of what he withdrew out of our account years ago when we had an ATm card so I'm at a loss of what to od.

I don't like debit cards or ATMs. They just don't feel safe. If I need more cash than I write my check every two weeks for, I "borrow" it from my mini stash. I just like being ableto have that bit of paper (tough my bank does keep them, I can go online and see scans) and the knowlege that if I ever had my card stolen, it would be a credit card, and not connected to anything that I might lose all of. I feel it offers more protection that way. That's just me though. I'm sometimes a little old fashioned about liking a nice paper trail.

__________________
"And the state of his bathroom -- I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems." Cain describes Abel in in SANDMAN #70