The check is (no longer) in the mail

At a recent doctor's appointment, I was surprised to see a sign that said, "We prefer debit, credit card, PayPal or Venmo payments instead of checks."

When I asked the receptionist about the sign she said, "It's easier for us when they use cards. Checks are a hassle."

That's when I realized aside from the occasional co-payments to my doctor, I rarely write checks anymore.

A recent consumer research study conducted by Propeller Insights and GoCardless in April 2021, surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults, ages 18 and over. Participants were asked what they would be willing to give up if they never had to write a check again.

Surprisingly, 45.3% of respondents would give up their morning coffee and 32.8% would agree to be celibate for a year if they never had to write a check again.

Other key findings from the survey include:
• 47.4% can't remember the last time they used a check.
• Nearly one out of five Americans admit to not knowing how to write out a check.
• 34.3% of Americans say we should stop using checks because of the pandemic.
• 29.4% of Americans would give up their cell phone for a month to not have to use a check again.

My son, the digital native and millennial, rarely, if ever, writes a check. He has a digital wallet that covers most of his needs in regards to utilities, food, entertainment and even his rent. "I just Venmo," he said to me recently when I asked if he ever writes checks. Between Venmo, Zelle and PayPal he can pay 100% of his bills and on the rare occasion when he can't use digital cards, he will pay by cash.

When I was growing up, I remember that my parents wrote checks for just about everything; the grocery store, the utilities, clothing stores, doctors and pharmacies and repairs to the house. But back then, they also balanced their checkbook, which is a skill I and my siblings never picked up, and a totally alien concept to my son and his cousins. Why balance a checkbook when you can go to your online bank and review all your payments and statements within minutes?

It seems the pendulum has swung the other way now and checks are going the way of the dinosaur. And whether or not the pandemic played a part in its shrinking role in payments, requires more discussion and review.

But one thing is for certain, if it takes writing a check to keep my morning coffee, just hand me a pen.