My sister wrote to me to say that she doesn't think her daughter cashed checks they found in her room from 8 years ago! 8 YEARS! Now we have to see if we can search online to find out, but the banks normally won't cash a check that old so I'd have to re-write it and send it to her. I just looked and banks don't have to accept checks past 6 months.
I always deposit any checks I get as soon as I am able to after receiving them. I know that I last received a check just before Christmas for a refund and I made sure to cash it before the banks shut for Christmas, when Christmas fell, it meant that there would be a few days it wouldn't move as banks were not open. I knew that it would be in the bank after Christmas and all cleared but I never leave them too long before I cash them.
I do it the same day I get it usually, or sometimes have to wait a day or two. I last got a final check from my work from home as they mailed it to me.
I'm not even sure if I can cash a check or 'cheque' as they are known here in the UK. My bank has no physical presence and the days when shops would cash a cheque are long gone.
I don't recall the last time I issued or received a cheque but I doubt it was this century. I do know from recent experience while trying to help an elderly relative, if you don't have access to the Internet, banking in virtually any form is almost completely out of reach.
I have not made a cash check out before, I have seen it down and had to do it for other people. Not for myself as I have not needed to do so. The worse part about it all know that we do not even need to get checks out anymore as most Banks are closing their stores and fully moving to online banking based.
I haven't received a check in a very long time, but I never waited to cash them whenever I did get one. I have direct deposit set up now, and it's great!
Everything goes in the bank these days in New Zealand. Barely any companies accept checks anymore. The last time I held a check was probably 7-8 years ago.
I am always on top of my cash flow, making sure the checks I receive are cashed as soon as possible. This way, I have less to worry about and can focus on other things that are more important to me.
