striking posties again (has it really been only 14 years?)

[Darren Dirt]

What you suggested in your post was spending that money now if only you knew the cheque wouldn't get cashed for a month or two.  At that point, you're not honestly expecting to have the funds available in your account for them to withdraw whenever they cash the check.  You are expecting to cover the funds later - that's an example of cheque kiting, rather than bouncing.  This used to be a very common practice, but as Lazy pointed out with advances in technology has become almost impossible to do.  Except, of course, if a mail strike causes a cheque to be in limbo for a week or more.

It was lighthearted jesting, as I said "venting" cuz I was frustrated that a cheque was gonna be in "limbo" an indeterminate length of time. re. the bolded text above, to clarify: Had I known about the postal strike, I WOULD NOT HAVE MAILED THE CHEQUE. It's a parking ticket, not payment for a product or service I am currently enjoying. If I knew the strike was likely I woulda just waited until after it ended, and used the $ (that I have still left UNTOUCHED, btw) for other things, like ... pretty much anything more important than a parking ticket, since I have kids and a life, both of which are more important than Diamond Parking Inc.

I'm obviously stuck waiting, now, because of the timing of the strike compared to when I sent out the envelope; it might be June before the cheque goes through or it might be tonight. I don't know how fast Murphy is in executing his Law, but I'm not taking the chance, payday is on Friday and I'll just keep leaving the $40-ish in my bank account until the cheque finally clears. Just frustrating to not know WHEN that is.  

[Lazybones]

So, and not to nitpick, at the end of each month you check your transaction history against your balance right? Do you follow up with outstanding cheques?

Transaction history and balance are one in the same with online banking...

I haven't written a cheque in over a year, however when ever I needed to I would check my online transaction log for it weekly to see if it cleared since they where so rare.

I mean, if it DOES get lost in the post or falls behind a fridge or something you want to make sure to cancel it right?

Have never lost one, I unused to have carbon copy style cheques so it was easy to see what had been written and cancel if needed.

Even for rent, most of the time I would just do a batch of them postdated and do them all at once at the beginning of the year then they typically would come out right on time.

[Mr. Analog]

What you suggested in your post was spending that money now if only you knew the cheque wouldn't get cashed for a month or two.  At that point, you're not honestly expecting to have the funds available in your account for them to withdraw whenever they cash the check.  You are expecting to cover the funds later - that's an example of cheque kiting, rather than bouncing.  This used to be a very common practice, but as Lazy pointed out with advances in technology has become almost impossible to do.  Except, of course, if a mail strike causes a cheque to be in limbo for a week or more.

It was lighthearted jesting, as I said "venting" cuz I was frustrated that a cheque was gonna be in "limbo" an indeterminate length of time. re. the bolded text above, to clarify: Had I known about the postal strike, I WOULD NOT HAVE MAILED THE CHEQUE. It's a parking ticket, not payment for a product or service I am currently enjoying. If I knew the strike was likely I woulda just waited until after it ended, and used the $ (that I have still left UNTOUCHED, btw) for other things, like ... pretty much anything more important than a parking ticket, since I have kids and a life, both of which are more important than Diamond Parking Inc.

I'm obviously stuck waiting, now, because of the timing of the strike compared to when I sent out the envelope; it might be June before the cheque goes through or it might be tonight. I don't know how fast Murphy is in executing his Law, but I'm not taking the chance, payday is on Friday and I'll just keep leaving the $40-ish in my bank account until the cheque finally clears. Just frustrating to not know WHEN that is.  

Ehrm, you might want to cancel the one in the mail and pay the ticket by some other means.

So, and not to nitpick, at the end of each month you check your transaction history against your balance right? Do you follow up with outstanding cheques?

Transaction history and balance are one in the same with online banking...

I haven't written a cheque in over a year, however when ever I needed to I would check my online transaction log for it weekly to see if it cleared since they where so rare.

I mean, if it DOES get lost in the post or falls behind a fridge or something you want to make sure to cancel it right?

Have never lost one, I unused to have carbon copy style cheques so it was easy to see what had been written and cancel if needed.

Even for rent, most of the time I would just do a batch of them postdated and do them all at once at the beginning of the year then they typically would come out right on time.

Okay, it just sounded like the example given was letting a cheque go into limbo for more than a month, usually, is a bad idea for both you and the person cashing the cheque. Post-dating cheques for rent is okay, as long as you know the property management holds the cheque or has deposited it already, but for everything else if it goes MIA after a month or so I start asking questions...

[Thorin]

I don't know how fast Murphy is in executing his Law, but I'm not taking the chance, payday is on Friday and I'll just keep leaving the $40-ish in my bank account until the cheque finally clears. Just frustrating to not know WHEN that is. 

I certainly understand that feeling.  And Murphy's Law means it'll only get cashed when you don't have the money in the bank to cover it.

So, and not to nitpick, at the end of each month you check your transaction history against your balance right? Do you follow up with outstanding cheques?

I mean, if it DOES get lost in the post or falls behind a fridge or something you want to make sure to cancel it right?

Was that to Lazy or me?  I have a list of cheques and payments, and mark 'em off as I see 'em paid.  Probably would be good for me to record a cheque number so I can cancel them if needed.  There's a couple of outstanding ones from six or more months ago for school fees, so they're still on the list.  If they're not cashed by August, either I missed them in the transaction history (weird, because I can look back over a year and didn't find them) or I'm going to assume they're not getting cashed (aka "stale cheque").

[Darren Dirt]

Ehrm, you might want to cancel the one in the mail and pay the ticket by some other means.

This is my only means ; no credit cards, and it's a smaller private parking company so I can't pay at a bank (I phoned the company and asked).

[Darren Dirt]

I chequed this morning, the check cleared, parking co. got paid and now I don't have to wonder anymore.

[Mr. Analog]

I chequed this morning, the check cleared, parking co. got paid and now I don't have to wonder anymore.

Huzzah! good to hear!

[Darren Dirt]

full-on hardcore lockout starting today.

got my new-address driver's license in the mail before today, though. So yay.

otherwise...