Do you use cheques?

[SaligoBay]

I know cheques are handy for paying things by post, but do you use them otherwise?   I think that if I went into a shop in France that didn't have a sign saying "owing to the huge problem of stolen cheques...." I'd feel there was something missing!    Some places now just won't take cheques at all.

The only things I use them for are paying by post, and for local associations in September, where you need a whole cheque book, with all that 3-cheques-for-every-activité stuff!   

 

[Will]

They're still used a lot round here, particularly by older people who seem to prefer them to plastic, particularly as most shops have a machine that fills them out for you.

About the only times I use them, other than as you say, are for transferring money between banks, if I need to buy anything using the account that only has one card (on account of high charges for the second card) or for paying for things too dear for cash where you can't use cards - the two that spring to mind are heating oil and dentists.

[Tourangelle]

I went out to dinner last night with four French friends and at the end of the evening we all got out our cheque books to pay our share. Appart from sending them by post this is really the only situation when I use cheques. It is so convenient not to be messing about with change or visa cards.

[LesLauriers]

All the time. My husband uses the card and I use the cheque book. I've never seen a sign up against using cheques and I'm writing them a few times a week for most purchases I make (much to my husbands dismay!).

[opas]

I must be leslauriers twin as my answer is hers! Mrs O

[SaligoBay]

So I'm the only person on here who lives in an area of stolen cheques???     Might have known it, eh?  

[Alexis]

They have the sign up around here too.  Bandit infested Brittany.

My OH has just started to use his card instead of the cheque book.  He bravely pays for his petrol with his card now.

Unfortunately, his card was rejected when we went out Saturday night....

Mine too!!!

Good job we had enough liquide between us.

Bloody machines

[Tourangelle]

Round here, there are more and more signs up saying cheques are only accepted under a certain amount. I saw one today, - cheques from 5 -50 euros. In this particular shop it used to be over a certain amount you had to have two forms of ID, (which is quite common) but clearly they have had problems and stop at 50 now.

This thread makes me think, does anybody use moneo? I get the impression it hasn't caught on.

[Mistral]

This thread makes me think, does anybody use moneo? I get the impression it hasn't caught on

I've got a friend wh's been using it since it began, but it seems a lot of hassle to me and i have a feeling you have to pay for the priviledge.

Don't worry, SB, the stolen cheques signs are all over the place here too. I think the first time I saw them en masse was about 5 years ago in Lyon.

I hardly ever use cheques, just for bills. I've never been comfortable that you are hardly ever asked to prove your identity, so I'd rather not take my cheque book out of the house. It would have been useful yesterday at leclerc, the internet (or whatever) link wasn't working properly so none of the machines would take cards. You had to pay with either cheques or cash. There was no warning until all your shopping had been zapped and they waited for 10 minutes just in case it was working again (not)

[Liz]

I think this must be a very localised thing. I use cheques all the time and have never seen anything locally to indicate they will not be accepted. It is only very recently that our local Hypermarket has started asking for ID and our usual DIY shop only asks for ID over 75 Euros.

Perhaps they'll invent a cheque guarantee card next!

Liz (29)

[Ron Avery]

A lot of French people in rural areas where money is perhaps a bit tight, use cheques all the time as most banks charge in excess of €35 p/a  for a payment card, even though you also have to pay about €14 for a cheque book. and they don't trust ATM's

There  are  many shops (ALDI /LIDL  for one), who just like in the UK will not take cheques or cards for small amounts usually less than €15.  This is due to the disproportionate bank charges on paying in cheques and card transactions, the Euro shop ( same as the £ shop) does not take cards at all.  Would you take a cheque or card payment for £2.50 knowing it was going to cost £1.50 to pay it in

There are many small businesses who, again just like in the UK, are not connected up to the automated bank system and cash or a cheque is the only way to pay.  The refusal to take cheques mainly applies to foreign cheques, as checks are not easy to do with a foreign bank in a foreign language.  Remember also that when the French write a cheque they are debiting their account, not adding to heir overdraft.