I don't even have a check book. I guess I don't really understand the point of them.

Cheque seems to be a much grander word than check.
Use checks for Walmart and cheques for Harrods I suppose.

Pretty sure Cheque is correct. But the spelling is almost as irritating to me as the actual item itself.

I don't have a debit card. After two fraudulent debits I had it canceled and replaced with an ATM card, which I use about twice a month to pull $20, or occasionally $40.

Maybe you can check, and let us know?

Then they have to fumble around for their driving license to show ID for the cheque. If you're really unlucky, or you're inevitably in a hurry, then they'll call a manager to come over and ok it.

They didn't give me a check book. I had to buy it And checks have my address on, so I bought a new book the first time I moved and shredded the old ones. Not the second time though.

I guess the worst at the checkout is when there's only one person ahead of you. Then there is a series of unfortunate events. The bag boy has to fetch a balloon for the screaming kid then go and trade an item out while everyone patiently waits for his return, cashier has to check the flyer for the sale price, now fumble for the cheque book and ID, ask for cash back, call the manager. Meanwhile, at least six people with full carts have all been checked out in the next aisle. All the while, you're stuck because you know if you change lines now you'll likely suffer the same fate in the next aisle.

I read that they are phasing them out this year in the UK.

We at least still get free cheques at the credit union. We still write them out to pay our utilities and n-400 applications.

I just googled this. It was proposed to phase out cheques by 2018. Apparently it's been abandoned for now as the 'Payment Council' did not have a suitable alternative.
Guess I've lost track of things in the UK.....so, the Payment Council - what is this, just another level of bureaucracy or a means for government to track what people spend ?

Maybe I misread the eight for a three. Thanks for looking it up.

I think they had proposed 2013, but pushed it back to 2018 because of the lack of alternatives, especially for those who are not typically internet banking users.

I didn't know they had canned it indefinitely though.