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Comment by bentcorner | Hacker News Reader

There's a middle ground here that has existed for a long time. Mail hand-written cheques for your bills, deposit your paystub into your bank account, withdraw cash on a periodic basis for daily spending. You don't even need to use a banking card for any of this.

I haven't been to a store that has refused cash and have never been required to use a banking app.

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Where do you still use checks? I don't think I've seen one since the 90's.

I still pay most of my bills with checks. I also collect rent and pay rent with checks. Basically my entire financial life except for perhaps eating out and buying useless things online is mediated in cash and checks. This is very normal in my social circle.

Just because you choose to use e-banking doesn't mean that cash and checks are inaccessible, or even particularly inconvenient.

I have a hunch it depends heavily on your location. I have never seen a check in my life, and I have never heard of anyone I know using them. I wouldn't be able to say whether such a thing even exists here. Cash is still a thing but not universally accepted; not having a credit or debit card would be a major inconvenience. Banks can be hard to access because they've reduced offices and opening hours. You don't go there unless you really have to.

Fascinating. Where do you live?

Like the sibling commenter, I'm from Finland. The same applies to most of the Nordics though; I doubt my kids will ever see a check. People simply don't use them and cashing one would probably be quite difficult (not to mention expensive).

Finland.

Checks (cheques) don't exist anymore in New Zealand.

I pay all my bills with checks. Utilities, rentals, mortgages, taxes, everything. Why not?

In stores I mostly use cash, except for larger purchases where it becomes inconvenient. Those go to the credit card which I'll then pay with a check.

I don't think there are any businesses here who'd accept a check. Banks would probably do it for a fee, or at least require you deposit the money to your account.

Bills here are paid with bank transfer. It doesn't have to be done though online banking, but doing so is obviously easier.

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