How to Order Checks Without Being Swindled

In the last several years, most major banks have created online bill paying services which have made it so we don't have to write nearly as many checks as we used to. The combination of bill paying services and the explosion of credit and debit card uses has made it so we really don't have to write too many checks any more. For many people it's rare to see more than five or ten checks written a month, but occasionally we do have to write them. Eventually we're going to have to order some new checks, but a lot of times check printing companies are getting rich off of you without you even realizing it. Follow these tips to avoid getting ripped off when ordering new checks.

Ordering checks right from your bank is probably not the best way to go. A lot of banks charge a premium price for a standard product. Most likely, you'll be over paying quite a bit of money. Conversely, you don't want to go to your search engine of choice, and visit a random check printing website only to plug in your banking information and open your self up to possible identity theft, which leads us to the second absolute rule of ordering checks.

Never order checks from unknown people and companies. This goes for websites, no matter how official and credible they look, as well as telemarketers. So if we can't order them from the bank or the internet, where do you go? Focus on reputable check printing companies. There are many reliable companies, such as Current, which will print checks for you at much lower rates than your bank would like to charge you, but you can still be safe in the fact that your identity will not be stolen.

A number of major Box Stores have entered the check printing business, such as WalMart and Sam's Club. Even if you don't care for WalMart too much, their checks are rather inexpensive and there's not much to worrying that needs to be done about having your identity stolen.