Just cash my check already

**Palooka** · 02-11-2010, 11:55 PM

I've made a thread awhile ago about how it irks me when people don't cash checks or take forever.

Here is the deal. A month ago our neighbor did some plumbing work for the first time ever. We are good neighbor friends that look out for each others houses, say hi and chat sometimes, but never really have hung out, but always talk about getting together.

He is self employed so we thought we would call and ask him since we trusted him. He charges 65 bucks for an hour which is about average for plumbers.

Anyhoo, after he fixed our problem I started to grab the check book to pay him.....and he said....just catch me later and we all chated for awhile and he went home.

A few days after that my daughter ran the check to his house because it was bugging me that we had not payed him yet. He was on the phone and waved and said thank you and the wife took the check.

Aargh, it's been over three weeks now and everyday I keep looking on-line to see if the check has cleared! But it hasn't!!

Any psychics out there that can tell me if it ever will clear my bank.

Is he just being nice and never plan to cash it or doing very well and will put it in the bank sometime?

Gah, it's driving me crazy because one day I don't want to forget about it and find myself overdrawn....

Has this ever happened to you? Thanks for the vent and the book.

**mauimagic** · 02-12-2010, 12:03 AM

Forgive me for being simple minded, but if you subtract the amount from your checkbook balance, you just work with the amount you should have in your account. Is the temptation too great that you might have a little fudge room in your balance?

Perhaps the next time you see him, you could ask him to cash the check? - or ask his wife?

**Libby** · 02-12-2010, 12:12 AM

This happened to me often when I first got my checking account. I finally learned through the many years that followed to only pay 'bills' with cheques as those companies would be the quickest to cash. Cheques made out to smaller companies, friends etc - OMG it killed me trying to balance my book! I feel your pain Palooka!

There are very few things I will write a cheque for nowdays - I pay all via CC and then transfer the $ over via online banking so everything's taken care of promptly if I don't pay with cash to start.

If I were you - the next time you see your neighbours, gently ask if they've misplaced your cheque b/c you haven't seen it cleared yet. And if you're bold enough - offer to swap it out for cash instead, if possible. This way you have your cheque back, he gets paid and your book is balanced!

**Palooka** · 02-12-2010, 12:15 AM

I don't use a check book register because I keep track of it on-line. Yes, I can subtract it which I have done already but for how long and what if he doesn't ever cash the check?

I think it would be akward to ask him that though.

**Palooka** · 02-12-2010, 12:21 AM

Libby, I hardly ever write checks either but I don't have cash on hand. So the check is how we paid him.

I have no clue if he even takes CC.

I guess I will just have to find someway to ask. It's weird though.

**Libby** · 02-12-2010, 12:25 AM

If its a matter of pride - just count it as a 'bill' you need to pay but isn't due yet in your budget lol. Otherwise you know what you gotta do - mosey on over to the neighbours to say "Hey! How you doing?"

**Mom2-3** · 02-12-2010, 12:27 AM

I think he can take up to 6 months to cash the check.

This has happened to me before. I just kept a note in the front of each new check register. It was 1 year before I added the amount back in. Then my SIL asked for another check, because she had lost the first check!! Hello?! That was a year ago! What can you do....it's family.

Hope he cashes the check soon.

**Palooka** · 02-12-2010, 12:31 AM

Eh, I think he likes beer so when he goes to check his mail, I will too and hand him a cold one and say.......

BTW, if you don't need the 65 bucks, I sure need it.

j/k

This might be a better job for dh.

**Palooka** · 02-12-2010, 12:33 AM

I think it's one year here or the check goes void.

**Libby** · 02-12-2010, 12:35 AM

I think its 6 months stale date. I had refund check from Macy's and I missed it by a month lol I called and they re-issued it gladly!

Hey - money is still money!

**frugalwarrior2** · 02-12-2010, 12:47 AM

Why don't you just call him and ask him to cash it?? Tell him it's messing up your checkbook. Or ask him if he lost it so you can void it and write another. Why fuss be forward politely. Maybe he thinks he's doing you a favor.

I have asked my parents NOT to send me money. They won't stop. So i have 3 checks of my moms,1 of my dads and 1 of my brothers held hoistage. I told my mom not to write me anymore because I don't want the money. She said give them to my DD for college. I can never win out over mom. GEEEZ!!!

**frugalfranny** · 02-12-2010, 01:59 AM

I would say something to him.

My plumber is a great one for doing that - and we tease each other - so when I give him a check I tell him if he doesn't cash it in a week I will stop pay on it......he laughs - but it gets my point across!

**Palooka** · 02-12-2010, 02:27 AM

Okay, okay. He is kinda cute so that will give me an excuse to say hi!

But what if he is just being nice and doesn't want to cash the check though?

I'm just being honest and human nature tells me not to bother him.

**sinopa27** · 02-12-2010, 02:34 AM

I bet anything he has tore up your check!! I am being positive!!
He was being a good neighbor and you have been blessed!!
Just call the wife and say you need to close out last months budget and noticed the check hasn't been cashed. I am counting on her telling you that there was no charge!!

**monkeywrangler71** · 02-12-2010, 08:30 AM

I have cheques in my purse that have been there for months. I still plan to cash them, I just do all my banking electronically and going to the abm is a pain.