Our supermarkets still took personal checks recently, tho I guess I have not see it since pandemic "don't touch that".
Our bottled water company must be 1980s; they have Jake and Elwood on the roof.
While I just switched to paying phone, cable, and electric by bank-transfer, I don't think my bottle-water company does that. Checks used to go through fine but my check of 2 Jan was not deposited until 25 Jan (3 weeks), in which time their billing declared me "late". In the past their system has charged me interest on an un-billed dollar. I can't go to the office with a bucket of dimes because they now work from home (where??). It may not matter because they can't keep drivers (it is brutal delivering 5gal bottles).
Our bottled water company must be 1980s; they have Jake and Elwood on the roof.
While I just switched to paying phone, cable, and electric by bank-transfer, I don't think my bottle-water company does that. Checks used to go through fine but my check of 2 Jan was not deposited until 25 Jan (3 weeks), in which time their billing declared me "late". In the past their system has charged me interest on an un-billed dollar. I can't go to the office with a bucket of dimes because they now work from home (where??). It may not matter because they can't keep drivers (it is brutal delivering 5gal bottles).
I miss Jake.
I purchased a phono preamp PCB from India and a pair of capacitors from Bulgaria. Both arrived within days of each other after only two weeks to USA. Yet I ordered an album from Chicago,IL and it went to Pittsburgh, PA before it arrive in Wisconsin two weeks later. All were shipped via post.
I actually don't mind sitting down at my vintage secretary's desk in the dining room and writing out checks for bills etc.
It's relaxing, I put some music on, and it keeps me mentally healthy and having to write is good excersize and co-ordination.
It's so Old School isn't it?.... in this lousy "button-pushing" world that's driving people nuts and fosters laziness.
I tell people, "slow your roll!" no need for the rush-to-the-grave!.... pushing that "need for speed" crap......faster internet service, cars, etc.
There's a line to draw between convenience and dumbing of the mind.
Excersize it, or lose it.
It's relaxing, I put some music on, and it keeps me mentally healthy and having to write is good excersize and co-ordination.
It's so Old School isn't it?.... in this lousy "button-pushing" world that's driving people nuts and fosters laziness.
I tell people, "slow your roll!" no need for the rush-to-the-grave!.... pushing that "need for speed" crap......faster internet service, cars, etc.
There's a line to draw between convenience and dumbing of the mind.
Excersize it, or lose it.
Have a look at FreightCom: https://www.freightcom.com/ They provide excellent rates for FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. shipping.
Your boards will fit in a FedEx envelope ("PAK") which is relatively inexpensive to ship. Somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of my orders ship via UPS or FedEx. They deliver on time - or early sometimes - with tracking door-to-door. Shipping a bubble mailer with a circuit board from Canada to the US will set me back $20-something. Shipping the same board by Canada Post without tracking is more like $10-12ish.
If people won't pay $20 to ship a $35 board, try raising your prices to $50/board. Just saying...
Tom
Soduko puzzles would provide the same benefits and probably a stronger cognitive benefit without the obvious security/fraud risk and expense associated with filling out and mailing those obsolete money coupons.
True that.
Tom
For a good mental exercise session, I ether do a PC board layout or write some software code for an Arduino compatible ARM core board.
For a mental / physical coordination session some people play video games. To me that is a waste of what time I have left. I would rather pick up the guitar or attempt to play a music keyboard. If I feel frustrated or angry, I vent on the digital drum set. It has a volume knob and headphones.
For a mental / physical coordination session some people play video games. To me that is a waste of what time I have left. I would rather pick up the guitar or attempt to play a music keyboard. If I feel frustrated or angry, I vent on the digital drum set. It has a volume knob and headphones.
To you they may be obsolete, but it's been an easy way/convenient way to send money for as long as bank checks have been around.
Sure, they attract criminals these days, trying to steal checks out of the mail, but how is that different from fraud/theft by hacking via the internet of people's or corporation's accounts?
It's happened to me a couple times, both types of money transactions, but my bank has insurance procedures to reimburse my account.
I'd prefer to take chances with paper checks - an occasional band of local thugs breaking into mailboxes as apposed to some internet-savy hacker going after millions of customer's electronic cards.
There are two scams going on here, one is a text saying your power will be cut if you do not contact this number...and the other is a parcel you did not order, the delivery boy asks for a one time password to cancel the order, I fixed one by saying come to the police station...some months back.
Both ask for a password, and can empty your bank account.
The money is transferred to electronic wallets outside Indian jurisdiction.
Another is asking you for a detail of identity or password by pretending to be a bank employee over the phone...I ask for the message by e-mail. They never respond.
I have stopped net transactions on my account, only check and debit card.
Less tension.
Both ask for a password, and can empty your bank account.
The money is transferred to electronic wallets outside Indian jurisdiction.
Another is asking you for a detail of identity or password by pretending to be a bank employee over the phone...I ask for the message by e-mail. They never respond.
I have stopped net transactions on my account, only check and debit card.
Less tension.
As Kodabmx said, Mouser has no option for USPS to Canada. They will ship by UPS with free shipping on an order over $100 USD. Digikey does the same. Unless they've recently changed their policy Digikey will ship free for any amount if sent a cheque with an order, though I've never tried that - can't imagine the delay involved.
I live approximately 35 km out of the city, and we don't have rural addresses - just a legal land description which most people cannot comprehend - so delivery, other than mail is typically unobtainable. FedEx will, without notification, give a package to Canada Post to deliver. UPS used to require a 50 minute drive, one way, to pick up a package but now give packages to a local courier which has, thank the deity of your choice, a driver who consistently can find our house.
I live approximately 35 km out of the city, and we don't have rural addresses - just a legal land description which most people cannot comprehend - so delivery, other than mail is typically unobtainable. FedEx will, without notification, give a package to Canada Post to deliver. UPS used to require a 50 minute drive, one way, to pick up a package but now give packages to a local courier which has, thank the deity of your choice, a driver who consistently can find our house.
It's far easier, faster, and cheaper for me to make an eTransfer or have the amount charged to my credit card automatically. It's safer too. But hey... You be you.
Tom
I thought shipping chips around the world by air for various production stages was stupid, but these examples are beyond stupid.
Some whiz kid with an MBA, perhaps?
Happened to me long back, I used to make clock parts, 3rd day by transport to Udaipur, 400 km. away.
One consignment for a corporate order in a special color went missing, turned out they had a new MBA, new system was stock in Ahmadabad (100 km. away) till truck load for Jaipur builds up, then stock in Jaipur (which is 400 odd km, the other side from Udaipur), for another truck load for Udaipur, took 28 days.
They wanted to send full truck loads, less hassle.
Instead, the customers went to their competitors.
I switched to a bus service, overnight delivery, rarely 36 hours (bus would drop it on return if the attendant forgot)...
Made a new lot, sent by bus.
Some whiz kid with an MBA, perhaps?
Happened to me long back, I used to make clock parts, 3rd day by transport to Udaipur, 400 km. away.
One consignment for a corporate order in a special color went missing, turned out they had a new MBA, new system was stock in Ahmadabad (100 km. away) till truck load for Jaipur builds up, then stock in Jaipur (which is 400 odd km, the other side from Udaipur), for another truck load for Udaipur, took 28 days.
They wanted to send full truck loads, less hassle.
Instead, the customers went to their competitors.
I switched to a bus service, overnight delivery, rarely 36 hours (bus would drop it on return if the attendant forgot)...
Made a new lot, sent by bus.
I forgot to mention the unsolicited parcel is COD, and they want electronic or card payment only, basically a phishing scam, to get your details and password.
No cash, and the sites from which the 'order' was sent are with fake endings, one had 'flipkart.xyz' instead of 'flipkart.com' or 'flipkart.in'
I told Flipkart about it, they said thanks after 3 weeks, they are a legal business here, competitor to Amazon, Wal-Mart is more or less the owner.
No ties to anybody above.
No cash, and the sites from which the 'order' was sent are with fake endings, one had 'flipkart.xyz' instead of 'flipkart.com' or 'flipkart.in'
I told Flipkart about it, they said thanks after 3 weeks, they are a legal business here, competitor to Amazon, Wal-Mart is more or less the owner.
No ties to anybody above.
Indeed, many love that "auto-pay" option.It's far easier, faster, and cheaper for me to make an eTransfer or have the amount charged to my credit card automatically. It's safer too. But hey... You be you.
Tom
It promotes people's "so busy" lives, not having to think about payments.
However, I like to keep and have control of my money, and pay manually.
It's really not a big deal.
I've mailed cash in an antistatic bag vs cheque...It's far easier, faster, and cheaper for me to make an eTransfer or have the amount charged to my credit card automatically. It's safer too. But hey... You be you.
Tom