(WXYZ) — The retailer Target announced that they will no longer be accepting personal checksfrom customers starting Monday, July 15, along with several other new policies.
This announcement comes as Target aims to streamline the self-check out and check out process. Could it be the beginning of the end for check writing?
I talked to a financial expert, small business owners and generations of Metro Detroiters about what the future holds for your checkbook.
"The last time I wrote a check was three weeks ago," said Courtney Shaw, a member of Gen Z.
"I haven't written a check in about a year," said Tori Collins, a member of Gen X.
I asked three different generations (Gen Z, Gen X and Millenials) this question: when was the last time they wrote a check?
Courtney Shaw told me he knows how to fill out a check and writes 3-4 a year, but says it's a hassle. WHen I asked him if Target should do away with personal checks as a form of payment, this is how he answered.
"It's the wrong way," Shaw said. "There should still be options for everybody, regardless of means in how they get it done."
I had to ask financial expert Michael Scarpati why big retailers like Target are moving away from accepting checks as a form of payment from consumers.
"It is coming from a operational efficiency it's much easier for businesses to transact digitally the more cash the more checks there's additional operations to process them time people and cost," Scarpati told me.
When it comes down to checks and Gen Z, they're soon going to be the way of the pay phone.
Just ask Tailor Anthony Reminelli in Grosse Pointe Woods. He says he prefers checks and just 10 years ago he was seeing more than a few.
"Roughly 100 to 150 checks per year," Reminelli said. "(Nowadays) if I am lucky, maybe a dozen."
But over at Cafe D'Mongo's, I met with Larry D'Mongo. His business takes credit and cash, but not personal checks. The business owner says he prefers customers pay cash.
"There was a time people could pay with personal checks," D'Mongo said. "But how do I find out if the check is any good or not?"
Scarpati says people should still learn to balance a check book and learn to write a check for certain things.
"Any type of major purchases and again, depending on who you are making a transaction with, you may want to do some sort of transaction with a person who isn't ready to do anything digital."
Suzanne Jabara writes 5-6 checks per year and says she just filled one out the other day.
"I learned how to write a check when I was 18," Suzanne, a millennial, said. "I use it for the invoice when we pay the lawn guy and other small items like that."
"In this day and age, writing or receiving checks isn't that common," Shaw said. "It does happen still though."
