I remember (many years ago!) when all you could get when you ordered checks was a blue-green check that was very plain and, quite frankly, kind of ugly. When more colorful checks became available, they were very expensive - that's because the only place you could get them was through the bank, and the banking institutions decided these checks were a great way to generate some revenue, so they jacked up the price.
Fortunately, other sharp operators jumped into the wide-open market and started offering a wide variety of personalized checks by mail. And they did it for a lot less than the banks. They also had a variety of other personalized banking accessories, such as check book covers.
Now, of course, it's very easy to order checks online. If you want a very personalized check in the form of a photograph background, all you have to do is upload the digital photograph when you order. You can change the fonts and the font colors. You can see what your check will look like before you finalize your order. All it takes is a few clicks, a few decisions and payment - and voila! You get your order in the mail in a few days.
But why do we like to personalize checks so much? Personally, if I'm going to write checks, I want to see something that makes me happy while I'm doing it. I hope readers will comment and tell me what they like about personalized checks. Sometimes, I like a plain check with just some color, like a stripe around the edge. Other times, I like pictures of flowers or birds or butterflies (girly stuff!). Other times, I might go for cartoon characters on my checks, especially the ones I find really funny.
I also like checkbook covers and frequently change them as often as I change check designs. I tend to go for bright covers with a few slots for credit cards, so I can keep everything in one place.
My other favorite thing is a deposit stamp, so I don't have to sign all my checks. Plus, there's something intrinsically satisfying about whacking the back of a check with a rubber stamp.
Keep in mind that I'm talking about personal checks, not business checks. Business checks are another thing entirely, and I'm not talking about them right now.
I think we like to personalize checks because they make a statement about us, similar to our clothes and hair and the car we drive and how we decorate our house. They can be fun or kitschy or even serious, but they reflect how we feel about who we are.
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