Any grocery shops in Dulwich take a cheque?

[ThinLizzy]

...I know it's as old fashioned as taking a cow to exchange for a loaf of bread, but does anybody know if Somerfield or a similar shop in Dulwich take a cheque? Times are hard and I need groceries but I don't get paid till tomorrow! Thus, the trusty blankety blank springs to mind....

Thanks,

TL

[HonaloochieB]

The good people of Barry Off Licence will accept your kite.

[ThinLizzy]

Ah, fantastic -- do they do the usual produce, good bread, pasta, milk -- good quality food?

[????]

They do a deal on Stella

[HonaloochieB]

ThinLizzy Wrote:

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> Ah, fantastic -- do they do the usual produce,

> good bread, pasta, milk -- good quality food?

Well they do some fresh bread and there's pasta and milk there.

The Peroni's good, that much I know.

[ThinLizzy]

Urgh, I do like Peroni but not at 11am in the morning -- and I can pass on Stella.

[KidKruger]

cheques are legal tender, if they weren't your bank would advise you to stop writing cheques and they would not issue you with a cheque book.

just (as always) make sure you guarantee card is there to back it up.

and act confident, it's your right to pay how you like.

[SimonM]

And yet the big supermarkets have now said specifically they will not accept payment by cheque...They can do this of course because cheques are not legal tender...

[Loz]

Cheques are not legal tender, so shops are under no legal requirement to accept them. Ditto credit and debit cards.

The only legal tender in England and Wales are Bank of England issued notes (which is why shops are also entitled to reject Scottish notes as well) and coins (though there are limitations to coins).

Royal Mint Guidelines

[macroban]

And the only time a shop is required to accept legal tender is in settlement of a debt.

[vinceayre]

We stopped accepting cheques years ago as a debit card is effectively the same thing and we are assured payment, up until a change in the law recently cheques were technically never cleared and could be claimed back by the banks months later.

Vince

[ThinLizzy]

Just to update -- Barry Rd offy doesn't accept cheques (I got the 'you are a scummy student' look (I think) -- so I went down the road and ended up using my debit card anyway -- bring back cheques I say -- always good for the last week of the month

[Jeremy]

Why not get a credit card?

[sophiesofa]

Don't get a credit card! It will end in tears.

[Pugwash]

I tend to use my debit card everywhere, so rarely write cheques unless I send off for something by post or give the kids some money.

Last Year my mother, who is in her 80s, wheelchair bound, was taken to Comet to purchase a new fridge freezer. Found one she wanted, got all the paperwork done, went to pay with her cheque book and guarantee card, was refused. Cashier noted that the guarantee card was a debit card, told Mum to key in her number on the pad. Mum did not know what she was talking about - turns out that she had never received a PIN for this card,and never had PIN for any previous cards, infact she did not understand what a PIN was initially. When explained,said she would never remember a PIN number as her memory was too poor. Cashier now getting fidgetty, Mum digs out her purse and slowly counts out her pension money ( which we had collected that day) - other people in shop getting annoyed at the wait, not enough in notes so fiddles around with arthritic fingers for loose change, almost in tears. I only had about a ?5 on me - still cashier refused to take cheque.

In the end, with Mum protesting loudly, I decided to pay out of my debit card and told her to repay me at home with a cheque. Whilst I can see the arguement about not accepting cheques, many of the older generation still rely on these to pay for large purchases. I think large stores should be more flexible with the older generation, Mum's card would have guaranteed payment for purchases upto ?100.The appliance was about ?120.

The Fair Trade Centre at Christ Church will accept cheques provided backed with a valid debit card.

[JetSetWilly]

i,ll give you 2 loaf,s, a pint of milk and a bottle of coke, for your cow.

[KidKruger]

ok not 'legal tender' but legal / reasonable means of paying !

should have known better before typing imperfectly - jeez the EDF drinks must be a riot if you get your words the wrong way round when speaking.

Must admit I never heard of anyone refusing a cheque when it's with a guarantee card, thanks for the education I really appreciate it.

[HonaloochieB]

ThinLizzy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Just to update -- Barry Rd offy doesn't accept

> cheques (I got the 'you are a scummy student' look

> (I think) -- so I went down the road and ended up

> using my debit card anyway -- bring back cheques I

> say -- always good for the last week of the month

Ulp, apologies TL for inadvertently giving you the wrong info, perhaps they have decided not to accept them any more then.

Pity it helped me out on more than one occasion when being visited by Mr Skint.

They are obviously following the trend set by the high street stores.

Although maybe it depends on how much it was for, I know some smaller shops don't accept cheques/debit cards for under a tenner or a fiver in some cases as the charges make it not worth their while.

Once again sorry for the bum steer.

[KalamityKel]

(((((group hug)))))) :)-D

[lenk]

My ego is writing checks my body can't cash.

[jaybee82]

Cheques?! Why not get a piece of parchment and a quill and write a ye olde 'IOU' note? Or failing that, why not just trade your groceries for some livestock, cloth or magic beans?

Chip and PIN is where its at these days - most transactions take a day or so to clear anyway.

[HonaloochieB]

I don't think so JB, if the funds aren't in your account you get declined, and then everyone gives you a sideways look and you have to walk away muttering how you're going to take your bank to task over this error, you just see if you don't.

Then you get outside blush deeply and utter foul oaths under your breath.

[Penguin68]

Pugwash wrote

Mum did not know what she was talking about - turns out that she had never received a PIN for this card,and never had PIN for any previous cards, infact she did not understand what a PIN was initially. When explained,said she would never remember a PIN number as her memory was too poor.

It is possible to get a bank to issue a debit card which doesn't require a PIN - when it is put into the card reader it instead asks for a signature - this is to take account of those who have poor sight, poor memory etc. - mainly the elderly. This is normally only issued on request and when the bank knows there is a specific problem, but it does allow someone still able to sign, but unsure of what a PIN is/ how it works, or unable to use a PIN to use a debit card. I don't know whether all banks do this, Lloyds TSB certainly does.

[ThinLizzy]

Hey no worries HonaloochieB -- it was a nice walk and I ended up using my card because my salary had gone in already.

It's a shame cheques are being phased out, although if you can manage to (which I find difficult these days) it's better to keep away from salary funds until they have actually gone in to account :)

JSW -- if you throw in some chocolate I'll give you my cow ;p

Apparently, on a cheery note, those in the know on R4 this morn reckon we're not going to get back to 2008 living standards until 2013 -- grrreeeaatttt.

[HellNoHellYeah]

William Rose accepts cheques.

So does that pet shop on NorthCross Road, where I buy my husband's food.