How do I write a cheque?

[crowdpleeser]

I've got a cheque book, but I've never written a cheque before. (Don't laugh). How do I write one? And is it safe to send one in the post?

[Rabelais]

You write the name of the individual the cheque is made out to after the Pay to: then on the next line down write, in words not numbers, the amount of money the cheque is for. Then in the small box in write the amount in numbers and underneath that you put you signature. Record these details on the stub on the left hand side and then tear the cheque out. Then put the date in the top right hand corner. It is relatively safe to to send a cheque by post as you can always cancel them if they go missing and for somebody to cash it they would need to have an account in the same name as that to which you have written it. there is further blurb at the following website http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk/education/document
s/different_ways_to_pay.pdf

[Cathy]

I'd just like to add that if the amount is for a whole number of pounds that you should write "only" afterwards (e.g. "ten pounds only") and it's a good idea to put a line through any blank spaces after the amounts (so that they can't be tampered with later). And please don't worry about being laughed at for asking a question, it's only stupid people who don't ask.

[treaclefight]

one of my favourite stories comes from the fact that you dont actaully need a cheque book to write a cheque as long as you've got all the information that rabelais mentioned on the 'cheque'. a farmer was having his bank repossed by the bank, the bank had also demaded that he make a payment to them for legal matters, the farmer took them a cheque for the amount they had requested...written on the side of a live cow. i have been writing cheques for a long time, never had problems with them in the post, but no matter how long you've known how to write them, you still make silly mistakes, only last week i wrote my birthdate instead of the actual date. just to second cathy too, dont worry if you think your question is silly, we all need to be told how to do stuff, normally only once. the day after i got my first car was when i realised i dint know how to put petrol in a car, girlie driver at a petrol station full of white van men....now that was feeling silly :-)

[gazzawazza]

And if you make a mistake whilst writing it out you can either correct it then initial the correction or just destroy the whole cheque.

Never keep your cheque guarantee card together with the cheque book as this makes it easier for a thief to empty your account.

Oh, and I've just remembered one more piece of advice which I found out the hard way... When you go to pay for something with your cheque book and guarantee card, don't sign until the assistant is watching. I once tried to pay for something and was refused coz she didn't see me sign. I only had the one cheque and no money... so I had to go all the way home and back!

[crowdpleeser]

cool guys thanks.