Where to buy inexpensive checks online?

April 4, 2012 10:15 AM

Where do people recommend buying inexpensive checks online? Most of the sites I've tried that advertise low prices tack on relatively large fees at the end. I am in the United States and like duplicate wallet checks with simple designs.
posted by espertus to Work & Money (17 answers total)

I bought my checks from walmart.com. I abhor the company, but the checks were something like, $5.99 with free shipping for five books and the offer of a cute polkadot design didn't hurt.
posted by banannafish at 10:17 AM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: @bananafish, thanks. Do they say Walmart anywhere on them?
posted by espertus at 10:19 AM on April 4, 2012

I usually get my checks free from the bank (I use BoA). I don't go through checks very fast and the bank ends up sending me more for free for being a customer.
posted by wongcorgi at 10:19 AM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]

Did you try Checks in the Mail? If you give them your email address they'll start sending you coupons & discount offers.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:21 AM on April 4, 2012

I buy Walmart checks as well. They do not have advertising anywhere on them.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:34 AM on April 4, 2012

I just order mine online through the bank.
posted by radioamy at 10:41 AM on April 4, 2012

Response by poster: At Walmart, I'm seeing $5.96/box of 150 checks, plus shipping.
posted by espertus at 10:47 AM on April 4, 2012

I've had good experiences with Checks Unlimited. Their list prices are not the best, but you can basically always find a "special" deal that will give you a bunch of free checks and free shipping (google: "checks unlimited coupons"). The checks take a while to get to me (a little over a week, typically), but I've never had a problem with them and their prices are pretty good. I use checks so infrequently that I don't typically do a lot of shopping around. The price that Checks Unlimited charges (particularly after the coupons) was reasonable, so I didn't mind spending it.

The only bad thing that has happened in the ~3 times I ordered with them was that once I got someone else's checks in addition to my own (in a second package with my address also on that second package). So, it's a little scary that they could just send your checks to some random person. However, if you think that personal checks are secure methods of payment to begin with, I've got some bad news for you. Of course, I'm a reasonable person, so I notified Checks Unlimited and destroyed the other person's checks.
posted by Betelgeuse at 10:54 AM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]

I only buy checks every five years or so, but I'm 99% sure I've also used Checks Unlimited (I'm at work, can't check my checks). Never had any problems.
posted by puritycontrol at 11:09 AM on April 4, 2012

Response by poster: I ended up going with Checks Unlimited using an offer I found on Reseller Ratings that included a per-book discount and free shipping. I like that they didn't try tacking on extra handling charges at the end. I signed up for their mailing list to get future coupons.
posted by espertus at 11:11 AM on April 4, 2012

FYI Costco has a really good deal if you have a membership, for next time.
posted by zug at 12:49 PM on April 4, 2012

Banks often have numerous, easy ways (IE work for a "membership" company which will include a TON of companies, have direct deposit, certain combinations of products, some combination of the above), to upgrade your account so that you get free checks.

Call your bank before you order to see if there is something they can do. you might already get free checks and not know it.
posted by VTX at 1:27 PM on April 4, 2012

Checks Unlimited + Retailmenot codes have served me well over the years as I prefer checks with carbon copies. One time they made a very minor typo on my last name and sent me another corrected batch of checks free with no hassle.
posted by davidvanb at 1:30 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

i get my checks from checks unlimited for 7.50$ a box using a code that is pretty much always there on retailmenot. free shipping. awesome.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 1:49 PM on April 4, 2012

I have heard Costco is a good place to buy checks, but I don't know if, in traditional Costco fashion, you have to buy like 1500 checks at a time or not.
posted by echo0720 at 1:57 PM on April 4, 2012

I usually get mine from Checks in the Mail. With a retailmenot coupon it's pretty cheap.
posted by belladonna at 5:02 PM on April 4, 2012

I've used Checks in the Mail for a long time. add retailmenot, and they're quite affordable. They have a good variety of plain to snazzy checks.
posted by theora55 at 6:11 PM on April 4, 2012