How to Order Cheques for a PC Financial No Fee Chequing Account

Ok, first I opened a joint PC Financial chequing account and we funded it by depositing a cheque at a CIBC bank machine. Next I paid a bill from my account online. Our first set of cheques arrived in the mail on the second Tuesday after the Saturday that we opened the account. But I wanted to order another set of paper cheques. First, they only send you 50 cheques initially and we need tons to keep up with our children’s insatiable demand for small amounts of money for activities. Second, I have this terrible fear that PC Financial will suddenly start charging a fee for cheques just because I have finally opened an account. (I have extremely good luck with this kind of thing.) So I decided to try to order a second batch of 50 cheques using their online service. You can also order cheques for your PC Financial no fee account by phoning them at 1-8. Instead, this is what I did.

Ordering Cheques from PC Financial

There are a few changes to these steps. You may want to check the newer article: President’s Choice Financial Is Closing and Becoming Simplii by CIBC So I’m Ordering More Cheques

1. To sign In to your PC Financial account/s
   1. Go to http://www.pcfinancial.ca/
   2. Make sure Online Banking is selected from the drop down list in the top right corner of the screen, then
   3. Click the Go button.
   4. In the Card Number field, type the number on your debit card.
      Do NOT type your account number. (Weird but true.)
      Do NOT click to select Save Bank Card. This is a terrible idea. Why give someone half the information to break into your account after they steal your computer?!
   5. In the Password field, type the password. (This is your long password, not the shorter one for telephone banking.)
   6. Click on the Sign In button.
2. From the list across the top of the screen, click on: special requests.
3. Under the account services section, click on the link called: order cheques.
   The Order Cheques screen will open.
   PC Financial reminds you that you have to change your address at least 24 business hours before you order new cheques. If your address has changed deal with that first. If your address is fine you can continue.
4. If you have more than one chequing account, in the Order cheques for which account? drop-down list, select the correct account.
5. To order the free cheques, click on the button called: quick order now.
6. You’re done!
7. If so desired, click on the button called: return to account services; or
   If you are not going to do anything else click on the Sign Out button.
   For extra security, close your browser session.

The cheques are ordered and should arrive in 7-10 business days.

PC Financial warns you that you cannot order another batch for at least 10 business days.

To Check on the Status of your Cheque Order with PC Financial

1. Sign in to your account/s.
2. From the list across the top of the screen, click on: special requests.
3. Under the account services section, click on the link called: order cheques.
4. On the Order Cheques screen, near the top, click on the View your status link.
5. You will see a reference number and a status.
6. Click on the Sign Out button and close your browser session.

Interestingly enough, seconds after I ordered my cheques, the status is reported as: complete.

So I guess there isn’t much information provided here, as I certainly don’t have the cheques yet, and I doubt they mailed them seconds after I ordered them. I’ll have to try to remember to check this again (notice the little pun on “cheque”!) to see if it ever includes info like when they were mailed, etc. I suspect it doesn’t.

When Will I Get my Cheques from PC Financial?

When we opened a new account, we received our cheques in the mailbox 7 business days later.

I have just ordered my second set of cheques online and I will report when they arrive. I ordered the cheques on May 2. They arrived Monday, May 13, 2013.

The PC Financial website says that cheques should arrive by mail within 7-10 business days after the order is placed.

I have just ordered another batch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. They arrived on Monday, March 3. That’s just 3 business days!

What If I Want Really Fancy Cheques from PC Financial?

You may have become so used to spending money to buy cheques that you have an irresistible need to keep paying for them. Or perhaps you really think the recipients of your cheques gasp in astonishment at the amazing works of art underneath your exquisite penmanship. If so, you may be pleased to know there are cheques you can order for your PC Financial account that cost you money and have elaborate graphics. These cheques are actually sold by Davis & Henderson but the money to pay for them will be directly removed from your chequing account.

If you want to order this type of cheque, you can do so from the Order Cheques screen, by clicking on the button called: custom order now.

Because I never want to spend money on cheques again (although I will likely have to) I have not tested what happens once you click on that button. Perhaps someone who has will be kind enough to share their experiences with a comment. For now, be careful about what you are agreeing to spend if you do click.

Related Reading

• How to Open a Joint PC Financial No Fee Chequing Account
• How to Order Cheques for an ING Direct THRIVE Chequing Account

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Do you still have to use cheques? Does paying for new cheques make you wince? Please share your experiences with a comment.