Checking into Chequing Accounts and Other Financial Curiosities

I’ve been on a quest for free cheques this week as my beautifully hand-engraved cheques illustrated in illuminated letters by sequestered monks in the Alps are about to run out. (I assume that’s why they cost so much.) So I opened an ING Direct THRIVE account paid my Bell bill with only 1 hassle, and ordered my 50 free cheques. The ABM card and PIN arrived within a week and I intend to test the card by making a deposit at my nearby credit union shortly. I would also like to open a PC Financial chequing account to compare and contrast, but they are tardy in replying to my email. I want to know if there’s some way I can get a bonus for opening an account. (If you want to open an ING account and get a bonus, feel free to use my link below: especially since I would get a bonus too!) So far PC Financial hasn’t replied. (I suspect the answer will be “No.”)

After writing my marvelous posts, I went for a ramble along the Lake Ontario water front, and discovered not one, not two, not three, but FOUR types of Grebes all sleeping and ignoring my attempts to immortalize them in jpegs to display on my blog Natural Crooks. I guess they get tired of the paparazzi.

When browsing around my favourite blogs, I found some other bank account related posts that you might enjoy.

Gail Vaz-Oxlade explains why you DON’T want a chequing account with overdraft protection. I’m so financially conservative it never occurred to me that there even was such a thing as overdraft protection! (Of course I’m old enough to remember a distant relative getting sent to the KP for writing cheques on an account with no money in it.)

Robb Engen (alias Echo) wrote an article for the Toronto Star on Bank Accounts for Seniors: A Look at Some Options. It explains why TD is standing whistling on a cold, lonely corner when it comes to making friends with senior bank customers.

Sara at Timeless Finance recently plotted her way to saving $150 per year by Minimizing Bank Fees.

Many moons ago, BigCajunMan wrote Dumber than Snake Mittens, which I had to include just because the post’s title is so catchy.

In the do-I-laugh-or-cry bank stories category, CBC News reports on a Saint John man who received a condolence letter from CIBC on his own death. His chequing account was the culprit, although judging by his interview, I wonder if a poltergeist works at his branch….

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I’m sure there are even more Chequing stories worth checking out. If you’ve found an interesting one, please share a link with us in a comment.

How to Order Cheques for a Tangerine (ING Direct THRIVE) Chequing Account

Ok, first I opened a Tangerine chequing account and funded it from my existing ING Direct, now Tangerine.ca, Savings Account. Next I paid a bill from my account online. But then I needed to get some actual paper cheques. The school system seems to thrive (notice the amazing {and SEO-advantaged} pun!} on requesting incredibly small amounts of money often and usually by cheque. I bet the average family with 2 elementary-school-age children goes through more cheques per year than the average retired couple does per decade. So here’s how I ordered my first book of Tangerine cheques.

Ordering Cheques from Tangerine

  1. Login to your Tangerine accounts.
  2. Click on the View My Accounts link.
  3. Click on your Chequing Account.
  4. Under the Heading Tangerine Chequing Account – number, click on the link: Order My Cheques.

To Order the Specific Cheques You Need

  1. Read the information that says you don’t need new cheques if you have existing ING Direct cheques.
    Note that your first book of 50 cheques is free (as of June 2014) but additional books are $12.50 each.
    Make sure that your correct chequing account is selected from the drop-down list at the top right side of the Order My Cheques page. Before ordering:

    1. Check that the Name is correct.
      You cannot change your name on this screen.
    2. Check that the Home Address is correct.
    3. Check that the Mailing Address is correct.
      For example, you might want your cheques to be printed with your Home Address but be mailed to you at your work address.
      If you want to change your address, you have to stop and go to the My info and options page first.
    4. Select whether to print your cheques in English or French.
    5. Select whether to print your cheques with your Home address; your Mailing address, or No address from the drop-down list.
    6. If everything is correct, click on the Next button.
  2. On the Here’s What’s Going to Happen page, check the information is correct.
    If it’s ok, and you’re ready to commit to printing your cheques and/or paying for them, click on the Order button.
  3. Make a note of your confirmation number in case there’s any delay with your order.
  4. Click on the Continue Banking button.
    The cheques should arrive in the mail in about 1-2 weeks.
  5. If you’re finished banking, click on the Log me out link.
  6. Then, clear your cache and close your browser session for increased security.

UPDATE: I ordered cheques on March 31 and they arrived today, Monday April 8. That’s pretty good considering the Easter long weekend was March 29 through April 1 this year. (Yes, I guess I did order them on that weekend.)

I also ordered Tangerine cheques on Tuesday June 17. We’ll see when they arrive.
UPDATE: They just arrived on Wednesday June 25. (They are the new Tangerine cheques and they are very, very, very plain. Frankly they look like something I could have printed myself.)

The cheques are not going to win any prizes for most beautiful artwork, but they look just right for paying my child’s school $2.93 for an 8-page book of recorder music.

What do Tangerine Cheques Cost?

Only your first set of cheques is free. Additional sets of cheques cost a fee.

As of April 2017, an extra 50 cheques costs $20.

As of June, 2014, an extra 50 cheques costs $12.50.

Related Reading

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Do you still have to use cheques? How much does your bank charge for additional cheques? (I’m planning to set up a President’s Choice Financial joint chequing account soon to get free cheques. Bet they stop offering them as soon as I sign up!) Please share your experiences with a comment.
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