ULPT: If you have to pay a one time bill by check, make it for a few cents more than you owe

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bigsmoke451@reddit

Got a speeding ticket in the US. Sent a check in CAD to pay for it. Check was cashed and I never heard anything back. 30% off my ticket.

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thatdegengambler@reddit

American education system hard at work, or hardly working?

Last time I went to America I just brought CAD and found a McDonald’s that would take it 1 for 1

Just walk up with a 100$ CAD, buy an apple pie. Walk away is 98$ USD and a free Apple pie 😉

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montgomeryj1@reddit

Hey! I’m an American and I take offense to that statement. Please fully explain your jokes and why they’re funny so we all can enjoy the internets.

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thatdegengambler@reddit

Can tell if serious or not but just google what 98USD converts into CAD.

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BeneathTheWaves@reddit

Americans up here sometimes be like y’all really don’t take dollars?

We’ll take your money sir but you’re getting 1:1

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montgomeryj1@reddit

Thank you for the advice. I should have added the sarcasm moniker the first time.

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NatoBoram@reddit

Canadian education system hard at work or hardly working?

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Fumpledinkbenderman@reddit

Nah, they'll just come back in 50 years after an intern finds the check. Then? Off to the gulag with you, traitor

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JustARandomBloke@reddit

Is that why Canadians ALWAYS ask me if we take Canadian, they are trying to cheat me out of money?

We are 200 miles from the border, no we don't take Canadian money.

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SorryCantHelpItEh@reddit

I live in northern BC, about 500 miles from the US border (in a straight line) and I've had people ask if we take usd a fair few times

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thatdegengambler@reddit

I highly doubt it, out of 50 visits to America this has only happened once. The norm is we usually have to eat conversion fees every transaction we pay in Canadian so it usually costs more.

VS just getting it converted ahead of time.

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funkmon@reddit

Jesus Christ what doofuses. I mean we tend to take change one for one but come on

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Hold up. Are you saying if I get a let's say a tickets let's say in michigan. And then I go back to TD Canada Trust in Canada and then send them a check for the same amount but it's coming from a Canadian checking account. They would just try to deposit and their bank will let them?

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thatdegengambler@reddit

After my experience in McDonalds where nobody in the entire store knew there was a different exchange rate. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone at a gov agency just cashed thé cheque and moved on

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Fun-Bug5106@reddit

In 99 when I worked at McDonald’s within a few hours of the boarder we knew the exchange rate.

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thatdegengambler@reddit

Yea when I used to go to the states even the Walmart would have the daily exchange rate posted. We weren’t even that far from The border I was so surprised when she handed me my change.

I kinda just stood there in disbelief waiting for her manager that was standing right behind her to correct her. But nope they just handed me my order with a smile. That’s when I went actually I’d also like an apple pie 😂

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dannycracker@reddit

I did the same exact thing lol but for a parking ticket. Guess whoever doing the math either doesn't care or doesn't realize but how is there not something on their end that would convert it to USD for them? This was back some time in 2008 but still.

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Renob78@reddit

People still write checks? Wild

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BannyMcBan-face@reddit

If you did business with them, and they provided the required services, why would you feel the need to screw them, even if it’s out of a few cents?

Is your life really that miserable?

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chris14020@reddit

Two good reasons.

1.) if they force you to use a check or charge you some "convenience fee" nonsense

2.) (As OP stated) if it's something like a parking ticket shakedown

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YnotBbrave@reddit

The business has to pay the cc company 4 pct. Would you prefer that they raise their prices 4 pct and then offer a cash discount if 4 pct? Same thing

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chris14020@reddit

Processing fees are a normal cost of a business doing business, so, yes I would prefer their prices listed include the fees associated - especially when their "prices" are just arbitrarily made up anyways - as in the parking ticket example, funny enough. I think they can cover the cost of them getting paid for their $100 shakedown or whatever.

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YnotBbrave@reddit

I doing disagree that discount-from is more honest than fee-over.

Parking tickets are not however a shakedown, if they didn't issue rockets no one would pay for parking, and they have the right to monetize the property (parking lot) and tickets should be very much more expensive than the payment otherwise the more probability of getting caught would mean again no one paid to park

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callused362@reddit

It's almost never the actual business charging the fee. It's the payment processor.

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NoCreativeName2016@reddit

Which good business call overhead and bake into the cost of goods sold.

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callused362@reddit

Or they pass it onto the consumer. Which is what businesses do. They can either charge you more directly or they can split it out.

It's a variable cost, so they just split it out.

Also "good businesses" maximize margin. If they can make you pay for something and not pay for it themselves that makes them a better business. You're not as happy as the consumer but that's just how the free market operates and you can choose to go to an alternative if you want.

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321Couple2023@reddit

Because they are "the man."

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ShrimpSherbet@reddit

Why do you think this post was written?

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supremefiction@reddit

If it is my error in writing the check, why would they have to fix my mistake?

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BoxMunchr@reddit

The accountants is why.

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beautifulperkyladle@reddit

Sister is accountant-can verify she’s a stickler for the pennies! lol

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SorryCantHelpItEh@reddit

If you look after the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves!

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Special-Passenger621@reddit

Ben Affleck will come for you

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dirtymoney@reddit

Loved that dude's RV

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yruspecial@reddit

Better than his brother Jon. That dude is crazy.

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cheesenachos12@reddit

Because theres money involved and you aren't allowed to keep money that isn't yours, even due to a mistake

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dirtymoney@reddit

so what happens when you don't cash that once cent check they send you?

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EternalSage2000@reddit

They (probably) have to have an account with that money set aside, in case you ever do.

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OldnBorin@reddit

I tried to close an account with a balance of like $0.43. I told the lady to just close it, I don’t care about the change. But she said it’s actually a big deal to them and insisted that I cash the cheque

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TempAcct20005@reddit

Or you have to have an account with that money set aside ready to write a check as soon as they ask for it

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Katsaj@reddit

This is how Spotify does business.

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tangofoxtrot1989@reddit

Because of the implication.

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Biuku@reddit

Yeah, just book it as accounts payable (in person).

Also, I remember the Canadian federal tax return always stating We do not collect or pay amounts under $2.00.

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dirtymoney@reddit

add a cent

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RocktownRoyalty@reddit

With that mindset why not write it for less?..why would they have to fix your mistake?

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updatelee@reddit

warning in Canada firearms Canada wont cash your cheque unless its the exact amount. They delayed my license renewal by 9 months because I missread the paperwork and sent them too much. They wouldnt cash the cheque, therfore it showed in their system awaiting payment. ugh

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medicalricebag@reddit

All this mental effort for something that no-one will even think twice about?

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JConRed@reddit

People still use cheques? 🤔

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Senzualdip@reddit

In the states, there are places that still don’t take card or bank transfer for payment. At my work we prefer check or cash, as it saves us the 3% card transaction fees.

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JConRed@reddit

In Europe if we get a bill, it's a simple and usually perfectly free bank transaction, mostly done online.

All we need is the receiving IBAN, the amount and reference that the business wants us to use.

No cards or no transaction fees needed.

I'm really glad I asked, It's good to learn of these differences :)

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AriadneThread@reddit

Yes, autopay is common here too. But on occasion, a vendor doesn't have the option set up, and asks for a check or cash. In my case, it's the dog groomer and the guy who starts/blows out the sprinkler system in the yard every year. So check it is.

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Vraye_Foi@reddit

One place wanted to charge me a $15 “convenience fee” to pay online. I dusted off my checkbook and sent them a check…no fee!

Im a small business owner and most people have no idea how much businesses pay in electronic processing fees. Last year I paid enough that it would have covered a part time position.

I tell people I will happily take their checks.

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BusyWeight855@reddit

I keep a checkbook to pay bills from companies I hate.

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GobiPLX@reddit

"cost of cutting check and mailing it"

wtf, are americans still living in 90s? Its a pro tip from time traveler or what

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digitaldigdug@reddit

Also, whenever you get a SASE from a company you don't like, load it with heavy machine screws tape the hell out of it and send.

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callmeyazii@reddit

What’s a sase?

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digitaldigdug@reddit

Self addressed stamped envelope

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callmeyazii@reddit

Thank you kindly

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Top-Address-8870@reddit

I tear up all of the paper it was sent with and stuff it into the envelope. They pay for postage and open a mess…

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Kichard@reddit

A decade or so ago I had a tax return of $12. I never cashed the check. They’ve sent me a $12 check at least 10 times now and I plan for it to continue until I die. Bastards they are for taking interest free loans from me.

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Top-Address-8870@reddit

I had the same program rolling with the IRS until one year I owed tax and they simply applied the amount…

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ShrimpSherbet@reddit

r/iamverybadass

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mirjam1234567@reddit

My firm would automatically reverse it, because it doesn't match any outstanding bills and charge me a late fee.

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apersello34@reddit

Ok but why?

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gottareddittin2017@reddit

I take it a step further and don't pay them at all

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Morrison4113@reddit

This is the stupidest thing I have read all day.

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d20wilderness@reddit

People feel powerless. Some will grab on to anything they can.

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UnusualWind5@reddit

Unethical != Good

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Different-Phone-7654@reddit

OP thinks void only means space.

Write VOID on the check and tell the customer to send another

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AliceOfTheEarth@reddit

Haha yeah make those suckers at the government pay and waste their time! Hey does anyone happen to know where the government gets its money? 🙄

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matt88@reddit

You still use cheques?

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dirtymoney@reddit

Not the OP but many places charge a fee to pay online. pr with a credit card. I pay my rent with a check because the property management charges a $4 fee to pay online.

I'd rather use the free checks, free envelopes and a 75 cent stamp I had to buy to pat if it saves me $3.25

Ever heard of the phrase Nickel and Dimed?

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InterstellarReddit@reddit

They have to legally 🤣🤣🤣.

This is not accurate. They don't have to legally do anything because nobody is enforcing it at the level of every corporation.

So they can just pocket your money and keep it on a general ledger and after x amount of years write it off.

There isn't an agency going around asking people. Hey did you take more money than you should have? Then you need to pay it back.

Now why do some companies do it? Because they don't know if you might be that one individual that files a lawsuit and it all spirals out of control.

So just to summarize, they don't have to legally do shit because nobody is there to enforce it.

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Stoney_McTitsForDays@reddit

I called an urgent care chain today to ask about a bill that I hadn’t seen and while looking at my EOBs, I realized a few claims weren’t necessarily adding up. I called to request statements of my account and my daughter’s account and the lady found several “overpays” and Is mailing me a check for $92 after applying money to the $59 bill. Looked at a few more and made a call to get $25 that someone recently charged me. Fuckers.

Now I’ve been on a whole ass mission to spend time on all of the bullshit that I had shrugged off the last few years. Submitted two formal complaints to government agencies today too. Fuck em. These corporations don’t give a fuck about us so I will just waste my time to waste theirs.

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NippleSlipNSlide@reddit

It’s not accurate. They’ll just keep the extra. That’s what we do.

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Immediate_Echo_6521@reddit

If you work in healthcare you just admitted to sitting on a ticking time bomb lmao. It's a violation of the false claims act.

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BusyWeight855@reddit

Or they could send it to the state's unclaimed property agency.

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UncircumciseMe@reddit

My accountant uncle begs to differ. He says “fuck off if you do this shit” and he works for a big corporation 🤷

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InterstellarReddit@reddit

Ask your uncle who comes knocking on his office if he doesn't do it?

Ask him what agency or what law enforcement agency makes a visit when he forgets to give somebody a refund?

Send me the link to that agency please

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UncircumciseMe@reddit

He says he doesn’t mess around with the IRS, but he would have been more worried about losing his job than any laws being broken or anything. Don’t shoot the messenger.

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InterstellarReddit@reddit

Bro, did you just say the IRS lol

These companies are doing millions in tax fraud and the IRS is not even showing up. You think the IRS is gonna show up because you forgot to give somebody a refund.

My bad bro I didn’t know it was your first day on earth

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UncircumciseMe@reddit

My uncle said look up 301.6402-7 in the Internal Revenue Code so here it is:

§ 301.6402-7 — Refund of Overpayments Including Minimal Amounts

(a) General Rule. Pursuant to section 6402 of the Internal Revenue Code, any overpayment of tax by a taxpayer shall be refunded, subject to applicable offsets, regardless of the amount of such overpayment.

(b) No Minimum Threshold for Remittance. There shall be no minimum monetary threshold applied to refund eligibility. The Service shall process and issue refunds that result in credit balances of any denomination, including amounts less than one dollar ($1.00), unless otherwise instructed in writing by the taxpayer.

(c) No Retention of Remainders Clause. No portion of an overpayment shall be retained by the United States solely on the basis that the amount is de minimis. Refunds shall include all cents due to the taxpayer resulting from final account reconciliation or adjustment.

(d) Method of Refund. All refunds issued under this section shall be remitted to the taxpayer’s last known address or financial institution on record, unless alternate arrangements are specified by the taxpayer and accepted by the Service.

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UncircumciseMe@reddit

No, my uncle said it!

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UnethicalLifeProTips-ModTeam@reddit

Your comment was removed for violating rule 14: No reason to be a dick. Seriously, get therapy or fuck off.

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pacowek@reddit

I think you have that backwards. They legally would have to do it, but very few people will go through the trouble necessary if they don't. And while no agency checks, doesn't mean if they get reported they don't get some more annoying paperwork. Obviously no one is getting into trouble for withholding a few cents, but I'm sure more forms would be involved.

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perihelion12@reddit

I like the spirit of this, but those costs are just written off sadly

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Tasty_Pepper5867@reddit

You know that a write off doesn’t mean they don’t have to pay it, right…?

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Late-Drink3556@reddit

I've been doing this for years.

I usually round up to the next dollar.

Getting a check for 37¢ in the mail is hilarious.

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BrownMagic814@reddit

I did this by accident once. They sent the refund to my state’s unclaimed property bureau and I got it back a few years later

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SnooHamsters4643@reddit

Civil infraction at most. What are you going to do, sue a law firm for $.08? If I was them I’d send an email saying the money is available at the front desk

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Inevitable_Resolve23@reddit

That's just reminded me. I used to write random numbers on the back of cheques just to fuck with whoever. Long strings of numbers separated by dashes. official looking. it tickled me to think someone would be trying to enter that number somewhere in a box that didn't exist on a form, and get mystified and maybe annoyed.

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