Originally published on Yours.org on October 11, 2018.
Somebody I know (“a friend”) had to order a new chequebook today. The fee for a new booklet of cheques was reminiscent of highway robbery. When you become accustomed to using Bitcoin Cash, the experience of using traditional banking services is simply less attractive. (Although with freedom comes responsibility, which is another topic.)
I almost wouldn’t have bothered, except that there is one regular payment for a kids’ extracurricular activity, and the odd time in a blue moon for which I need the cheques. The icing on the cake was that the main sensei was not present at tonight’s class (to receive the payment) so my child brought the physical cheque back home, to bring to the next class.
During my banked life, there have been huge changes.I’m old enough to remember telephone banking (which seemed so handy at the time despite the robot lady voice, lol — I think it’s still a thing). And standing in line at a physical bank branch to interact with a human teller, to deposit cash earned from babysitting, teaching piano, and tutoring.
As a new teacher (circa 2002?) one of my time-sucking administrative tasks included collecting, tracking, and submitting money (cash and cheques) for field trips, book orders, hot lunches, etc.Now, as a parent, the last couple of years have seen my children’s whole school district “upgrade” to a new centralized system that allows parents to pay via credit cards for school fees, yearbooks, field trips, and whatever else. I wonder what cut VISA and Mastercard are getting for this service? That is a LOT of payments being collected, and probably across most large public school districts now.
Businesses that solve problems for people (especially large groups of people with the same problem) are the early birds that get the worm. Until a more innovative bird comes along…
Today’s side notes:
1. It’s so hard to stay off of crypto twitter. Something something Tether Bitfinex Kraken?… Something something SEC and ICO-funded startups…
2. I almost shared today’s thought/experience (on chequebooks) in a regular text tweet but realized you guys would prefer a doodle instead.
3. Really enjoyed this “Humans of Bitcoin” podcast profile of Sibo “The BCH Wolf” (@WolfofBigBlocks) of Johannesburg, South Africa. She is doing awesome stuff, including organizing JHB meetups and a “BCHforbicycles” project which purchases affordable bikes to donate to those in need (e.g. working people who would otherwise be commuting long distances on foot). I can attest, having seen with my own eyes, that there are many South Africans who walk long distances along unpaved roadsides to get to and from work. She also educates bicycle recipients on the basics of how to use Bitcoin Cash. I can see the potential in South Africa for Bitcoin Cash adoption, with millions of young people who may be unbanked but have cell phones.