Cashing Checks a Month After They are Given

kgd7357

My wedding was in June, and as most people do, we opened our gifts over the few days, cashed the checks, and sent thank you notes out over the next week or so.

Fast forward a month. My husband and I didn't leave for our honeymoon until the begining of August. The night before, my mom threw a send off party in her backyard for us (def not a wedding repeat, my parent's just like to throw parties). Well a few people did end up giving us cards or some small gifts. Since we left first thing in the morning, we didn't end up opening any of them until we got back a few days ago. Yes we had an amazingly long honeymoon.

Here is the question. Some of the cards have checks in them and we were mailed a few cards with checks while we were gone. I plan to go to the bank tomorrow to cash them and get TY notes written this weeked. Do you think I should let people know that I'm cashing them, since it's been a month? 

southernbelle0915

I don't think you need to. If they gave you a check, they should have accounted for it. 

theartistformerlyknownas

A month is fine. Pushing 6 months I might give them a warning, but if they've already forgotten they had a check outstanding or didn't write it down, that's on them.

huskypuppy14

I think a month is fine too. I'm assuming these people knew you were going on your honeymoon after the party, and they still decided to give you a check. It's totally fine. 

A check I wrote a month ago just cleared, and I didn't think much of it.

Ndelible

Forget the checks, I'm stuck on the month long honeymoon.  Lucky gal!

kgd7357

Haha, yeah...I'm getting out of the military at the end of this month, and start a new job two days later, so I decided to burn all my leave! My husband works a week on week off schedule, so he only had to take 2 weeks to get 5!

Thanks for the responses. I won't worry about it too much. The couple we got while we were gone may not have known, but if you mail a check, I guess you may figure that someone may not cash it right away.

RebeccaFlower

A month is fine, especially since they were at your 'send off' party. Just make sure to get the thank you cards out asap I start side eyeing at six-eight weeks. 

PrettyGirlLost

I'd check with people before cashing/depositing the checks.  Yes people should account for the checks they write, but if we are talking several hundred dollars or more, that's a lot of money to just be sitting on, waiting for you to deposit.

lc07

PrettyGirlLost said:

I'd check with people before cashing/depositing the checks.  Yes people should account for the checks they write, but if we are talking several hundred dollars or more, that's a lot of money to just be sitting on, waiting for you to deposit.

I appreciate the sentiment in not wanting to mess up someone's accounting but how would you ask this question without offending people that they may not have the funds to cover this check? I properly balance my accounts one a month. And it is very rare that I miss a charge or check across 4 different bank accounts that I manage personally. If someone asked me if they could bank a check I gave them I'd be a little miffed. Although, this is not knowing the person. I don't imagine any of my friends would mean to offend my by suggesting I didn't have the funds to cover checks I wrote, but I don't know how else that would come across?

PrettyGirlLost

lc07 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

I'd check with people before cashing/depositing the checks.  Yes people should account for the checks they write, but if we are talking several hundred dollars or more, that's a lot of money to just be sitting on, waiting for you to deposit.

I appreciate the sentiment in not wanting to mess up someone's accounting but how would you ask this question without offending people that they may not have the funds to cover this check? I properly balance my accounts one a month. And it is very rare that I miss a charge or check across 4 different bank accounts that I manage personally. If someone asked me if they could bank a check I gave them I'd be a little miffed. Although, this is not knowing the person. I don't imagine any of my friends would mean to offend my by suggesting I didn't have the funds to cover checks I wrote, but I don't know how else that would come across?

"Hey, is it ok if I deposit that check?  Sorry I took so long!"

I say this all the time to people.  No one is ever offended.

I don't get why someone being courteous enough to check with you before depositing a check would offend or miff you?  Especially if this is a wedding gift of several hundred dollars.

IMO it's better to check with someone rather than risk putting their accounts into overdraft.

lc07

PrettyGirlLost said:

lc07 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

I'd check with people before cashing/depositing the checks.  Yes people should account for the checks they write, but if we are talking several hundred dollars or more, that's a lot of money to just be sitting on, waiting for you to deposit.

I appreciate the sentiment in not wanting to mess up someone's accounting but how would you ask this question without offending people that they may not have the funds to cover this check? I properly balance my accounts one a month. And it is very rare that I miss a charge or check across 4 different bank accounts that I manage personally. If someone asked me if they could bank a check I gave them I'd be a little miffed. Although, this is not knowing the person. I don't imagine any of my friends would mean to offend my by suggesting I didn't have the funds to cover checks I wrote, but I don't know how else that would come across?

"Hey, is it ok if I deposit that check?  Sorry I took so long!"

I say this all the time to people.  No one is ever offended.

I don't get why someone being courteous enough to check with you before depositing a check would offend or miff you?  Especially if this is a wedding gift of several hundred dollars.

IMO it's better to check with someone rather than risk putting their accounts into overdraft.

I thought it would sound like they thought I didn't have the money to cover a check I wrote. I wouldn't write a check I couldn't cover.

The way you worded that does sound good to me, though.