You got me there. None of it applies to me and yes I'm under 30

Meh. Yeah, it changes. The point is to look for new ways to spend. I just bought something for a friend (over 40) who said she would send a check. I told her to send via Amaz Payments or Vimeo. Puts something else through the accounts.

I write checks to myself. Never had a problem with it.

Vimeo? Cool, I can send money via HD video uploads!
(I'm assuming you meant Venmo.)

I've done that too -- only once to test out BB. Took a picture of the check with my
bank's app to do the deposit!

As a side note, I do find that BB's security feature (having to register the check first
with a code) is useful you're worried that the check may end up in the wrong or less-than-trustful hands. The $$ amount can't be modified and no one can withdraw via fakes.

While I only use BB to pay CCs, not sure I get this point. You do have to pay the people mentioned somehow, and if they are not registered with your bank's bill pay or similar system (or your bank charges), then a physical check has to be mailed by someone.

Be careful with the BB checks you write yourself. (or the online mailed-checks).

They are unusual, in that they have that verification number and something is supposed to happen in order to activate/cash the check.

I've had one bounce (that I wrote to myself, to one of my CU MS accounts) for no apparent reason. Glad it was my own account and I could just adjust quickly.

I used to write them to the woman I rent a parking space from, but she requested I just use normal checks since her bank was giving her some grief about the BB checks.

My GF had all sorts of problems paying her mortgage, since the cashing bank encountered an error attempting to cash it, and in response they shredded the check (this was a ridiculous chain of events, but it's true). It took about a week for BB to release the funds for use again. By then she has sent in a regular payment.
The following month she attempted to use BB's online mailed-check bill pay, and that was even worse. The way they put the payee's name it was flubbed, and again didn't go through. She badmouthed BB for mortgage and never again tried.

One thing I really like about Simple is that they show you what the actual check will look like that they are going to generate, so you can troubleshoot things in advance. Amex/BB could learn a lot from that methodology!

Like so many others here, I've used BB to pay via electronic transfer for many CC bills and some other things (for those "known payees" in their system). I've also had them send paper checks to businesses and individuals more than a few times. Never had any trouble whatsoever with any of these.

I've also used Bluebird checks - the kind you write yourself - to pay a remodeling contractor several times. These were checks between $2K-$5K, so had to be preauthorized. The first time, the contractor told me the check bounced. I explained that was impossible, and followed up with Bluebird, and it became obvious that the person trying to deposit the Bluebird check simply screwed up - they had never seen one, they ignored the check number, and their deposit failed. I explained how they needed to deposit the check, and they tried it again and it was fine. Simple user error on their part.

i deposit BB checks of $1900 to myself on occasion to replenish my main Citibank checking account. When I deposit at a the teller, everything is fine. I tried mobile check deposit once and it bounced. It looks like Citi's mobile check deposit system will not work with BB checks.

I have heard that Chase's mobile deposit does work though.

Your post worries me. How does a payee have a "user error"? I need to write a couple BB checks, and if they bounce, it will be a HUGE problem. What, specifically, does the recipient need to do differently than with a regular check?

Honestly, I will be beyond angry if my BB checks bounce.

I hire freelancers in my business and pay large sums to them on a periodic basis. I started following this forum in an attempt to figure out how to pay these large sums of money and earn miles doing so since none of them accept credit cards. I started playing the game with the intention of earning miles for REAL spend. BB has been very beneficial in that regard.

What was her reaction when you asked her to pay with AP?
Most "older" people I know would have no idea what I was talking about.

Because of the various reasons discussed after you posted this. Yes, you do have to pay the people mentioned somehow, but why not just use "real checks" or alternative electronic means to minimize the risk of screw ups?

You missed the point.

The check did not bounce. Bluebird checks (that are written correctly) can not bounce. The funds are there, waiting. The person who attempted to deposit it just failed and blamed the failure on the check bouncing, but in fact the reason it failed was because they simply ignored the instructions and entered nonsense values.

The instructions say (IIRC) they need to enter the check number and the amount. The person attempting to deposit the check entered the wrong check number (off by a few) and they entered zero for the check amount, not the ~$2500 that was written on the check and preauthorized. My check # 107 was written for $2500 and the $2500 was there, waiting for them. They attempted to deposit (what they said was) check #109 for $0. Check #109 was still blank, in my Bluebird checkbook, in my hand. Well, surprise, $2500 did not magically appear in their account.

The check did not bounce, but they did not successfully deposit it. They just told me it bounced because they didn't have a clue. I pointed out their error to them after running down the details of their screwup. I gave them explicit instructions and a phone number at Amex to call next time if they did not understand or had any other trouble. The second time they actually paid attention and followed the instructions and it went through fine. They later apologized.

Idiots can screw up anything if they disregard simple instructions, Bluebird checks included.

Yet another data point showing why using BB checks is stupid.