A One Cent Check

Monday, November 3, 2008

A few months ago, we canceled our contract with At&T to go with another provider. Apparently AT&T over charged us $.01 on our last statement.

I feel completely silly taking this check to the bank to cash it, but yet I can't throw it away. I stuck it to the front of the refrigerator until I could decide what to do with it. A month later it's still there because I can't determine what I should do about this one cent check.

It's a check right? A check should be cashed. But then I'm reminded, it's just a penny. The trip to the bank would cost me more in gas than this check is worth. And once I get to the bank and hand it to the clerk I am going to feel completely stupid for cashing a check worth one cent.

So there it hangs on our refrigerator, staring at me everyday. It's presence is annoying me.

If you received a check in the amount of 1 cent what would you do with it?

16 Showin' Comment Love:

Sherri said...

ha! that's funny. I'm too lazy...if I received a check for one cent. I'd definitely throw it away.

Anonymous said...

I would not cash it just to throw their books off - get even for all the headaches they caused you

Anonymous said...

I would leave it hang on my fridge, and if I ever were broke, I would remember that there is a check on the fridge.

Ann said...

My one cent check would be in the exact same place yours is; safely stuck to the fridge!

Jennifer said...

I would throw it in a drawer and take it to the bank when I had other checks with the hope the teller would lose it in the shuffle, so she wouldn't look at me like I was a crazy person!

Anonymous said...

better that they owed you than you getting a bill for one cent.....

Anonymous said...

I would cash it and with the money take my sister out to dinner...

Valerie said...

haha! If u don't it will throw off their books. They will always be off 1 cent and that drives me CRAZY!!!! So i guess depends on how bad u want to get back at them. i, too, would feel overly stupid taking it to the bank. Maybe the teller would look at it, realize it was from AT &T and instead of thinking u r the dumb one, thinking, wow, AT & T is crazily stupid and realize that they just wasted probably a 40 cent check to mail u a 1 cent one. Their loss!!!!!!

Valerie said...

but...i always heard, if u pick up every penny u find on the ground and even penny u come in contact with over ur lifetime u will be a millionaire by the age of 45. Now how true that is I don't know, but we checking it out. Every penny we ever have in our pocession goes into Ashalyn's piggy bank!! So we will see!! haha!!!!

Cash it and start Cayman a penny piggy fund!!!! It's kinda fun!!! Ashalyn is already up to $12.49. Yes, i just went and counted outta curiousity after reading ur blog. At 2 months old and that rate she won't ever be a millionaire but will have $3372.30 just in pennies at the age of 45. And I'm guessing once she gets up there and starts spending her dollar bills it will start adding up faster!!!!!

Just a little fun fact of what a penny can amount to!!! :-)

Jennifer Owens said...

I would sign it and forward it on to someone. Too funny. Maybe in a "thinking of you" card.

Anonymous said...

To be a millionaire in 45 years you would need to pick up over 6000 pennies a day.

Lisa Christine said...

Hold onto it until you have another check to cash along with it. That way you are not making a special trip to the bank. But definately get it cashed! That's your penny.

Anonymous said...

thats why I realized we arent even close!! haha!! But it's a fun little thought that I once believed when I was younger!!! maybe they mean that included with interest in ur bank account and everything u make in those years, haha, i have no clue!! But I think at the age of 45 Ashalyn would be happy with over $3000 just handed to her!!! :0) Well, I would be!!! :-)

hope u guys are having a great day today!!

Anonymous said...

I think you could sign it and put in your bro's Christmas card & tell him merry christmas!

Anonymous said...

hey, i worked at a bank, and we actually see checks under a dollar ALL the time. I'd just throw it in for a regularly scheduled trip to the back. penny saved is a penny earned! it may just be a one cent check, but some accountant out there is WAITING for it to clear to balance the books. bankers and accountants see things differently. he he. no penny is silly or inimportant!!
big hugs
amy k

Anonymous said...

OMG!!! I laughed til I teared up. It cost them more to mail the stupid thing. I would mail it back to AT&T with a note attached saying "no really, you can keep it"
Thanks for the laugh Kristen!!!