I wrote just 6 checks in December.
1) Property taxes. They charge a fee for e-checks, and $27.50 service charge for credit cards, a stamp is a LOT cheaper.
2) Beauty salon. They are cash or check only
3) Long term care insurance. I was amazed, this company has no provision for any credit card or electronic payments.
4) Schwans. By my choice because they will take credit cards.
5) Auto mechanic. He is cash or check only.
6) Dues for a civic club I belong too. They have no provision for credit cards of e payment.
My mom still writes a lot more checks than I do.
My husband and I wrote 1 check last year that I can remember..escrow shortage.
My husband and I just don't have a reason to write checks but of course you're kind of out of luck if the business doesn't accept debit/credit cards. A few weeks ago we were shopping in this historic area. This one store, the only one I actually saw a bunch of signs anyways, said it only accepted cash or personal check. There were really cute things in there (like christmas decor, candles, even gormet dips for chips and whatnot) but I don't carry as a norm cash and my checks stay at home always. They must get enough business though to keep up though.
The escrow shortage is the one thing we have to send by check because we can't pay online for it (as there is no way to make it go towards the actual shortage with our lender rather than like a normal payment where you can say I want this to go to principal).
We pay our HOA dues online, our DMV fees online, our utility bills are EFT'd, every mechanic shop I've gone to (and I tend to prefer the mom and pop type places) have taken debit/credit cards but I get it if someone doesn't want to, auto insurance can be paid online, life insurance is EFT'd, when I did go to this lady who did hair inside her home she only took cash or check but I haven't been in 10 years so she may not even do it now and I understand doing cash or check in her situation, cell phone EFT'd, cable bill EFT'd, and the list goes on.
If I'm truly vacationing somewhere we do make sure to have at least some cash on us.