It was common practice until the 1990's for a customer to order all their bank checks from the bank where their account was held. Although there are still many people who still follow that practice, many others have chosen to use other sources for their bank checks once they have used the initial order of checks. When you look at how things have changed over the last twenty years, it's not difficult to understand why.

Twenty or thirty years ago, many banks gave you the option of having checks with only your name on them for free or paying a little extra to have your address printed on them. Many opted for the address as well because it was required if you wrote a check in a store, and this was before the existence of Check Cards. Now, with very few exceptions, an order of 200 bank checks can cost up to $30. This has opened a new avenue of business for both direct mail and online merchants like Checks in the Mail, Checks Unlimited, and other similar merchants who not only offer a larger selection of checks and imprint styles, but at prices that are sometimes as much as 50% less than the banks charge.

Keep in mind if you decide to order checks from sources other than your bank that you will need to provide information off the checks or fax a copy of a voided check. For those who may be a little squeamish about ordering bank checks through the mail or off the Internet, many people have been ordering this way for quite some time with no problems, so any fears you have are unfounded.