If you do, cut it out. It may not make you rich, but you'll feel a lot smarter. They're so easy to avoid, particularly with the bounced-check protection that 70 percent of the nation's banks offer their customers. Nevertheless, about 68 million checks bounce each year. However, the financial damage doesn't stop with the bank.
Merchants also charge fees for returned checks.
If you aren't sure whether you have money in your account, don't write a check. If the expense can't be delayed or avoided, use a credit card. Leaving a balance on even a high-rate card for a short time costs less than a rubber check. Here's another area in which consumers lose a fortune, all for the lack of a quarter. Don't park in the red zone.