alt Hacker News> I guess there's also a difference between "can use checks" vs "have to use checks" because, aside from rent, I can't recall having to write checks.
Landlords, IME, insist on a physical check for the first payment. I think they're performing some sort of blood ritual with it in the back of the office. After the sacrifice is complete, though, they'll switch to ACH.
The only other place I've ever had to use checks is for large purchases, where the amount exceeds that which cards are capable of. Even these would be pretty rare for most people, since there's a likelihood you would finance a large purchase with a loan instead.
I think my last car purchase I paid deposit by card but paid the balance by personal check. In years past that balance would have been by a cashier check but I guess systems these days can confirm there's money in the account.