How to Print Your Own Bank Checks

By William A. Gordon


Check ordering is one of the biggest hidden costs of having a checking account. In order to turn a profit banks may offer free checking, but you pay dearly for the checks. By actually check printing yourself, you can save those costs and benefit financially.

Before you begin the task of check printing, there are vital parts that should be considered. Contrary to what you may initially think, it is never quite as simple as merely having them come out on a piece of paper. Definitely purchase a check printing program. There are many quality programs available that are inexpensive. Furthermore, we have listed some guidelines to help you get started.

What Do You Need?

To print your own checks, there is some important equipment to acquire if you want to achieve a professional finished product. This is in addition to the software already discussed. Conveniently, you can use your own home printer. Purchasing magnetic ink should definitely be on your to-do list, however. It can sometimes be difficult to find this ink, so be prepared for some searching.

In addition to that ink, you will need special paper, so that your checks can't be easily changed. You can purchase check stock paper from a number of online and offline retail outlets. This blank check stock can be purchased by the hundreds of sheets, so they will last for years if you don't write a lot of checks. This paper will resemble the checks that you might receive at your bank. The most important thing about these checks is that they come with full security features, so that people will have a difficult time trying to change around the information held there.

Those among us who enjoy employing money management programs also have the option of purchasing checks for Quicken and other programs. This kind of check stock is made in particular for those programs; therefore, you can automatically print checks for particular expenses that are partial to your bookkeeping program.

Importance of Magnetic Ink In Check Printing

Magnetic ink is imperative for numerous reasons. Most importantly, after you write a check, it will subsequently be run through a reader and non-optical readers can only read checks printed in magnetic ink. If you don't print with magnetic ink the bank will have to manually process the check. This can lead to delays and additional fees, defeating the purpose of saving money.

What do you know about MICR fonts?

Have you ever given any thought to why exactly the bank account information and the routing data printed upon your check look so peculiar? It is due to the fact that they are written in what is called an MICR font. For most banks to consider honoring a check, the numbers must either be printed in the MICR or a similar font, known as E-13B. These fonts often require a laser quality printer in order to print properly, so you should check the compatibility of your printer first.

In addition, it will be less complicated to print these fonts on laser stock paper. If you tend to write a large number of checks, then you can save money by check printing from home. The benefits of check printing outweigh the initial cost of extra equipment. All these security measures must be taken seriously. Without doing so, you could fall victim of theft since the checks could be so easily manipulated.