oh the green agony!
i just spent about 30 minutes trying to figure out which new checks to buy. being the penny-pincher that i am (and because i am not yet fully switched over to a bank that provides me with free checks, and almost out of checks from my old account...) i researched how much they would be to purchase through my bank, and then did some wonderful google work to see how much checks are elsewhere. these are the conclusions i came to...
1. my bank checks are at least $5 more expensive.
2. i can buy just one box (200 checks, w/o duplicates) of cheap checks with an over-the-top design for $9.95 including s&h.
3. i could buy environmentally friends checks at the check gallery. this third option really interested me, and i checked (no pun intended) it out. they have a special offer for new customers of $9.95 for the first box of checks, and only $.95 for the second. i got excited...but it turns out they have a two box minimum. plus $4.50 for the first box and $1.50 for additional boxes in shipping, plus $1.50 per box handling fee.
my conscience had quite a debate (can it have a debate, or can it just be challenged). here are the things i pondered.
a) recycled, soy based inks are great...i should support that.
b) i don't need two boxes of checks. it takes me about 8 years to use a box of checks, so a second box would be wasteful. what is the value of one box of conventionally produced and printed (and possibly made with recycled paper, not sure) checks versus a wasteful 2 boxes of guaranteed recycled, soy-based ink boxes. how do i even start to weight that.
c) the enviro checks required shipment through dhl, which i would consider to be more wasteful than the usps, which the conventional checks offer (for free). i love the usps.
d) yes, price $9.95 versus $19.90.
i will leave you in suspense readers...and i will return in some days with my answer.