With technology advancing and phones having just about everything someone could need, there are skills that have been put on the backburner, such as writing a check and handling cash.

With all of the ways of sending digital money, writing a check is a skill that isn’t needed anywhere close to as often as it used to be. While occasionally somebody needs a check for an event, chances are that task gets handed off to a parent or anybody older than Gen z.

When asked when the last time she wrote a check was, Maya Nuncio (11) begins to show proof that Gen Z isn’t very familiar with checks.

“I haven’t written a check in a while, but my mom has for many events. For example, my theatre field trip had money due in January,” said Nuncio.

A big part of checks being outdated is just inconvenience. When you have apps like Zelle or Venmo that send money virtually and in seconds, most people aren’t going to want to take the time to find and write a check unless they absolutely have to.

In an article from Family Finance Favs, Bill Dwight said, “I teach my kid how to use online bill pay instead. The bank handles cutting the check and withdraws the funds promptly. No delay. Nothing to remember. No timing games to play. No overdraft. No worries.”

Even checks for bills can be online now, so teens no longer have to worry about all of the struggles that come with traditional checks. Most schools and parents aren’t placing value in writing checks at all anymore.

Even cash isn’t being carried nearly as often now, since everything is linked to an app or a card. With Gen Z being so focused on fast-paced interactions and instant gratification, carrying around something like cash is seen as an inconvenience to most people.

“Most of the time I only carry a max of twenty dollars in case of emergencies- all other money is on my card,” said Nuncio.

Occasionally, some businesses won’t take an online payment, which is why it’s still important to carry emergency money. Showing up somewhere that doesn’t take Apple Pay, like Walmart, can be a very unpleasant surprise. Without either a card or cash, it’s easy to get stuck and not have a form of payment.

Technology will continue to advance, and in the future it is very likely that we won’t have to worry about any physical transactions, but for now it’s important to be aware of what changes are happening in the world of money.