>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>If you go to a friend's birthday party or some graduation event or something where you need to give a gift of money, how do you do it? give them cash?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Fairly simple : verse it into their account. (internet banking you see)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>What do you mean "verse"? You mean "wire"? Do you ask someone for their account # before going to their party?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Sorry french influence , i meant 'transfer'.Accounts are always mentioned on invitation cards, bis. cards etc...
>>>>>
>>>>>The custom of writing account numbers on invitation cards has not yet come to America. And knowing how sensitive people are to other people's privacy I don't think we will see it in a near future.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>What has an account number to do with privacy one wonders ....
>>>
>>>A person's account number is his/her private information. Another "hole" I see with writing the account number on the invitation is that it would be like "telling" the invited guest that you want money as a gift. Or that you want something. It would seem (IMO) to most Americans as "improper" (for the lack of a better word that I can think of).
>>
>>So giving cash or a check is proper...but an account number isn't...Funny people those Americans...maybe we're more straightforward....
>>
>>Checks is so 70ties to us ;)
>
>Giving cash or a check or a lovely vase :) is an option that invited guest has. Telling them, beforehand, that you want money in your account is "improper" (again, IMHO). I am sure there is a better word to describe it (than 'improper') but I can't think of any.
>
>I agree that electronic payments is so much better. I pay 98% of all my bills electronically. But there is still a place for checks.

The fact that an account number is mentioned doesn't ipso facto mean that money is expected....
My wife f.i. finds a present far more civilized ...
i.o.w it's just an option for the lazy one's amongst us ;)