When you go to the store to make a purchase, you have multiple payment options: Cash, check, credit card or debit card. There are even ways of paying for things via applications on your cell phone such as Google Wallet.

With the growth in electronic payment options comes the increase in ways people can gain exposure to your “secure” data and buy things that will be charged to you or empty your bank accounts.

Can you imagine how many different ways there are for motivated thieves to get your personal information?

A quick search online will return many stories of databases of major retailers that have been compromised by hackers. In addition, Merchant & ATM card devices have been, unknown to you, replaced with card skimmers. In one extreme case, restaurant employees secretly captured card information on hand-held card readers.

There are even devices out there that will read credit cards with RFID chips in them just by being in close proximity to the card in question. That means the person standing behind you in line may be getting your credit card information without you even taking the card out of your purse or wallet.

This is why, whenever possible, I write a personal check when I need to make a purchase. While cash may be easier for merchandisers, consumers like you and I are better off writing checks instead of using cash when we shop.

Long gone are the days when you had to worry about someone altering your check and cashing it themselves or altering the dollar value. Today’s personal checks come with various features like chemical and erasure protection that make them virtually impossible to change.

In addition to keeping my personal information safe, and ensuring redemption by only the payee there are numerous other advantages for writing checks instead of using cards or paying cash to pay for goods and services.

It’s great for record keeping – Checks offer an easy form of financial record keeping in comparison to cash or cards. Tracking cash payments through receipts involves multiple separate pieces of paper. When using a check, you can either look at the check register or a duplicate check depending on what you choose. Duplicate checks are great for making sure you know exactly where your payments have gone.

It’s cheaper – When paying bills, a lot of retailers and utility companies will charge you a fee to pay bills online or via phone with a credit card.  Paying by personal check will cost you whatever a stamp is going for these days. That way you keep the fees you are saving in your own pocket.

You’ll have a paper trail – A check is a paper trail that shows you paid for something. Yes, when you pay for something you get a receipt, but what if you can’t find it? Your cancelled bank checks serve as back-up that you paid somebody. This is especially important when it comes to paying bills. Paying bills with cash is never recommended, especially if the payment needs to be mailed.

Checks are and have been the most secure, safest and best way to pay for merchandise and services. Although you may still need cash and credit cards at times, the security in writing a check will far outweigh the risks of using these alternative methods to pay.