This section will help you to understand how to complete a cheque from your cheque book, in this example you will pay your telephone bill.

Your telephone bill shows your quarterly usage (cost of calls) and telephone line and equipment rental (service charges). These items are shown individually on your telephone so that you can see exactly where and how your money is being spent.

So let's take a look at an example telephone bill.

The main item of interest here is the total bill amount of £58.70 as this is what we would need to enter into the amount box on our cheque book. Other information you will need will be 'the payee', i.e. who you are paying, and the postal address for bills. All of this information can be found on the rear of the telephone bill under the heading 'paying by post'.

So let's take a look at our cheque book and how you would fill in a single cheque to pay the bill above.

Warning: It is important to always remember to put a line to the end of part completed lines on your cheque, this avoids anyone making additions to the amounts.

By selecting each of the options above you have now seen the correct way to fill in a cheque. Exactly the same technique is used for all cheques. You will just need to alter the information to suit who you are paying, the date and how much.

Now simply tear off the completed return statement (sometimes called the remittance advice slip) from the bottom of your bill and pop it in an envelope with your cheque.