Just wanted to add, I've been using PIC CLUB since its inception, I always get a check after I request it, I've never had a problem with the checks bouncing or taking 30 days to clear.
However, I don't want to come off as a "shill" for PIC CLUB. There are plenty of gripes. The last check I withdrew for $175 on 4/22/2010, it arrived 6/9/2010. I think that's 48 days, 8 weeks basically. I always chat with them after the 30 day mark, because if you chat before that, the standard excuse is "it takes 30 days to process it".
I get so sick of their BS excuses. After the 30 day mark, the excuse is always, "email
cashier@picclub.com, we in this department do not handle this, they do" but every time I do that I never get any reply whatsoever. That obviously shows the chat support is just there to make excuses and just get rid of you.
One time I crap talked PIC CLUB on twoplustwo - I actually got a call from Chuck Kidd. He kind of violated my privacy by calling my cell phone which I entered into PIC CLUB - I dunno, maybe there's a clause that they can do that. But he basically tried to reassure me - this was during the fiasco where Merge dropped PIC CLUB. That's another story, but I basically blame PIC CLUB for being inept and letting that whale deposit large $ in and out of dozens of merge rooms.
I suppose the reason it still takes a long time to get your checks is PIC CLUB was hurt by that. They lost about $100K AFAIK. Hopefully they will speed up in the future.
In the past, 3 weeks was how long it took to get a check. That's fast compared to their new standard of 8 weeks, though. In the very beginning of pic club (2007?) yeah, checks took 5 days sometimes.
As far as the interest bearing account part of PIC CLUB - you can voluntarily put money into it, but the problem is, you may not withdraw it until December of the given year you did that. So your interest bearing money could be tied up for up to a year, and unlike a CD at a bank, there is NO way to withdraw it until December. I have no way of knowing whether anyone actually got paid a significant amount of interest money. But I have no reason to believe they do not do that. I never put in more than a $1, I don't really trust that part of PIC CLUB. They could theoretically have shills post, "yeah, I made 10% on my $1000 deposit this year for $100!" to forums. Who's to know?