Just curious how many takes time each month to balance the checkbook?

I admit, I haven't done it in probably a good year. It is harder to keep it up when I use my debit card so much. I don't have to pull out my checkbook to get a check so I just think I will write it in later, then never do.

I was writing down my bills for this coming pay and it felt really good to see my balance at the end of it.. even though it is really small!

I think it really helps to know exactly how much I am dealing with. I always know approximately how much is there and haven't bounced a check/debit yet but still it is nice to know exactly how much.

Once a week I goto my bank online and balance the checkbook, this way I know approx what I have. Also when paying bills i immediately write it down in checkbook and when it posts I write a little checkmark. One idea my dh and I do that I really like is that when we return an item to the store, we never write the money back into the checkbook, that way we do not realize we have it. Over time this money has accumulated and now we have approx 1500 extra in the checkbook. The balance does not reflect this amount, so we never really pay attention to the fact that its there.... out of sight out of mind, but we know its there in case of emergency. Plus, the overage insures we will never bounce.
Hope this helps

i haven't balanced my check book in 6 years. but to give myself a little buffer, when ever i use my debit, say for 10.33, i write it in as $11. all that change adds up. just easier for me to do it this way. if i am having major issues with my bank account, i just go the the local branch here and they will balance it for me. i did this a couple of months ago, and the bank lady balanced my checkbook from day 1!!!

__________________


“Don't get too comfortable with who you are at any given time - you may miss the opportunity to become who you want to be.”

Honestly, I'm a little OCD with this, I check every single day, sometimes more than once a day, just to make sure things are going through. Nerdy, I know. But I can almost always tell you how much money we have or will have after a certain date.

I balance my checkbook all the time. I don't feel comfortable not knowing how much I have and since I do have to write checks for certain things even if I check online it's not always gonna be right. Also my dh uses the debit card several times a week either for breakfast or lunch (when he can't make it home) and never gives me the receipts so I might fall short if I don't check all the time.

__________________

This is actually what I do to online. But I never have it written down.. I think that is what helps me to not spend, spend, spend.. ya know?

I ALWAYS keep mine balanced. There are still MANY things I pay by check. So, this helps me keep track of things that way. Plus, I use MSMoney to track everything, and since most accounts are tied together (payments from checking into something else), it's super simple to track everything. I also like to know exactly where all our money goes.

__________________

Homeschooling Mom to Daniel (12 Years), Andrew (9 Years), Stephen (7 Years) and Emily (3 Years)

*************Visit AyeOhKay's Blog - "Frugal & Fun"**************

Not my checkbook per se...I don't write checks all that often but I know down the penny how much money I have in my account and write each transaction down every day, and verify it all online daily.

agreed. I used to not do so well at actually writing it all down, but the last couple of months, i've changed that some. Not sure why or when it actually happened, but now I look at least everyday & started writing it down. Somehow, throughout the last 6 months, I have managed to be off the mark by about 60 cents, not sure how, I've redone it so many times, its' not worth finding the 60 cents i lost in there.lol. Close enough!

Sadly not in at least 15 years. I have been thinking of doing it, but at this point I would probably have to open a different checking account to do it!

__________________
~Happiness is a large family~