I know this may sound dumb, but I have not balanced a check book in 14 years. Since we have moved, our expenses went way up, and I am not working much, so I really NEED to be able to keep better track of what we have (or don't have ). After not balancing for so long, how do I even go about starting to do it again? I do not even know if my bank has online banking as I have never used it. (I am sure it probably does, but I have no clue how to do that, either!!) I write checks for everything!!! HELP!!!

__________________
~Happiness is a large family~

You should go to your bank and ask for help. I know that they can usually balance it for you and they would also be able to help you with online banking. Good luck!

Online banking could REALLY help you out. You're obviously internet-savvy, so I think you'd do just fine. Next time you're in your bank, inquire about it. In most cases it's really easy to get started.

__________________
"Try and enjoy the here and now. The future will take care of itself somehow. The grass is never greener over there." -- Howard Jones


Visit my Forget the Joneses blog
Check out the Mommysavers Group on Facebook

We have used Quicken for 10 years now. highly recommend it.

Start by getting your account stuff online. Then you need to write all the checks down for the last month in your ledger. Get your statement from last month and check off all the checks that have cleared and deposits that have cleared. Then call the bank and get all the checks that have cleared from your statement until now and mark those off. Then get your account balance and subtract all the checks that have not cleared yet and you have the amount that is in your checkbook.

i do internet banking and use Quicken to balance my checkbook. I go online everyday to the website and balance my checkbook - it is always accurate.

At this point you'll have to go to the bank to get it straightened out, once thats done you can do it with Quicken and Online banking