peacefuljeffrey 0 #1 December 22, 2004 I just finished the tribulation I go through every few weeks. I go several weeks accumulating slips and receipts from debits to my checking account (good ol' Visa checkcard!), and then I force myself to sit down, write each of the charges on ledger sheets, subtract out the debits and add in my paycheck credits, and then I go online and check what the bank says I have. I ALWAYS eventually get the two amounts to match -- and it's an exultant feeling! VICTORY! (Sometimes, though, it's like putting together a puzzle without having a picture of how it's supposed to look when finished!) So, do you keep close tabs on your checking account? Or do you just wing it and hope it stays out of the red? -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesNahikian 0 #2 December 22, 2004 I track every dime, though I take great care not to enter a state where I 'know the price of every thing yet appreciate the value of no thing.' D. James Nahikian CHICAGO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #3 December 22, 2004 I sit down every day and do the math - But with two of us on the same account we get descrepancies from time to time, so I get online every payday and reconcile things. Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #4 December 22, 2004 Quicken for me, Quickbooks for the business. I like the point and click to balance.----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #5 December 22, 2004 Ugh, someday I may go the electronic route... but I have no urge to rush and learn how to do it. I'm not even sure if Quicken is on my Windows suite or not, and I wouldn't pay if it were not. I like the old-fashioned way. I'm sure that eventually when I do start using something like Quicken, I'll look at my current self and laugh and feel like I was being a reactionary idiot technophobe... like before I used a debit card for purchases, or before I bought stuff online, or before I got a cellular phone... The only thing is, computers crash... and with them, all the stuff you thought you'd never have to back up, or thought you'd have more time to back up... -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #6 December 22, 2004 Our credit union just enabled downloading to Quicken. One of these days I'll go that route. Looks to be much less hassle Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #7 December 22, 2004 I balance my checkbook daily...although there has been a few times where it was weekly. Doesn't matter...I'm always in the black. Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,297 #8 December 22, 2004 I kinda balance the checkbook...'cept I round up on everything. At the end of each year, I do a real reconciliation to see how much padding I've accumulated through the year. I also take all my change and throw it in a five gallon water bottle, sprinkled with a few couple of dollars left in the wallet. The checkbook padding and the change throughout the year becomes my Xmas budget.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #9 December 22, 2004 What a great idea. I might have to try that. I balance my check book every day. I compare what I come up with to my on line statement.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boinky 0 #10 December 22, 2004 I guess I'm an accountant's nightmare. I make my deposit. I write checks, use the debit card, etc. I have some automatic drafts that come out. I try to be efficient and write the stuff down, but sometimes I forget. I couldn't tell you to the cent how much I have if my life depended on it. I do bank on line and go there several times a week, but stuff that you use your debit card on sometimes don't show up for as long as a week! I know how much I can roughly spend and just mentally round it. I don't bounce anything, but am sure I am living on a "wing and a prayer" most of the time! NinaNina Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz) Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #11 December 22, 2004 I pay nearly all my bills online using my bank's website. Just sit down with a stack o' bills & click click clik, they're all paid. Quicken is usually not a part of the windows or ms office suite, it has to be purchsed seperately. which I did, but haven't gotten organized enough to use it. There is probably some way to download the bank info to quicken, but I just haven't done it yet. And my regular payments that are the same every month (student loan and mortgage payment) I have automatic monthly payments so I don't have to remember them each month. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pleifer 0 #12 December 22, 2004 None of the poll options are applicable to me I know exactly how much is in my checking, but I never balance my checkbook _________________________________________ The Angel of Duh has spoke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #13 December 22, 2004 Paying bills on line is so easy. I just started to do that a few months ago, and I love it. My bank has it set up in the Pay Bills area so that I can list the bills that are due every month. I just go there and click away. In the past I was always worried that I'd miss a bill, but with this on line stuff, the monthly bills are right there. I'll never miss paying the gas or phone bill.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #14 December 22, 2004 QuoteThe only thing is, computers crash... and with them, all the stuff you thought you'd never have to back up, or thought you'd have more time to back up... -Jeffrey Quicken and Quickbooks will prompt you to back up every so many program closes. Back it up to a second hard drive on your machine or in my case a network drive. I've had to restore both a couple of times without incident. never had to re-enter more than a day.----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #15 December 24, 2004 I haven't balanced my checkbook in a few years. I find it incredibly boring. But I know I have money in there.Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #16 December 24, 2004 I don't have to balance my checkbook. All I have to do is log on to my bank's website, and it tells me. I don't write checks myself, I tell the bank, the bank writes it for me, and mails them to whoever they're supposed to go to, for free. Saves me money on stamps, and keeps my account up to date, since all the pending checks are automatically recorded. ATM and check card transactions are available online at the end of each business day. I suck at math. Me balancing a checkbook would be a disaster. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #17 December 24, 2004 I track every penny, and cal tell you within a second EXACTLY how much I have, How long I will have it, and most likely where I got it from. I run a tight shop in my wallet..=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #18 December 24, 2004 QuoteI don't have to balance my checkbook. All I have to do is log on to my bank's website, and it tells me. Banks make errors. In the 18 months I've been with this bank, just under $10.00 worth of errors in their favor. A quick phone call to he bank while I was balancing fixed it. There were also about the same amount of errors in my favor that they didn't get a call for. ----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
