# How often do you do your checkbook?



## Jeb (Feb 14, 2012)

I do mine about once a month, I get paid biweekly though. Seems like I never have enough money to make all the bills though. Trying to find a new technique.


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't do mine enough


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

acidlittle said:


> I don't do mine enough


I hear you on that one. I'm on my Mom's checking, advancing age is robbing her of some skills we take for granted. I was doing it once a month, but since I found some entry omissions I'll start reconciling at least bi-weekly.


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## mwhartman (Jun 26, 2012)

Balance monthly but check daily!


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I actually got hired in a Credit Union, so I check my account daily, it's very wise to do this, get your bank set up online so you can check it from home, that way you find errors asap, because you only have a certain amount of time to dispute any errors before it becomes your liability!


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## shotlady (Aug 30, 2012)

several times a month.
by the 20th i have my payments listed individually
my debt/credit on each card i have 4 cards.
as i pay them i check them off and as i check the bank account, i highlight when it is deducted from my account. 
all paymets done at one time by the 1st
i check several times as i pass through the month. just to make sure nothing funny is going on....

its a good system for me.


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## Watercanlady (Jul 23, 2012)

Mine is set up so I can check it from home I usually balance it or at least check it every 3 days. I use debit card a lot so I check it often.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I have no bank info online and plan on keeping it that way. I only use the debit card at our banks ATM's where I look for anything suspicious. I call the bank for info if the ATM receipt doesn't match the checkbook entry. Outstanding debits and credits are taken into consideration.

You could steal my laptop and you wouldn't even find out what bank I have. I only use a Credit Card for online purchases, and that's from a different bank.


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## Zack (Oct 5, 2012)

Honestly...I don't balance it. I do online banking and every transaction I do is available to see once I sign in to my account. I hardly ever write a check because I use on line bill pay....


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## WVTactics (Mar 26, 2012)

The best way to go is no bank!! Just load money on a payment card for bills or for SHTF items. I am tired of banks always taking money.


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## smartprepper (Oct 19, 2012)

I never balance my checkbook but I always have a good idea of how much money is in my accounts. I use mint.com to keep track of all accounts. It's great for budgeting.


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## scramble4a5 (Nov 1, 2012)

I check online almost every day. I was an accounting major for a while in college so I can't help myself.


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## ohioguy (Sep 2, 2012)

Zack said:


> Honestly...I don't balance it. I do online banking and every transaction I do is available to see once I sign in to my account. I hardly ever write a check because I use on line bill pay....


im the same way. i dont have hard checks. i can make echecks or use debit. i pay every bill online including rent.
and i always know i have at least a couple hundred in my checking, i never let it get to low.


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## jmh033089 (Oct 23, 2012)

Checkbooks? What is that lol, I do everything through plastic or cash, and I check those daily.


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Maaannnn. I check it everyday lol


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

I never have money in there to justify. And I only have the account for check cashing purposes, so that I don't have to pay a check cashing place. I usually deposit a check, then pull out cash. Everything is paid for by cash


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## wesley762 (Oct 23, 2012)

smartprepper said:


> I never balance my checkbook but I always have a good idea of how much money is in my accounts. I use mint.com to keep track of all accounts. It's great for budgeting.


I second that for Mint.com, I enter things on a daily basis. We worked very hard a few years ago to become debt free (Exluding the Mortgage). we budget everything and now all the bills are paid for normally buy the 5th in the begging of the month. Budgetting is really the Key. without a budget do you really know where you money is going?


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

I found 3 silver quarters today..good deal


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

Honestly. I have not written a check in about 3 years. Everything is paid online or with cash. I don't balance anything. I get paid X amount and I know my bills/savings are Y each month within about $100. What is left is for recreation. I logon to my bank account everyday - I know the balance all the time. Nothing is unexpected, so no need to balance anything. I usually keep cash on me all the time. And I have found that I spend less when I pay with cash. Something in me always wants to hold onto the cash longer.


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## 9UC (Dec 21, 2012)

Jeb said:


> .....Seems like I never have enough money to make all the bills though. Trying to find a new technique.





mwhartman said:


> Balance monthly but check daily!


As I seldom write a check, 8 of them last year, and I use Quicken software and post all transactions to it to track all direct payments, debit and credit expenses. I haven't manually balanced a checkbook in years, but check my accounts daily, mark transactions when cleared and do automated balancing monthly. Many years ago due to "never having enough" I developed a "budget" system that fit me and it started out with deciding what were wants and what were needs.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

My bank has alerts on my debit/credit card. Any out of state purchase, any check and any transaction over 100 sends me a text. Saved my tail once, when I had ordered a 12 volt plug in heater from JC Whitney, becouse the next day some company named British Airways charged $999. to my account, then hit it for 19.95, about 6 times, until my account was empty. The day all the bills were due. Bank of America temporarily froze my account, gave me 1200 in cash to pay bills and time to straiten it all out. 
So, in answer to question, I hardly ever balance my checkbook, but I can usually tell you at any given moment, which check is clearing the bank, for how much and my account balance within about 30 dollars. 
Anyone dumb enough to try to assume my identity would come running back, and tell me my credit is way worse than theirs....


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

I'm in my 60's and have never had or wanted or needed a Credit card in my life, probably because I live a simple life, no car, no smoking, no drinking. If I want anything I just pay in cash at the stores, or use my Debit Card to buy stuff online. 
I had this amusing dialog with my bank last year-

YOUNG LADY TELLER (smiling)- "We'll fix you up with a Credit card"
ME- "I don't need one, I've been using my Debit card just fine for years, so why do I need a Credit card as well?"
HER (in wide-eyed shock)- "Oh but _*everybody*_ needs a Credit card nowadays!"
ME (smiling)- "But I'm not everybody"
HER- "Er...we'll fix you up with one anyway, you don't have to use it"

So I let her waste 25 minutes of her time doing the paperwork and computer entries to "fix me up", then when the Credit card arrived through the post i cut it up and binned it without activating it, just in case there were hidden charges and stuff in the small print..


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

Checkbook? I haven't written a check in years. I check my balance two to three times a day. First paycheck is for mortgage. Second is bills etc. No need to balance anything. If is always the same within 10% or so every month.


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