Do you balance your checkbook? - Page 2

[mamangazelle]

nope. but I should. :

[jlazx2]

I used to be so anal, but now with 3 kids & workign it is always behind by at least 3 months. i do check the receipts & checks with the statement because mistakes do happen. But I guess with the new checking laws you only have a certain amoutn of time to report errors now, I think it is only 60 days. I will have to find out.

[Ruthla]

I only write down checks that I've written, because those often take a while between the time I write them and the time they clear.

I voted for "I rely on the online banking" but in reality I use the telephone banking system to check my account activity- they no longer offer the free online banking, and the phone system is free.

[Amys1st]

I checked online balence.

We update quicken daily with this info and I also double check it next to the journal in the check book.

But like pp's we also do everything thru our cc's and pay off each and every month. We pay 5 bills online, have some paid by the cc, and write checks for the remainders. Also we donate one check monthly to our church instead of weekly. Its easier to reconcl 12 than 52 checks. So doing all this makes it much easier to balence.

[MoMommy]

I voted for the balance monthly, and worry about $5 off. I don't actually do that, but my dh does. I never have any clue how much is in the account. I just log my debit card prchasse into the check book and save the receipts for him.

[Kleine Hexe]

I actually balance my checkbook every other day. If it's off by even a few cents it drives me nuts. I have to sit there and study it until I find out what is wrong.

[5plus1angel]

I do balance my checkbook down to the last penny!
Gotta know how much money I have in there.

[umbrella]

I balance my checkbook every 2 weeks, and worry if it's off by pennies. What's not logged right? Did I add/subtract incorrectly? Is the bank making an error? Why would it be off at all?

BUT, that said, I also rely on online banking to help me keep track of what's been spent. With two adults spending, I can't count on having every receipt every day, so I also check online regularly to make sure there wasn't anything that I missed.

[FireWithin]

If we follow our budget perfectly, we know we will have enough money. I never got the hang of balancing a check book, but I do "balance" my budget sheet on my fridge (subtracting what I buy throughout the month). This system works very well for me. I know that we always have enough money. Unless of course we need to buy something that doesn't match up with out budget sheet.

[yitlan]

Originally Posted by Kleine Hexe

I actually balance my checkbook every other day. If it's off by even a few cents it drives me nuts. I have to sit there and study it until I find out what is wrong.

Oh good! I thought I'd be the only obsessive one! I do this, too, cross checking with Quicken and online banking. If I am off, I can't go to sleep! About twice a year, I am off and can't figure out why and make an adjustment in the checkbook. I want to know EXACTLY how much I have to work with!

I know...I'm anal. I don't fight it.

[Greensleeves]

Originally Posted by HeatherE

Our money program does it for us.

HeatherE,
I don't know if you'll see my post, but I would love to know which money program you use! Did you buy it online or somewhere else? This sounds ideal for us.

[Maggi315]

We use Quicken and balance it using that and online banking every month and it is a lifesaver for us! We use duplicate checks so we can keep track. What messes us up sometimes is I forgot my ATM spending, so I try to force myself to write checks at supermarket, etc. We tried just using cash, but we can't keep track that way. Now we take out a certain amount each week and write checks for the rest.

this comes in handy for us also because both my husband and I work from home and have some rental units. So our taxes at the end of the year can be a nightmare. With Quicken everything goes right into the correct category, I can print a statement at the end of the year with all the info right there. Also helps us with our enormous medical expenses ($1000+ monthly right now, Ouch!).

Before Quicken, I had a mess of a checkbook and bounced checks and drove my husband crazy!

[tangozulu]

I voted "I balance the checkbook monthly, and worry if I'm $5 off. "...but it is really DH who does the labor We also use MS Money to keep track so we always know what we have.

Before I married him I kept a running total in my checkbook register and checked that it matched with what the bank had using online banking. At that time, I also paid almost all of my bills online or via credit card, with the exception of my monthly rent check and a few other things here and there.

[SouthernMommaOf2]

I voted that I rely on the online banking...I also balance the checkbook as well though. But more so I rely on the online banking.