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Does anyone still balance their checking account? I look at mine everyday, I know what is coming in and going out. Most of my utilities are on level billing. I'm the only one with access to the account. I set up the account 4 years ago, I haven't "balanced" it, ever.

HippieChick58 9 Apr 1
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4

I don't use any kind of pen & paper & I haven't written a check in years, but I know all my balances to the penny.

I didn't have paper checks for about 9 years. When I bought my house -- both the mortgage and the water have to be paid by check -- or pay an "electronic payment fee" which I refuse to do. So, I have checks again for those two bills. Annoys me.

@BlueWave - Proof that evil actually exists!

4

Yes. It has saved me a couple of times when I was hacked by finding wrongful charges quickly and reporting them. One was a Walmart in OK where I called them and they caught the guy immediately coming to pick up the stuff he had ordered on my card. Could I have done that without balancing yes, but it wouldn’t be quite so evident.

gearl Level 8 Apr 1, 2018

I’ve know two other people who have had their accounts hacked and used at a Walmart in OK.

3

I used to. I was terrible at it, even with a calculator, as my dyscalculia caused me to sometimes input the numbers wrongly. Nowadays I do all my banking online, as my financial situation is too complicated for me to trust to my own brain. I know my limitations.

3

Not anymore. I do everything electronically, I periodically check my accounts, but don't balance to the penny like I used to. I write a check a few times a year at most. Almost all my bills are paid automatically including credit cards, in full every month. I am the only one with access.

I'm in tech so I know how these systems work. Unless you are keeping all your money in cash, gold, silver or some other physical form that you have in your posession, you are still screwed if all the data is lost. By writing a check instead of paying on-line you are just adding another way in which your data can be stolen in the transfer process. Your check will be scanned and the data from it stored electronically and all the underlying transfers will happen electronically too.

I think the fear that an EMP or solar flare could wipe out all of that data and the backups is pretty unlikely. If that happens, balancing your checkbook will be the least of your worries.

3

I don't balance mine anymore. I keep an eye on it and know how much I have in the account.

3

Yes I balance. The ridiculous fees these banks charge for over drafts you should check it often...Lol

JVee Level 4 Apr 1, 2018

Stop paying fees . Switch from a bank to a credit union . If you pay off your credit card in full , on time , every month , you won't even be paying interest for that either .

@Cast1es Credit Unions aren't always available to people. Many of them will not allow someone to open an account if they have poor credit. Had a friend who tried to open a credit union account with $2k in cash. He had bad credit, and they told him to take his business elsewhere.

@Cast1es My credit union (which I love and I AM a CU fan) DOES charge fees. A lot less than banks, but they do.

@Cast1es I’m with a credit union and they do charge overdraft fees

2

No, I don't. I use Mint for the overall picture and peruse that and credit card and bank transactions daily for accuracy, duplicates, etc. I pay ALL but two bills electronically (unfortunately!) and many are automatically deducted.

2

Maybe I am a bit OCD. I began paying tax at 14. At 41 I still had every tax return I ever submitted. I threw many out. I still have the last 20 years stored electronically. I can usually account for every single cent I have spent for years. I know in my head what my balances are at any given time, when I check my accounts online, they almost always match up. End of each month it all goes into a spreadsheet.

that is impressive, and yah possibly a bit OCD.

2

Yes, I use a check register on excel. When you're broke, every dollar counts!! I double check online but even banks make mistakes so I like to make sure everything is matched.

same

2

I used to balance my check book every month when I got my statement. In fact, when I worked as a bank teller, I balanced other peeps' checkbooks! With online banking, I no longer feel the need. Virtually every transaction I make is with my debit card and bills are paid online, so I have a very good idea of what is what.

Me too! I use my card for nearly every transaction so I have the record and know what I'm spending on. Before I started driving for Uber, I RARELY even had cash on me.

2

I went to a free school as a child & never decided to do any maths so; numerically challenged - my partner gives me all his change every day as he has OCD so we make a good fit between us.
I have much admiration for people who do clever stuff with numbers. My brain hurts when I try and fail.

2

I keep a balance opn the computer. I keep an extra $1000 in my checking acount tht I don't have in the register, just so I never get over drown or incur fees by mistake.

2

keep it in the black is all I try for

2

I keep track of family budget and I know exactly what and where is going. I don't sit there with a checkbook per se, but I do know the flow

2

I just use an app.

2

I still balance my checkbook, won't do any banking online.
Don't do any online bill-paying of any kind.
I won't either. I think it's a recipe for disaster.
One of these days, the entire grid is going to go down, and lots of people will be
well and truly fucked. I think there is entirely too much reliance on technology.
It's going to come back to bite everyone square in the ass.

Maybe, but then everybody will be in the same boat. It likely won't matter if you have paper "proof."

@Condor5 Quite true. However, those who still deal in cash will have, at least, a temporary advantage, when it comes to purchasing necessities. Things will devolve fairly quickly though. It's going to be ugly AF.

@KKGator yep, I hope I'm gone when it happens.

@Condor5 Yeah, I'd just as soon I were at Ground Zero whenever whatever is going to happen happens.

2

I have had a credit union account for 20 years and never a problem. I now have an app on my phone and tablet that I can check it constantly. Still there is never a problem but it feels good to be able to check it regularly and know all is well.

2

No my computer shows my account and I just check it -lol

I hate having to buy a new copy of quicken so often , but it does a god job.

2

I have never balanced my chiecking account in my entire life. I always havbe a general idea of what I am spending and what I have in the account . In almost 60 years of having a checking account, I have overdrawn my account only twice -- each time by a few dollars.

2

I don't balance mine, but I do know what all the charges are, and I'm very aware of a low balance, I set alerts for large withdrawals and check the account regularly. My finances are fairly simple.

1

I have 3 accounts and do online banking daily. Imagine the shell game of trying to figure out where the pea is, and that is how I do my accounts. All must balance and figure properly for this to work well. I pay by card and carry very little money.

I always have cash on me, in fact some large bills are hidden in case of emergency, but usually over $50 in cash. My kids think I'm nuts, and I'm OK with that.

@HippieChick58 Whatever works for you, but I balance all 3 accounts daily as I do transactions. Money comes and goes in my 3 accounts and currently I have about $17 in real cash. I operate off a debit card and banking setup and do not worry on paying bills. I also do not live paycheck to paycheck.

@DenoPenno I check my bank daily and other accounts more or less monthly sometimes more often. I keep a spreadsheet of my financial picture. In fact my goal for this weekend is to tidy up the spreadsheet and close out the month of May. I haven't had a paycheck for two months, so I really don't live paycheck to paycheck or I'd be dead. However, I started a new job this week, so that will help my cash flow, and my health. Too young for Medicare, I need a job to have medical benefits.

1

No. I only look once a month or so.

1

I don't. I'm not rich by any means, but I have enough in the bank that I don't have to worry about exactly where my account balance is. If something wierd came up, I'd notice it. I check my balance pretty regularly.

1

My debts are cleared within 24 hours, I have a freehold home, I have a freehold car, I have a zero credit card, at this moment i do not owe one penny.....I have no credit rating because I have always paid cash. My brother was refused time payment because he followed my principles !
Bloody marvelous !

1

I use Quicken, have since 1989. I balance all my accounts, to the penny. If there is a discrepancy, II will work at it until I find the problem, even if it’s only 5 cents! I even keep track of my cash expenditures!

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