I don't ever use check anymore so I don't find the need to balance a checkbook, as a matter of fact fewer and fewer people are using checks. I think it's cute when people bust out their checkbooks at my store to pay a bill, we got rid of the option to pay by check over a year ago. I still see people people pay with a debit card and jot the cost down in their checkbook. Does anybody do that still?
I don't use checks at stores, but I do still use them to pay some bills, mostly medical or local companies when I want to control when the money comes out of my account instead of letting them decide. I figure if I have to mail something in anyway, it's easier for me to write a check than write in my debit card info on the payment slip. Then once a week I enter all receipts into the checkbook when I pay bills and do the weekly budget. It helps us see how much money we have in the budget for each category instead of thinking we have a lot and then not having enough when the bills are paid.
I haven't balanced my checkbook in years, but I do use other methods to keep my bank account balance in-check. Typically, I will log onto my bank account's website and check and log all transactions onto my own excel sheet. I find this method effective in limiting those "unknown" expenses.
I don't because it gets too complicated. I was taught that I'm supposed to do that, but I have never written a check at a business, just rent, utillities and charitable donations. For other things I either use cash or credit card. I've never been to down to the wire on my accounts though. If I new it was going to be kind of close, I would keep track of everything very carefully until I had more.
Nope. I write so few checks nowadays, there is no point in doing so. On the rare occasions where I do write a check, they are usually so small, they don't make much of a dent in the balance. I do have some bills that are auto-paid from my account so I focus on that. They don't change from month to month so it's easy to keep track of.
Nope, I sure don't. And even when I use my debit card, I don't jot down the amounts and calculate it later. I use Mint.com to manage most of my accounts and simply rely on my online banking options to show me what I have spent.
I’ve got a checkbook, but I just opt to use the debit card. It’s much easier, as long as I keep track of how much I have in my account. I know my folks still write checks all the time, though. Their credit union actually doesn’t offer debit cards as an option. Plus they’re so used to writing checks, I can’t see them converting to debit even if they could.
I don't use checks and don't ever remember using them. LOL BUT, like @Log In, I uses to use an excel sheet. But, I'd forget sometimes to do that when I got home. So, now I just stuff the receipts in this small change purse and when I get home I write it all down in this budgeting notebook I have. About every two weeks I doublecheck it with my bank account to make sure I haven't "lost" or done any "extra" transactions.
I haven't done that for a number of years as my spending patterns have changed a lot. But I still need to use checks on occasion because of certain types of bills. However, the less I need extra paper in this format, the better.
Balancing a checkbook was way too confusing, especially when you add debit card usage to the mix. I now pay for my everyday things in cash and use my debit card to pay bills, or get money orders. I am trying to keep life simple these days.
I don't see why people even use checkbooks as it's not necessary with the technology of debit cards. I think that it's only needed for people who are actually in debt or buy a lot using credit cards and it's a way of getting out the limit. I don't think it's a good idea though. I don't balance it as I don't have it.
