Who here actually LIKES balancing the checkbook?

tplyons · #1 08-04-2008, 03:44 PM

I'm weird, I do.

I use Quicken 2007 for Mac. I've got all my accounts and loans, etc. So I know EXACTLY where I stand across all my finances at any given moment in time. I actually find joy in balancing my checkbook. Am I the only dork here who actually likes it?

FL Knifemaker · #2 08-04-2008, 03:48 PM

I do all my banking online. I haven't wrote a personal OR business check in years. I use debit cards for all my business and most personal purchases, everything else is paid online. My international payments are made via paypal so I often pay for eBay purchases using that. I haven't balanced a checkbook in years.

tplyons · #3 08-04-2008, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

I do all my banking online. I haven't wrote a personal OR business check in years. I use debit cards for all my business and most personal purchases, everything else is paid online. My international payments are made via paypal so I often pay for eBay purchases using that. I haven't balanced a checkbook in years.

Technically then, neither have I. I have one account that gets used once in a blue moon, otherwise, no checks are written here either.

But I do have a register on my computer that's accurate at all times.

steve21 · #4 08-04-2008, 03:49 PM

I handle my cash and my debit card (don't do checks) all with Microsoft Money. I know how much I have in everything at any point.

Although at this point my cash is really easy to balance: 0

tplyons · #5 08-04-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve21

I handle my cash and my debit card (don't do checks) all with Microsoft Money. I know how much I have in everything at any point.

Although at this point my cash is really easy to balance: 0

Ah, I know that feeling. I'm trying to get my finances out of the red right now (and pay off my Harley before my El Camino bites the dust (175,000 miles as of Saturday))... but otherwise, I know exactly where all my cash is.

steve21 · #6 08-04-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

Ah, I know that feeling. I'm trying to get my finances out of the red right now (and pay off my Harley before my El Camino bites the dust (175,000 miles as of Saturday))... but otherwise, I know exactly where all my cash is.

Yeah, I just had a ridiculously expensive weekend (xbox 360 and games/controllers to go with it) so my cash just got destroyed.

FL Knifemaker · #7 08-04-2008, 04:01 PM

I started using Quicken when it first came out and I bought several newer versions after that. Since then, the online banking has gotten much better. Right now, the only thing I need to keep track of everything for home and business is my online accounts. Every quarter I just put everything on disk and give it to my tax guy. My business is very simple, no employees, etc. so it's pretty easy to keep on top of. I just started using an online investment site so that will come into play at some point........hopefully with profits

I get free bank checks so if I need a check, I can just get one. I needed one last year for a machine purchase, that doesn't happen very often.

FL Knifemaker · #8 08-04-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

Ah, I know that feeling. I'm trying to get my finances out of the red right now (and pay off my Harley before my El Camino bites the dust (175,000 miles as of Saturday))... but otherwise, I know exactly where all my cash is.

My Jeep just hit 210,000 and I still drive it all over the place

It gets better mileage than any of the other vehicles we have

tplyons · #9 08-04-2008, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

My Jeep just hit 210,000 and I still drive it all over the place

It gets better mileage than any of the other vehicles we have

Mine gets surprisingly good mileage and the engine is still good. It's rust everywhere that's killing the thing.

FL Knifemaker · #10 08-04-2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

Mine gets surprisingly good mileage and the engine is still good. It's rust everywhere that's killing the thing.

Rust sucks! I know, I'm originally from NY. That's one reason I bought the old Wagoneer, it's totally rust free and was always garage kept. The 6 cylinder moves it along but not very fast. Having no AC also saves gas

For a brick shaped vehichle, it gets pretty good mileage.

Mike Money · #11 08-04-2008, 08:48 PM

what is a check book?

Yvon · #12 08-04-2008, 09:19 PM

I do it also,
I use excel on neo office.

**Jerose** · #13 08-04-2008, 09:52 PM

I'm an accounting major. I like to balance anyone's checkbook!

tplyons · #14 08-04-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerose

I'm an accounting major. I like to balance anyone's checkbook!

NERD!

I can't blame ya, I'm an accounting minor

Petebass · #15 08-05-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

NERD!

I can't blame ya, I'm an accounting minor

I have a Doploma in Business with an Accounting major. I've used Quicken, MYOB, and all sorts of stuff and found they all try too hard. I've had better results from my own, simpler Excel spreadsheets.

Oh and yes, I enjoy balancing the books. More to the point, I don't enjoy the feeling of not knowing where I stand financially at any point in time. To me that's feels like when you need to go somewhere but aren't sure where your car keys are, only worse.

Pilgrim · #16 08-05-2008, 04:56 PM

My wife is the bookkeeper in the family for two reasons:

1) I have a much higher tolerance for unpaid bills than she does. I tend to let them sit too long.

2) I have NO confidence in my bookkeeping ability. For me to balance a checkbook once a month is a 4 to 6 hour torture session.

When doing books, I have to see EVERY check, confirm EVERY entry in the checkbook, totally correct and update all entries, amounts and dates, or I cannot balance it. I am completely dependent on having a good sequence of events or I can't visualize what's going on. Most of that work is unnecessary for others - but I HAVE to do it or I can't make sense of the process.

Fortunately my wife has moved our bill-paying online and can pretty much update it with a quick visual scan. (No way could I do that.) I have noticed in recent months that we're writing about two physical checks a month - mostly to hair stylists who we visit monthly and who don't take cards.

I run a $1.4 million budget and I have no problem with that, but I only have to know within $5,000 (give or take) where I am at any given time. THAT I can do with mental math and come close enough - but for my checkbook (real or virtual), that doesn't cut it.