balance my check book

so I can see how poor I am. Not likely,I have a good Idea how much is there. all the bills are covered, so maybe fiscally irresponseable, I’m a women living on the Edge of solvency,but I love my Job.

Who actually does this? Everyone but me? I feel, for me its laziness. If I get in the routine of doing it I’ll actually know how much money I have in my checking account and that way I wont overdrawl my account like I just did! I know how to, but I actually need to set a goal and just do it!

I took a class at the church on spending plans (or that dreaded work budgets). I learned that I am doing better than I think. But I still need to find a way to organize my bill-paying.

I am getting closer to this one. Had my online banking whatever activated. I need to set it up and then I can monitor it all. If I can pay off 3 bills that will be less record keeping. Then I want to start balancing the running total each month. I have two organizers to keep bills so I won’t lose them. I am definitely making progress on this one. Mediacom takes care of phone, internet, and cable. Fewer bills and more automatic deductions looks like this would be helpful.

Well, the bank gave me duplicate checks. I always use singles and write in the ledger. But I have gotten away from that. So I need to write them all in a ledger and get used to reconciling. This has taken a back seat to decorating. I have, however taped some organizers to the sides of my armoire in the bedroom. One is for the slips of paper with web addresses to get them off my desk, and the other is for bills. I will emty and pay them every Saturday. That should help.

Now that my bills are up to date and I don’t have to be depressed at my checking account balance it’s about time I got off my ass and a) caught up on balancing my checkbook and b) establish a routine for updating my ledger and balancing my checkbook on a regular basis. I might actually start saving money that way!

Well, I changed banks, so now it should be easier. My counselor will help me come up with healthy habits here.

This is kind of cheating, I suppose. But I asked a coworker, how do you start to balance your checkbook, when you haven’t done it for like 4 years or more. She said, start a new account, so that is what I am doing. Changed credit unions. I needed someone open on Saturday’s anyway. I put all my tax refunds in, and it looks like I will actually have close to the amount extra I need to feel safe, which is a few thousand. Could be better, but my counselor is going to help me come up with some kind of system and show me how to reconcile the statements. I write every check down, I just hate the reconciling part.

Now to tackle the next part, find a bill-paying system. I lose bills and end up paying two months all the time because I put off doing it and I lose bills. I have 3 more years I will be here until I finish my Masters. If I can start paying my bills on time all the time, I will be in good shape to move and find a place I like enough to think about buying a house again. (Lost one in a divorce.) Also I just hate to let money go, now that I am on my own it just scares the bjesus out of me.

I also bought a cheap software budget program to look over. And when I have some time to think, I want to try Dave Ramsey’s trial program. Someone here sent me that link. I feel good that I am doing some things and making progress.