While the wife and I hardly ever write a check, I still maintain a check register in our checkbook. I'm sure this is something more common to Boomers and not the younger generation. And the advent of online banking has made it much easier to keep track of what's going out and coming in, rather than the old days when you had to wait until your bank statement arrived in the mail.
Yes, I still keep a check register
- Thread starter Richard22
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Big Sky Guy
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I’m 36, tried using the register booklet when I got my checking account at like 16, but also had online banking so seemed redundant. Here’s to 20 years of freedom. 
Schaaf
Well-known member
Thank you for sharing Richard
I’m 36, tried using the register booklet when I got my checking account at like 16, but also had online banking so seemed redundant. Here’s to 20 years of freedom.
Ironically, I never balanced my checkbook back when I was in school until I mentioned it to my old college roommate, who just happened to be a Finance major. He would spend the next hour or two creating a check register for me that accounted for all credits and debits.
My wife insists on it. It does help as well put money in on 1st of month, write in all the know upcoming bill withdrawals and go from there. So online and register rarely match til end of month. But register is the true measure of what's left til end of month
mevertsen
Well-known member
We have a budget spreadsheet in Google. We add in transactions as we go, and it calculates our balance.
Haven't used a check register in years. We have a running live balance we can match to our online login in a matter of seconds, and make sure it all balances out.
I haven't actually looked at a bank statement in years.
We are almost all paperless for our bills. I think only one or two to go.
We are also getting away from paper reciepts. Text or email. And I just save online statements and bills to the computer.
Haven't used a check register in years. We have a running live balance we can match to our online login in a matter of seconds, and make sure it all balances out.
I haven't actually looked at a bank statement in years.
We are almost all paperless for our bills. I think only one or two to go.
We are also getting away from paper reciepts. Text or email. And I just save online statements and bills to the computer.
I'll often get a paper receipt just so I know I'll have it if needed. Given the level of service you sometimes get in stores and restaurants these days, it's good to know immediately what you were actually charged and have something that doesn't depend on technology. Consider too that some places will put an immediate charge on your card for their protection that can be several times what you actually spent at the time. Very common with gas stations and hotels. One well-known grocery chain places an immediate $150 charge on your card before you pump a drop of gas. Granted, it's a pending charge but something that makes you check to make sure only the correct amount actually hit your account. I noticed the hotel where the wife and I stayed this past weekend was like most by adding an incidentals amount to the initial charge to my card.
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Redmt
Well-known member
My wife also keeps a couple check registers. At 70+ she isn't/doesn't/won't trust online banking. I know that I've sent several guy here checks and received a few also. There's something about a hand written check that lends some credibility to the transaction. And no, I couldn't balance a check book.
mevertsen
Well-known member
Can't say I've ever seen this at a gas station.
Only hold I know of is on hotels. I just get them to email the receipt at the time of checkout, wait for the hold to clear, then go about my business. Less things to physically keep track of.
Of course we don't eat out very much. Add in text and email notifications from the bank for charges, and I look at my app as I charge, I dont see a need most times.
For example...
Groceries yesterday.... and animal feed..
Reciepts in my app for groceries, and text receipt from the feed store...
Honored as any paper receipt.
I'll admit it took me a while to get used to it. And my wife still gets paper receipts, which i am truong to break her of because it just adds clutter. But in all the years, I can only think of a few times I've bought something and had to dispute a charge. Lots of travel for medical stuff, hotel stays, etc.
One thing i am still leery of is gas stations, so we get cash most times for gas, but I am slowly becoming more comfortable with it with the chip card. Used my card yesterday, and the charge matched no problems.
I tried the phone pay years ago, and couldn't get on board with it. I saw a friend use it yesterday and I may try it again.
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kodiakisland
Well-known member
Back in the day that was the only way to know how much money was in your account, unless you forgot to write a check down.
Now it's so much easier to check daily online. I haven't kept a written balance in 15+ years.
Now it's so much easier to check daily online. I haven't kept a written balance in 15+ years.
I have seriously thought about no longer keeping a register but there's something about routinely reviewing and manually recording all expenditures that I have to believe creates a positive impact on spending decisions.
It also seems to fall in line with the fact that just writing down your goals significantly increases your chances in achieving them. It's something that seems to have helped me retire early being debt free.
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duckhunt
Well-known member
Being able to see actual numbers makes a world of difference to me.
Wildabeest
Well-known member
My mom was an accountant, so she instilled numerous OCD behaviors in us. Check registers was one of them. When my mom passed, we cleaned out the basement, and every bill she ever paid was boxed up and neatly organized, with the date, check # and amount written on the bill. Like 40 years worth!
I’ve now gone to the opposite extreme and have everything I possibly can setup on auto-pay and don’t keep a register since I only write about a dozen checks a year now.
I’ve now gone to the opposite extreme and have everything I possibly can setup on auto-pay and don’t keep a register since I only write about a dozen checks a year now.
My point wasn't so much to draw attention to people no longer writing checks but the potential benefits in manually keeping tabs on what goes out and what comes into a bank account. When writing a number down and seeing the impact it can be as if you're reliving the decision that led to the expenditure or credit.
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WildWill
Well-known member
I'm 35 and have written two checks my entire life. One was for my first year of home insurance the other a deposit for a outfitter hunt. I think I can remember them without a register.
pabearhunter
Well-known member
Have to have a check register.
