
Though balancing your checkbook in a rapidly growing digital age seems futile, it’s actually very important for your financial health! It’s a great way to keep track of your money in motion. If they match, then congratulations, you have a balanced checkbook!
Once every two weeks, log on to view your bank account and compare your online account’s balance to that which you have recorded in your checkbook. As you continue to make transactions, record them in your check register so that you have a running tally of your debits, credits, and total balance. Seldom will your bank statement and checkbook register agree. Continue doing this until you have recorded all of your transactions.
For each debit, subtract the amount of the transaction from your balance. Write down the date of the transaction and a brief description. These transactions include debits and credits, as well as any checks you may have written that have not yet been cashed out. Record any pending transactions you have on the way that haven’t been cleared yet. You’ll need to record this number in the top spot you use to log your transactions. This information can be found on either your bank’s website or through its mobile app. Find the “current available balance” in your checking account. With your bank statement in hand, you would compare your monthly transactions in your paper checkbook with those shown in your bank statement. See the detailed steps shown below the calculator. The total you calculate should match the current balance of your checkbook. Back in the olden days––we say that lightly––you would balance your checkbook at a specific time each month. To balance your bank statement and checkbook you will get the ending balance of your latest bank statement then add or subtract any transactions in your checkbook that have not been included on your latest bank statement.