Debt & why no one knows how to balance a checkbook
I have this friend o' mine who is always blaming her bank for going below her balance. This person claims they should have all pending checks, debits and the like in there at all times. I am sorry, there is no way for a bank to know you wrote a check until it gets cashed by someone else's bank. For realz. I learned how to balance a checkbook in 2nd grade when I learned to add and subtract. It's not that hard and it still blows my mind people go without balancing their checkbooks. As in they never do it! I know most people just use the famed online banking to help them through their financial issues. But seriously that's just a checks & balance system. It's not the end all be all. You need to keep a financial register of your finances. It's seriously so easy. I'll give you a step by step tutorial. You spend money, be it check, debit or autopay and then you subtract it from the total you had previously. Or if you get say a paycheck or you win the lottery you add that amount to the total. I have a serious amount of student loans; like almost 6 figures worth. But I have managed to simply pay each bill, each month and have even raised my credit score by 200 points in the last year. It so helps to pay loans that you've had since 2006; my credit score was shit! Shit, I tell you.
If you don't have issues with overdrawing your account, I guess keep using your system. But if you have to call the bank from some store before you make a purchase and then return the previous items from said shopping trip so you can pay for your next transaction. I think you need an intervention. Also, anyone have tips on how to give an intervention with someone of this nature? I'm not sure if its a lack of maturity or responsibility. Or it could be both. Adding and subtracting I tell you.
Lots of I tell yous are going on here. Lastly, a check register is free at any financial institution; they get soooooo excited when I ask for them every quarter (why not use money terms, eh?). So, just do it. I'm sorry Nike. I know you're a registered trademark.