How do I go about balancing my checkbook?

Question

What are ways or steps I should use to balance my checkbook?

Over the past year or so, I've been keeping all of my receipts whenever I used my bank card. I need to go back an line things up with my statements, expense receipts and check register.

Do you all do anything to help keep your check book balanced? How would you approach this matter?

Answer 1

This is simple.

Every time you deposit money, you add it, every time you pay money in a bill, or withdraw it, you subtract it in your check register.   You should get a statement each month(sometimes its electronic), and you simply check your register against the statement, and then research differences.  Its not any harder then that.

Answer 2

I keep tabs of my bank transactions online. It shows all of my debit/check purchases as well as deposits and withdraws. I just make sure everything is on there.

Answer 3

You should have been recording all of your debit purchases and withdrawals in your check register as you go, and then balancing the check book every month.  You balance it the same way you would with a normal, checks only account.  Start with the latest closing balance.  Add up all the deposits in your register that haven't shown on your statement and add to the closing balance.  Then add up all the withdrawals (checks, debits, etc.) that aren't on the statement and subtract this from the last total.  This should equal your present checking balance.  If it doesn't, you missed something somewhere, added wrong, or made some other mistake.