Convince me that I really need to check my account balance from time to time

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I know I should keep a tab on these things, but I just get Teh Fear when it comes to finding out. Especially cos today is money-coming-out day. What if I'm hyper-poor and have to live the next two weeks on next to nothing?

I *know* the ostrich approach is going to bite me eventually, but I'm just too good at putting stuff off.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 12:51 (twenty years ago) link

Suzy to thread!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 12:52 (twenty years ago) link

Do it when you're drunk.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 12:59 (twenty years ago) link

the fees you can incur for being overdrawn are enough motivation to make me check mine.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:00 (twenty years ago) link

You might be a Victim of Fraud and not know it.

I am a Victim of Fraud. All the letters from the bank have capitalised my Victimhood.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:02 (twenty years ago) link

better drunk and stoned, or preferably when recieving oral sex. You dont even have to get your signifigant other to neil down in front of a cash machine any more, what with this new inter-web gizzmo everyone is telling me about. Although, ya know, the in front of ATM option sort of rules.

― lukey (Lukey G), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:03 (twenty years ago) link

I am giving too much credence to lukey's idea.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:05 (twenty years ago) link

I can never understand this. I couldn't bear not knowing how my finances were doing. This kind of surprise I could do without.

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:06 (twenty years ago) link

oh christ - this is me to a T. I've gotten into serious trub in the past for not checking.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:07 (twenty years ago) link

Christ, how annoyingly adult.

xpost.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:07 (twenty years ago) link

It's just easier to stick my head in the sand and go and spend £100 on some cds, and hope that it's all ok. I don't *enjoy* it, but it makes my life a bit happier.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:08 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, if you check then a vague background worry could be replaced by an immediate, very specific worry.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:09 (twenty years ago) link

Do it when you're drunk.

OTM.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:09 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, I went through a phase where I didn't check my account balance, and didn't even know where my statements were going, but it was when I was a trustafarian. It wasn't until my account dipped below five figures that I suddenly went "Holy shit, you mean I've spent WHAT on drink in a year?" and got my statements sorted.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:10 (twenty years ago) link

because your bank might be nat10nsbank, and they might suck so badly that they allow someone to walk up to a teller and withdraw $500 from your account 'by accident'

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:11 (twenty years ago) link

Care to explain why me to thread, Kate, or would my relative silence on financial stuff explain why the subject might be TOO PRIVATE for here?

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:13 (twenty years ago) link

I never check my balance. I know this is bad, it's not a conscious thing, it just never occurs to me to do so. Only when I pay my rent online do I see what I've got, and that's only because I didn't set up a standing order!

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:15 (twenty years ago) link

Christ, how annoyingly adult.
Was that aimed at me?

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:19 (twenty years ago) link

Yep. Sorry.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:19 (twenty years ago) link

Sorry, Suzy, I thought that since this was a matter that you had had some experience with, that you might be able to offer some useful and very serious advice on.

I didn't want to be so presumptuous as to post details in case it might be "TOO PRIVATE" - but you might be able to share some experiences that proves it is not a laughing matter to trust your bank with regards to your account balance.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:21 (twenty years ago) link

So you should be. Being 28 & having a mortgage [read life] means that the money I do have needs to be watched.

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:23 (twenty years ago) link

Renton not to thread then :)

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:26 (twenty years ago) link

Do it when drunk? I don't understand that notion - why ruin a nice, happy drunken high with the huge comedown of actually being skint?

― ___ (___), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:28 (twenty years ago) link

Especially if your skint because of the drunken high...

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:29 (twenty years ago) link

I find as long as I've got enough for a couple more, I don't care until the morning.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:29 (twenty years ago) link

YOU'RE. Jeez

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:30 (twenty years ago) link

I think it's more along the lines of "you won't care how broke you are if you're drunk!"

I don't get it, though. Even if I'm skint, I want to know exactly how skint I am. Like, am I "walk instead of taking the bus" skint or am I "ramen noodles for the next week" skint.

Because I check my bank balance really regularly, and peruse my statements religiously, I rarely get that skint any more.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:31 (twenty years ago) link

I really have to grow up one of these days. Maybe when I'm 30.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:33 (twenty years ago) link

Bah, I hate you all. Except you, Wooden. It's me and you versus sense.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:34 (twenty years ago) link

It's really too long to go into here and in any case will bring me out in RAGE. My problem was not so much account balance as not being sent statements for nine months after moving, despite APPEARING IN PERSON to change the address which I watched a personal banker enter into the Bank's computer. Still suffering some knock-on as a result.

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:35 (twenty years ago) link

Dog Latin and I are also against sense. I havenm't even opened a statement in about a year. I do occasionally check my balance at the teller though. I got paid the other day!

― Jimmybommy JimmyK'KANG (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:37 (twenty years ago) link

ILX vs Sense FITE

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:46 (twenty years ago) link

I check at least once a week online. Besides ensuring what cash one does have, it's always gratifying to see the 'credit card balance - $0.00' there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:47 (twenty years ago) link

I like the anti-sense approach too. The basic fact is to time every important payment to coincide with pay day, and then just ride with it!

(this is not guaranteed to be good for ones health)

― ___ (___), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:48 (twenty years ago) link

And you work for a bank, Trip?

I'm *never* getting a mortgage there if this is the sort of financial sense you advise!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:49 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah - I work for a bank. To be quite honest, I would never recommend this behaviour. But then again - I really don't spend all that much, so it isn't exactly that much of a concern.

Though the "I don't want to see the balance I shouldn't go and spend" thing wouldn't go down well in this, I reckon. But for the meantime it is fine with me.

Keeping a track on a balance is a really hard notion that a lot of people really struggle with, and I understand why, although it is really not wise.

― ___ (___), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 13:58 (twenty years ago) link

More worryingly, I know someone who is about to become an IFA who doesn't have a bank account!

― ___ (___), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:01 (twenty years ago) link

I never ever ever check mine. Except I did yesterday, and I had about $2,000 more than I thought I did!

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:06 (twenty years ago) link

Good heavens, Mandee! You should share to charitable causes ~~like us~~.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:07 (twenty years ago) link

If you've got one of those "check cards" tied to your checking account, that uses the MasterCard and Visa networks, you should check your balance often, especially if you use it more like a credit card than an ATM card. Unlike with credit cards, the money you could lose if someone lays hands on your number is real, and really difficult to get back.

― rasheed wallace (rasheed wallace), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:23 (twenty years ago) link

I don't think it's that difficult. My check card got stolen on my first visit to Spain 3 years ago, and the bank pretty quickly reimbursed me for the loss.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:24 (twenty years ago) link

Might be just my bank then -- this happened to me last year and I had some headaches with the "customer care" reps. In any case, it's something to be mindful of (dodgy deli ATMs being good to avoid, for example).

― rasheed wallace (rasheed wallace), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:27 (twenty years ago) link

A few years ago I went for 7 months without checking my current account - I was in full time work and thought I was doing okay, though I was a bit annoyed how I always seemed to be a bit down by the end of the month. No worries - I just tightened my belt a little, became more cautious and avoided going too far into debt.

Anyway, eventually I get round to checking. Turns out I was feeling the pinch because my flatmate hadn't paid her rent for 7 months. On the plus side, I got a cheque for more than £2,000 that was effectively like free money!!

On the minus side, I went and did exactly the same thing a year later. I am teh dick.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:50 (twenty years ago) link

hey everyone, let's post our balances here...

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:55 (twenty years ago) link

I've never balanced a checkbook before, which horrifies my mother. But I'm like, "Hey, I don't know shorthand either, and I don't know how to work a mimeograph either..." and about twenty other things that NOBODY DOES ANYMORE and she leaves me alone.

I don't even know where my checkbook is, actually. Hmm.

― andy, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 16:12 (twenty years ago) link

Five days out of seven I'm not sure where mine is either. Right now it's someplace. No problem. There's a box of checks in the desk.

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 2 September 2004 02:20 (twenty years ago) link

OMG are you people all swimming in money or something!?!?

I live fortnight to fortnight on my pay - every cent goes on rent, bills, food and the usual expenses. I have no savings and a credit card I try not to use anymore.

You cant overdraw accounts here, if they run out of money you are broke (unless you maybe had a special mortgage acct or something I guess). Thus if I dont know more or less what I have at least every 3 days or so, I could be in serious shit.

I am actually quite suprised at some of the casual "oh whatever, I never check" comments. I guess I'm poorer than I realised :/

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 02:28 (twenty years ago) link

FWIW having said all that I do all banking online, so I never look at the posted paper statements (dont know why they even send 'em any more)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 02:29 (twenty years ago) link

That'll cease soon enough. Heck, I can remember when they used to send your cancelled checks back.

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 2 September 2004 02:38 (twenty years ago) link

trayce I live paycheck to paycheck too. It sucks.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 2 September 2004 02:42 (twenty years ago) link

Tell me about it :( Mind you if I got a cheaper place to live and stopped spending so damn much on booze and smokes (smokes are $10 a packet in Australia) then I'd have more money, haha. Ahh :(

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:14 (twenty years ago) link

They're getting up there around here - you can routinely end up spending 7.50 in LA if you're not careful.

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:27 (twenty years ago) link

Cigs are taxed heavily here, supposedly to put people off smoking, hhyeah right thats why they tax booze and gambling too innit. Why dont they just leagalise weed and tax that too? Gah.

Er... got a bit off track there soz.

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:29 (twenty years ago) link

don't be an economic girlyman

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:31 (twenty years ago) link

Well seeing as I'm a girl thats a tad difficult ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:32 (twenty years ago) link

I can't find a cheaper place to live because I can't afford to save up to move.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:34 (twenty years ago) link

plus this is NYC who am I kidding "cheaper place to live" my ass.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:34 (twenty years ago) link

You probly pay more in rent for a shoebox than I am for a 2brm apartment, and my friends are horrified at what I pay ($260p/w AUD)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:35 (twenty years ago) link

Dear God! I'm paying half of $1300/mo, and that's for a small-place in Koreatown.

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:36 (twenty years ago) link

actually I've got a kick-ass apartment, it's totally huge and cheap (by comparison) for what it is.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:39 (twenty years ago) link

but it's still a lot of money.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:39 (twenty years ago) link

I check my chequing account at least once a week and any other account monthly/quarterly depending on type.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:42 (twenty years ago) link

Oh, the $260 )=(1120 p/m) I pay is all up, its split btwn me and my partner, but his jobs in a rough patch at the mo so not much money's comin' in. WIth my possible redundancy looking I'm kinda worried.

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 2 September 2004 03:45 (twenty years ago) link

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