Achieving Balance

Am I the only person left on earth who balances her checkbook every month?

A corollary - am I the only person who records every transaction that I make?

The reason I bring this up is because many of my friends and family members do not seem to record all of their transactions. I still do. But I keep running out of space in my check register. And getting another one seems to be more trouble than it should be.

In the old days, I wrote a lot of checks. I have never been one to carry cash. So when I shop, I would write checks. Usually, you get one check register per box of checks. That's 250 checks. When I was writing a lot of checks, one register for 250 checks was enough. The check register would fill up about the same time as I needed new checks. A balance was achieved.

Now, between online bill pay and my debit card, I write very few checks. But I still record each transaction. Except now I don't have enough space in my check register, since the check people are still only providing one check register per box of checks and, since I write very few checks, I have no reason to reorder checks and so I don't get more check registers. The balance has been lost.

I have picked up a few check registers at the bank - well, actually the mini-bank at the grocery store - I haven't been inside a real bank in a long time. But it's annoying to have to keep getting check registers from them. Can't I just order more online somewhere? Apparently not.

Maybe I need to move to using Quicken or Excel or some other system to record my banking transactions. Except that I'm not always in front of my computer when I buy things. So I would still feel like I wanted to write down the transactions as they happen. Hence the need for a check register. Or two. Or three. Or four. Per box of checks. Because I almost never write checks.

And I need my balance! (pun intended)