Balancing with the Bank

Each month we focus on one financial concept to help you take the lessons you learn while at Young Americans to your home.  This month we’re talking about “Balancing with the Bank.”

It is very important to keep track of your own transactions in your checkbook register, and then double check your register with the statement the bank sends you every month. Make sure all the checks and deposits that the bank is showing are correct, and that you haven’t missed recording any of those same deposits, checks, or withdrawals in your register.

What’s the point if the bank is keeping track? Look at the dates in the register, and the dates on the statement on the back. Most of the money for the checks wasn’t withdrawn from the bank account until a day or more later, meaning it took them a couple of days to ‘clear the bank’. If you were letting the bank do all the work, you could end up spending money you don’t have by mistake.

Also, people make mistakes, and that includes people that work at banks. It is YOUR money so you should know what is happening with it at all times.

Look at the example Check Register below and try to balance with the bank statement on the back.  Can you find any mistakes?

Come into Young Americans Bank for more Concept of the Month activities!