Today is the start of our Transaction Register series. Over the week we will be provide information on The Forgotten Transaction Register, What is a Transaction Register? and How to use a Transaction Register.
The Forgotten Transaction Register
Many Canadians today have fully embraced electronic payments and have retired their cheques. Canadians get paid by direct deposit; have pre-authorized payments for car, mortgage, and life insurance; cash withdrawals from ATM’s and make retail purchases with their Interac card.
These are numerous transactions that some of us may find a challenge to keep track of. Even though we have convenient access to on-line banking or telephone banking, some still find it difficult to record their transactions – how does one really know how much money is in their bank account and where it is going? Has that post-dated bill payment been deducted from the balance I see in my account?
If we reflect back to the cheque world we were provided with a “Transaction Register”. This was that little book where you recorded the balance of your account, you wrote down all the cheques and all the pre-authorized debits as well as any cash you withdrew from your account. Once upon a time we actually balanced our bank account to this register, a process that seems to have gone by the way side. The “Transaction Register” is actually still available today, but only if you use cheques – it is the best little budgeting tool available.
Continue reading “Forgotten Transaction Register”
