MSE Forum Poll: How often do you check your bank balance?

MSE_JC

Knowing how much is in your coffers can help you stay on top of your finances. But how frequently do you take a peek?

Are you a routine checker? Do you only look before/after a big purchase? Just before/after payday?

Vote in the poll then share your thoughts in the thread.

El_Torro

I sum up all my savings and investments once a month, usually on pay day. I also pay off my credit card on pay day, I avoid using debit cards for purchases. Not much point for me in checking more frequently than that.

enthusiasticsaver

I check my balances daily and then do a budget reckon up by the end of the month checking on outgoing expenditure for following month, moving spare money to savings etc etc. All our credit cards are set to pay off in full near the beginning of the month so I check on those too. I then also spend a bit of time mid month after all our pensions are paid off and money moved into savings etc to figure out upcoming expenditure for holidays, car and house expenses etc etc and move money out to family for gifts.

twopenny

Hmm I used to do all that when I was working.

In those days it was fun looking at savings and easy to move them around for the best rates but now they aren't chasing the customer so much there's tight control by the institutions and rise in the cost of living I have to go with the flow.

Now I'm a well established pensioner I have the same limited income, savings in longish term ISAs so I can only spend what I have.

Always been MSE. Would be nice to splurge now and then

brewerdave

Started daily checking of bank balances and credit card items a few years ago after having attempted fraud on both credit cards in the space of two months !!

Jemma01

Daily. I have a current account separate from my income account, I only put little there, so I'm always making sure it doesn't overdraft. It also helps me manage my spendings and budget, so if I don't have the money there, I need to wait until next month. But sometimes I need to transfer, like this month DVLA payment went out, last month was insurance, next month is MOT and service, July is taxes and things that aren't monthly. Never used to do that before, but since my account is very low on funds I do keep an eye.

Also not been able to move payment dates to the first day of the month, it's been irritating me.

Brie

I have a couple of accounts I almost never check because someone else is looking after them. I also have ones that I monitor via a spreadsheet that helps me track income and standard expenses and should it show there is a large amount going to be paid out (large credit card bill etc) then I will double check. That happens a couple of times a month and being trigger means I check on all the credit cards at the same time.

BridgetTheCat

although it’s not so much checking the balance as checking that payments have come in or gone out, and that nothing unexpected is happening with any of my cards

Arctos

Apart from the monthly statement which I do check, much depends on transactions. I always check when I'm online banking, which is usually if I'm making a transfer to someone or to check regular payments [pensions, council tax etc.] We don't spend much or often and only use cards on a single bank account - so it's kept simple. So, some months about fortnightly, others four of five times a month.

Nasqueron

Checking balance = rarely because it always has £0 in it as my easy access cash is in savers earning interest and I move it in the day before bills are due!

Rob5342

I check mine about 4 times a day as a minimum, and whenever I have spent anything so it can be 15 times a day if I'm on holiday. It takes about 2 seconds in my banking app so it has become as routine as checking the time.