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I got my first checking account back when I was 17 years old.
This account was fully functional with a debit/credit card along with a check book.
I never really liked the idea of writing checks… nor did I like the idea of keeping balances…
So after running out of checks… I never ordered more… and if I wanted to know the balance of my account…
I would go to an ATM and check balance inquiry.
It was simple… easy… and paperless!
Looking back… I was actually doing the earth a favor going paperless! 😉
Now I must admit with my 11 years of owning a checking account and my personal accounting system I have only been over drawn twice…
And once my card was declined at a gas station because I only had $0.83 in my account…
Now that I’m older and more mature…
My accounting system is brilliant…
Without  balancing anything or going to balance inquiry at the ATM I know very close to what my totals are in each of my accounts…
Why?
Because I have the exact same expenses every single month…
Therefore I know how much I will be saving… and how much my accounts should increase each month.
Now I do logon to my online banking at least once per week to monitor my account to see if there are any fraudulent purchases…
And the only time my account doesn’t do what I want it to (which is go up)is during racing season… paying for travel, hotel, races, food, gear etc does take its toll on the account but like I said
I know it’s coming…
I share this info with you because Cassie is completely opposite…
She checks… balances… checks again… balances… keeps receipts… files them away after checking and balancing yet again.
Her receipts are nice and neat easily accessed… ready to be viewed and used
Mine are strung throughout the house… kitchen table… desk… jean pockets… oh and don’t look in my car and don’t even think about my glove box and mid console!
So a few weeks ago she asked me in a very serious voice “Ryan how are we going to do our finances? Do we want joint accounts or separate? Who will pay for what? How we balance our funds?”
It took me about a half a millisecond to respond…
“Cassie I will keep my receipts and give them to you for our joint checking account”
Let’s be real…
The amount of stress, based on my disorganization, I would bring to Cassie’s life… well I don’t even know how to explain it…
But I can explain the alternative…
It would be so much easier for me to just…
-get an index card box
-put it in my car…
-put my receipts inside it…
-hand receipts to her every night
That is actually stress free for me… and all it would take would be creating a new habit!
I create a new habit… she is not stressed… we both WIN!!!
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