Unit 3: Balance Your Account

Take Time to Balance Your Account

Balancing your checking account each month will allow you to keep track of how much money you have, which will help you avoid overdrawing your account, catch any mistakes made by the credit union and identify unauthorized activity.

There are several ways to balance your account:

• Use your checkbook register
• Maintain your account online
• Online checking through your credit union’s website

Download PDF: Reconciling An Account - Part 1

Download PDF: Reconciling An Account - Part 2

Use Online and Mobile Banking Services

Online banking uses today's technology to give you the option of bypassing the time-consuming, paper-based aspects of traditional banking in order to manage your finances more quickly and efficiently. Credit unions offer useful tools through their online sites such as:

• Access statements, cancelled checks and transaction records 24-7-365
• Check account when you want, as often as you want
• Identify errors or unauthorized use of your account
• Account transfers
• View copies of cancelled checks
• Financial planning tutorials
• View credit card statements and pay your monthly bill online

Common Checking Account Mistakes

Sometimes even with the best of intentions, we do things that can lead to trouble. Be certain to avoid these common checking mistakes:

• You forgot to check your account balance before an automatic payment was withdrawn.
• You close your checking account by letting it go to a zero balance.
• You wrote a check for more than you have in your account.
• You post-dated a check and it was cashed early.

Download PDF: Keeping A Balance - Part 1

Download PDF: Keeping A Balance - Part 2

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