Comments on: Eh, the checkbook’s close enough! http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/ Personal finance, commentary, and spending less the easy way Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:23:30 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: m@ http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-913 m@ Wed, 08 Mar 2006 15:53:25 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/#comment-913 The best tip to go along with #4 and #5 is Flex Spending Account reimbursements. Tax free (well, going in) savings. The best tip to go along with #4 and #5 is Flex Spending Account reimbursements. Tax free (well, going in) savings.

]]> By: mbhunter http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-907 mbhunter Wed, 08 Mar 2006 07:50:42 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/#comment-907 Thanks for the comments samerwriter! I like the idea of putting things in savings first then withdrawing from there. We have ours put directly into checking, but we also have a number of automatic payments each month. We're more comfortable with the money in the right account by default. Usually when I deposit "extra" money from rebates, etc., it does go into the savings account. Thanks for the comments samerwriter! I like the idea of putting things in savings first then withdrawing from there. We have ours put directly into checking, but we also have a number of automatic payments each month. We’re more comfortable with the money in the right account by default.

Usually when I deposit “extra” money from rebates, etc., it does go into the savings account.

]]> By: samerwriter http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-905 samerwriter Wed, 08 Mar 2006 07:37:29 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2006/03/08/eh-the-checkbooks-close-enough/#comment-905 I'm not a big fan of any of those ideas except #10 (pay yourself first and last). I think this really is a superset of #8 and #9; we set our budget, and keep everything above and beyond the budget in savings (actually all our money is direct deposited to our savings account, and we withdraw $X per month to cover our budget). Most of the other ideas seem to complicate matters -- like your wife, I wouldn't be willing to not have my checkbook balance. How do you make sure you didn't miss an expenditure or deposit that way? I also have a general concern with account cushions in that they remove the downside of "going negative" in your account. That is, it's too easy to rely on the cushion. I’m not a big fan of any of those ideas except #10 (pay yourself first and last). I think this really is a superset of #8 and #9; we set our budget, and keep everything above and beyond the budget in savings (actually all our money is direct deposited to our savings account, and we withdraw $X per month to cover our budget).

Most of the other ideas seem to complicate matters — like your wife, I wouldn’t be willing to not have my checkbook balance. How do you make sure you didn’t miss an expenditure or deposit that way? I also have a general concern with account cushions in that they remove the downside of “going negative” in your account. That is, it’s too easy to rely on the cushion.

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