I want a good, simple app that replicates a lined check register like in my checkbook. And no, I don’t write checks anymore, but I still have to enter purchases and payments since they come from my debit card.
I was using Simple Checkbook Ledger, which was perfect for my needs, but since I upgraded my phone to Pie, it’s not working properly. Once again, I’m not looking for fancy accounting software, just a simple lined checkbook.
I use Cashflow, there’s a free version with some ads, but the paid version is pretty cheap. You can add several accounts, exclude certain accounts from the balance totals, void checks, keep track of pretty much any financial account or transaction with it. I use it EXACTLY like a checkbook register.
That said, I don’t have the Pie update yet so I can’t speak to how it’ll work. But I’ve been using it since Android 6 with no issues at all.
Why not just use your bank’s app? You can track your purchases directly from you account. Sinve you’re not writing checks, the purchases will show up near-real time.
Could you just use a spreadsheet? Set up the columns you want, create a simple formula for the “running total” column, and voila…?
(I use Quicken, but only on my home computer; I get receipts for anything I need to remember to enter.)
This. See if your bank has an app, you should be able to see a up-to-the-minute list of deposits and withdrawals with the newest at the top and older as you go down, along with your current balance. Very recent charges may stay in a “Pending” section for a day or so but other than that, my bank’s app is great and I never bother balancing any more. I just check the entries every day or two to be sure they are correct.
Not every bank works that way. Mine doesn’t show pending Bill Pays in the balance/activity screen (either website or app) until they suck the $ out of my account at 2pm. Yes, they use one of the few major suppliers of core banking systems which means other banks do this too. If I enter a bill pay right now (15:40 EDT), it will only show in the pending bill pay screen until tomorrow at 14:00.
I’m old fashioned. I use the checkbook register app to write transactions that might not clear the bank for several days. If I know what I put in the register, it actually shows how much I have in the bank, then I use the app to see what has cleared. If I depend solely on the bank’s app, I might think I have more money than I actually do and accidentally overdraw my account.
Do you write that many checks in a day, or have that short of memory for this to be a problem? If you enter a bill right now, what’s going to happen between now and tomorrow at 1400 that would cause you to forget about that bill you just wrote and overdraft your account?
I suspect if you watch your bank’s app or online banking register you should see transactions pop up right away and your balance will adjust accordingly. YMMV depending on your bank.
For example if you go to a store and buy $20 worth of groceries, you should see that transaction pop up at the top of the list in the app and online banking under pending transactions, and I believe your balance should be adjusted accordingly.
I’d encourage you to watch the app/online banking register for a while and see how well it matches your manual register. You very well may not need a manual register at all if you just use credit/debit and don’t use checks.
I do have to write the occasional check. Some vendors just don’t take electronic payment. Checks don’t pop up in the app immediately. It could take days or weeks for a payee to deposit the check. I depend on the register to see what’s cleared the bank and what hasn’t. A register helps me to reconcile my account right down to the penny.
And even electronic payments like my rent, electricity, and gas payments can take a few days to show up.
Anyway, I didn’t start this thread to be told why I don’t need a check register. I do. I was asking for recommendations for good check register apps. Anybody who can recommend one is giving me the most helpful replies.