Quicken slogfest

[cjsmith]

I've been busy and have fallen behind on stuff like Quicken. The self-flagellation finally got to be too much for me to take, and I got off (on?) my butt and started doing the work.

Yesterday: updated AND reconciled my checking account and its companion savings account from last June to the present.

Today:
1) Categorized every mystery ATM deposit. This is important; if the money came from, say, square dance calling, I need to report it on my taxes. Fortunately, I keep notes on everything. Unfortunately, this makes for a godawful big pile of notes to digest into Quicken. This step was time-consuming. This is one area where I actually think my pre-Quicken recordkeeping was a better system.
2) Updated cash. Gawd, I hate doing that, but every last bit of info is in. I'm only missing, oh, the equivalent of a week's wages. (Ugh.) That one hadn't been done properly since May. I suppose a week's wages missing since May isn't too bad, but I really want to keep better notes, otherwise what's the point?

I'm now working on the one credit card I use, which also hasn't been updated or reconciled since May. My goal is to finish that one tonight. Maybe I can even do the other credit card, which has very little activity.

Later:
Update my payroll form for the new 2x/mo pay period starting this year
The Rob account (he pays a lot of the bills and I pay him, and this keeps track)
Investment accounts (401(k)s and suchlike)
Debt accounts (eg mortgage)
Property accounts (eg car and house). Yeah, I'm a dweeb: I had an asset account for my car. Not any more, monkey boy! Now I need to wipe that out appropriately (linked with the ATM deposit of the check from State Farm) and make a new account for the new car.

*sigh* Enough procrastination...

Comments

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

I force myself to update all my personal books at least twice a month, if not every week. Had to form that habit when I found out that a mortgage payment I had made in 1987 FELL BEHIND A TABLE and never made it to the mortgage company. Mercifully, it was a payment on a bank trust (not a real mortgage)...I got a handwritten note from the person at the bank that I had...uh...neglected to make the Feb 1987 payment (this was April 1988), and would I be so kind as to catch up?

It skeert me enough that I made it a habit to do the updates, so that I can just review and pop the info out when it's tax time. I had stopped reconciling my bank statements, since I was 'flush with cash' at the time. Stupid me.

Oh, I actually found the stamped envelope containing the 2/87 payment sometime in 1989, when I was doing some major housecleaning. Sigh.

I commend you for snapping the whip on yourself!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, do I ever know the feeling! I have an illusion that I'm "safe" because I look for cleared checks online. That would have helped you in 1987, but it is certainly not a complete answer. It doesn't help at all when Rob and I are trying to figure out a budget so we know when we can (or can't) retire, nor does it help me with taxes!

The scariest thing I ever found while doing major housecleaning was a stock certificate. It was a really freaking big stock certificate, representing, oh, at least four months' salary. I just... found it one day. It was a couple years old. I about had a cow.

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

Yay CJ!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The credit card is reconciled up to December now. Not every transaction is categorized properly, but this is a good start.

I know the feeling

[mama-hogswatch.livejournal.com]

I've gotten months behind like that. God, it's a pain to get caught up.

As part of my daily routine after I get home from work these days, I update the online balances and do an auto reconcile.

I like that better for myself.

Re: I know the feeling

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I never had a routine quite that frequent, but I used to be much better with this stuff. When some Bad Things Happened last May, I chose to drop Quicken (among other things). Now I'm able to take it back on again.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

yay!!! go you!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Even if we didn't do this at the same time, it was still motivational to have the "company" in a sense.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

yes, definitely. and now that we're both basically caught up, it'll be so much easier to stay on top of it, no? i've been updating quicken any time i touch my checkbook (pay a bill, record my weekly paycheck, etc). not perfect, but MUCH better than all those months leading up to now.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, I'm nowhere NEAR caught up. The credit card is reconciled, but not every transaction is in the right category. It is incredible how long that takes.

Then there's the other credit card, the payroll form, the house, the mortgage, the retirement accounts... *BIG SIGH*

But that's okay. I will get it done and I will be very happy about it. And you're right: once we're caught up it's SO much easier to stay on top of it!