What is the best way to manage a bank account so that I never over draw?

I was thinking of having my Direct Deposit switched over to savings that way I have to move the money to checking before I use it and it may be easier to write down in the register. What do you think because I suck at banking I'm prolly the only one so don't cheap shot me aight, but I do need some advice.
What is the best way to manage a bank account so that I never over draw?
This is what my husband does.......After he deposits his check...and sits down to pay bills or balance the checkbook. If a bill is for instance....$24.32...he will write the check for that amount then write $30.00 in the checkbook. The bill gets paid and he has a buffer. But we dont think of it like that.....we don't think well...we have this amount to work with......There is never a change amount (.32 cents or .59 cents) in the check register........If you always over write the amount in your checkbook and make sure you write any ATM withdrawls.....then in a few months after getting your statements....you will have bonus money that you didnt even miss.......for us...because we have things like house payment of $750 , that we write in as $800 and a truck payment of $468, wrote in as $500.....thats $82.00 there that we dont touch....not to mention things like utilities and credit cards........in a years time...we had a bonus amount in our account of over $2000.00 that we can then use towards a vacation or anything else.......its fun and easy....my mother in law starting doing it too when she saw how to save money with out really trying. You dont think about it because your just paying bills.
Reply:What I always do is act like 50 that I have in the bank is already gone and figure it out that way. Then just keep track of what you spend. Also, you can use only cash. Withdraw a certain amount then when you're out, you're out.
Reply:Deposit $100 and start your balance at zero then there is always a cusion in case of over draw.
Reply:The best way for you is Don't over spend what you don't have in your bank account.
Reply:Always round the check amount to the next highest figure. when you enter it in the register. Like $23.15 becomes $24. A little bit at a time extra adds up as you go along.


If you are paid weekly, don't count the extra check you receive when a month has 5 weeks instead of 4. That way you will always have a little extra in the bank.
Reply:You have to ask your bank if they offer this feature (dip into your savings) and how much it costs when they do that. Each bank has different policies... it can also depend on what type of checking account you have set up there. So you need to call them.
Reply:My bank offers a couple of tools that might be helpful in this situation. They offer email alerts if my account drops below a specified dollar amount. This helps me know that I should transfer some money in from savings to avoid and overdraft. They also offer something called 'Checkguard' which is basically loans your account money temporarily in the case of an overdraft.
Reply:Keeping a positive balance, however you manage your funds is necessary.
Reply:I have the same problem. You have to balance your checkbook and write down any ATM/Debit withdrawal. It's a pain, but it's the only way. I use internet banking a lot too; it's an easy way to see where I'm at.
Reply:Using words like "aight" makes you appear uneducated and immature so it's doubtful anyone is going to be able to help you balance your checkbook.


It's not that difficult to not spend more than you have once you mature and learn responsibility. There is no magic trick to help you.
Reply:i don't think that's going to fix your overdraft problem. you have to working on your impulse to buy thing.





or you can split your direct deposit into both accounts, allow only certain amount in your checking and keep track of your spending. or use your debit card instead of writing a check, so it won't go thru if there's no money in the account
Reply:having your check split - put say 80% - 90% in your checking account, and have the other automatically direct deposited into your savings! That way if you overdraw you can have both accounts hooked up, so it'll come from your savings - that way you can avoid bounced check fees.


Also, balance your checkbook religously, and internet banking is awesome!
Reply:i know what you mean. i hate it when i over draw and they charge me a fee. i do the same thing you do, keep my money in savings until i need it. but you can make your account function so that u dont get the overdraft fee. you can make it so that...say u over-draw $20.00, instead of putting ur checking account in the negatives, it will just automatically take 20 dollars out of ur savings instead. they call it overdraft protection. you can also set it up so that it charges a credit card instead of taking it from checking, and then you just pay the bill.
Reply:always keep your checkbook balanced and immediately record every transaction (check, ATM, etc)
Reply:That may not be a bad idea. I would also make sure you keep your checkbook balanced at all times. I also would suggest quicken because that program is amazing for your finances.
Reply:Have a talk with your banker about overdraft protection - it's great.
Reply:Here's my suggestion:





1) Have the bank tie your Checking and Savings account together in an overdraft protection role. I bank at Compass and this is a free service that will transfer money from savings into your checking account if you ever overdraw.


2) Deposit $100 and don't record it in your check book register. This is your safety buffer. Now, the hard part, forget about the $100 being there. When you balance your checkbook to your bank statement, you should always be off by an even $100.


3) Use online banking for tracking your day to day balance and become more frugal as the balance decreases.


4) Get a check book system such as Quiken or MS Money which will help you track your accounts. These systems will also track automatic payments that you may sometimes miss. Also, my bank (Compass) has a download feature that down loads the bank statement directy to our Quicken system.





Hope this helps!
Reply:use cash