Throw Away that Checkbook Register - It's the Internet Generation

I was railing on my son the other day for not balancing his checkbook. I had handed him a bank statement that had just come in the mail, he said “Ah, just throw that away, I don’t need it”. Taken back I said “what do you mean, of course you do, how else would you know how much money you have in the account”? He said, “Haven’t you ever heard of the Internet”.

The twenty-something’s of today live on the information fast track. They get their news off of a screen, they wouldn’t dream of walking all the way to the end of the driveway in 20 degree, bone-chilling winter weather to collect a newspaper. They don’t use checks, they use plastic. They don’t go to the post office or buy stamps, opting instead for email, electronic transfers and pay-pal.

But there’s hope! Mind boggling free online financial services are available only mouse clicks away. Have three or four accounts at different banks, mutual funds or other investment accounts? No problem. All this information can be compiled in real time onto one easy-to-read screen.

And again, two of the best services are absolutely free of charge. Both Quickenonline.com and Mint.com offer fantastic services. After a quick no credit card sign-up, users can immediately enter their banking or investment institution, their electronic log-in to that institution and their password for the account.

The software does the rest on very secure servers, merging all banking and investment balances and transactions into one easy-to-read screen. The services are so flexible, current balance information can even be sent to your cell phone. Got that date and don’t know if it’s steak night or burgers, just send a few digits and your balance and last several transactions will show up on your phone.

Maybe my generation isn’t ready for such leaps and bounds, perhaps we’re not trusting enough of technology to let our banking information float through the boundless pulses of light that create our internet. But I suspect our prodigies are more than ready.

Check it out and see for yourself.

Julie Anne