You can banish traditional checkpoint balancing forever. How? By taking advantage of your bank’s “between statements” record-keeping. It’s perfectly legit and accomplishes exactly same goal as statement balancing, but Instant Balancing is faster and simpler.

After all, point of checkbook balancing is to make sure your bank hasn’t made any mistakes . . . and/or that you haven’t. Either way, most people want to avoid bouncing checks or ever-embarrassing ATM “insufficient funds” message.

Hey, What About My Banking Software!

You say you have software for balancing your checkpoint? Get rid of it if all it does is balancing. This software compares bank records against its records and then you have to update your written checkbook records. These activities create way too much opportunity for error.

Things You Need for Instant Balancing

1. Your checkbook, written one. If you insist on keeping balancing program, then have program checking account ready to review also. If you only keep your transactions in your software program, make sure it’s up-to-date.

2. Internet access. A simple dialup connection works just fine. An Internet security program is a must.

3. Access to your checking account ONLINE. Why? Because you’ll need “any time” access to do Instant Balancing. If you don’t have this access, call your bank and find out how to get it. Ask for a web site name, and a username and password.

When To Do Instant Balancing

How often you Instant Balance depends on how many transactions you generate in a given time frame. The greater number of transactions, higher possibility of errors.

A guideline is to Instant Balance 1 to 2 weeks after last time you wrote a bunch of transactions, like after you’ve paid household bills. If your timing is good, you may not have any balancing to do at all!

6 Instant Balancing Tips

1. Use a calculator for checkbook additions and subtractions. Even if you’re a math wizard, you’ll make mistakes.

2. Because you may be logging onto internet account infrequently, you may forget your user name and password. Record information and put it in a safe place.

3. Your bank account internet access may time out after a certain number of minutes. Just log on again.

4. Most internet banks allow you to isolate transactions between certain dates. Use this feature – it cuts down on number of transactions to review.

Of course to many members of society - betting also carries a great big "loser" tag. This is not without justification since vast majority of sports bettors do lose. I would, however, estimate that percentage of "losers" would be equally high in world of stock trading and investment markets if you considered those individuals who entered that environment without necessary experience. Most people trust their savings and investment income to experts and no doubt if betting public trusted their income to 1% or 2% of betting experts who made a profit - loser label might become less sticky.

So what kind of returns can you expect? Anywhere between 18% and 22% on betting turnover (that money actually put through sportsbooks) annually. Of course this could vary greatly - years of 30% and 13% would also be possible. The laws of probability defy accurate annual estimates.

You will notice that I have not stated losing years - this is because they are rare - I have experienced one in my life time, my first. I am always aware of possibility but I am confident I will never experience one again - partly because of numerous hedging methods now available on sports betting exchanges. I wonder how many young people on Wall Street today can confidently say they will only have one losing year? There may be a handful, those engaging in arbitrage and those experienced in 'selling' as well as 'buying' market - but there won't be many.