A closer look at your money
Where did it go?
Start with the records.
Check one bank statement at a time. Start with the balance at the beginning, add the money that came in, and take away the money that went out. Does that match the balance at the end?
You can type the entries or open a CSV file on this device. Check which columns contain the dates, descriptions and amounts before using a file. Nothing is sent to MTA or your instructor. Saving on your device is optional. Leave out account numbers, passwords and identity documents.
Use one checking or savings statement in US dollars. Use completed entries shown on the statement, with their posted dates, rather than payments still pending or the bank app’s available balance. Keep credit cards, loans and investments separate. This is a learning tool, not a professional audit or a finding of fraud.
Check regular bills and debt, too.
Keep a private list of what you owe, regular bills, interest rates and due dates. Note any records you still need to find.
Opening the private worksheet…
Saving is optional and keeps one current worksheet of this type. Starting a new worksheet or opening a file replaces that copy; save separate files to keep previous work. If a changed saved copy is detected in another tab, automatic saving pauses. Save files of both the open version and the device-saved copy before selecting device saving again; that choice replaces the saved copy with this open worksheet. Other people using this browser profile can open saved work. Clearing site data may remove it. Keep a separate file before leaving; browser Back, closing a tab or switching apps may not show a warning.
This keeps the copy stored in this browser when you select download, which may differ from your open entries. Use Save a worksheet copy below to keep the open version too. Each file must be reopened in its matching tool; this action does not switch versions or resume saving.
Start with one statement.
First time here? Try the made-up example. You can review it before replacing any open work.
Go to example and file options
Using your own record? Enter its dates and balances below, then add its posted transactions. Check the difference and write one fact to investigate.
Read a transaction CSV locally.
Use a comma-separated bank export or the fictional CSV example. The file stays in this browser. No transaction list changes until you apply the preview. Starting, opening, undoing or redoing a worksheet clears any pending CSV read or preview.
One deposit account, posted transactions only. UTF-8 text, no larger than 1,000,000 bytes, a header row, at most 500 records and 60 columns. Dates require the format you select. Amounts use a decimal point; correctly grouped thousands commas and a leading $ are supported. Signed amounts may use a minus sign or parentheses. Other formats are rejected for correction.
Do the bank numbers add up?
Fill in or correct the marked statement details and entries before using the totals.
Enter a valid statement start and end date, with the end on or after the start.
Enter both statement balances, including 0 when appropriate. Use up to two decimal places; a minus sign is allowed for an overdraft.
Items to investigate
Flags identify entries to review, not findings of fraud. No row is automatically removed or changed.
- Add a safe reference to the statement used. Enter the statement source reference
Use this check with your budget.
This private summary brings together the numbers you entered, items to check and your notes. Totals stay hidden while required entries need correction. Compare the summary with your original records before using it with your budget.
Compare one expense with your plan
Start with one item, such as groceries. Keep your original records and plan beside you.
- Check the dates. Compare the same month. A statement may cover different dates, and one account may show only part of the household’s spending.
- Check the entries. Find the payments that belong to that item and compare them with the original records. Include relevant cash payments and other accounts. Leave amounts you cannot explain marked as unknown.
- Count the cost once. Moving money between your own accounts is a transfer. A credit-card payment may pay for purchases already recorded elsewhere. Trace the records before counting the same purchase again.
- Revisit the existing plan item. Compare the checked amount with what you planned. If you decide to change the plan, edit that item rather than adding the statement total as another cost. Save a copy of the earlier plan first if you need to keep it.
- Choose one next step. Write what changed or which record you still need to check. You can keep this question in the follow-up notes, then open the budget separately.
A made-up example: You planned $350 for groceries. After checking the same month’s records, you find $370 in grocery costs. $370 − $350 = $20 more than planned. Ask what changed and what your next plan should reflect. These figures do not set a target for your household.
This is a way to use the existing tools. No figures are copied into the budget, and the statement’s ending balance is not a spending allowance.
Try this with made-up figures (new tab)This opens a separate practice page. It does not copy or change your worksheet. Switch back to the original tab to keep working.
Write a follow-up questionThe budget opens separately. No figures are transferred or added automatically. A text summary is a reading copy; use Save a worksheet copy to reopen and edit your statement worksheet later. Keep copies private.
Printing opens your browser’s print menu; choose a printer or Save as PDF if available. A printed copy is for reading. Choose Save a worksheet copy to reopen and edit it later. Keep both copies somewhere you control.
Need a hand?
Ask Ed or a class leader to walk through the fictional example with you. You do not need to share your finances.
For class feedback, describe the tool and the step that was confusing. Leave out names, financial figures and worksheet files.
Choose class feedback (new tab)
Save a copy before switching apps. The link opens separately and sends no worksheet data. Choose the materials you used. Feedback is voluntary and cannot arrange a personal reply.
Check the rest of the household picture.
Check which months your pay records, bank statements, bills, debt statements and savings records cover. Check each checking or savings account separately. Money moved between your own accounts is a transfer, not new income. Match both sides so the same money is not counted twice.
Compare regular bills, fees, debt balances, interest rates and payment terms with the original records. Leave unknown figures marked as unknown. Use your notes to separate what you checked, what you are still trying to explain, and which record to find next.
The numbers above cover only this one account and statement period. Debt, credit cards, investments, taxes and legal questions need their own records and, when needed, professional help. Keep those records private.