Bills

I've spent the last two hours balancing our checkbook and paying bills. To have spent that much time you'd think that we were managing quite a fortune but, alas, it's just the our mundane middle class existence.

The reason for all of this bookkeeping is that we do so much electronically. Back in the day when most of our transactions were cash there was nothing to record. Now each trip to the supermarket is another receipt and another transaction to note. Maybe I'm being too rigourous but I like to know what is going out and coming in. In addition, some bills are paid auto-magically, some via electronic payment, and some by plain old check. The whole process seems out of control.

Tomorrow night I'll take care of my mother's bills and finances.

I did manage to do some good this evening. My company has a matching gifts program that matches dollar for dollar what I contribute. Our local library and NPR station will be a bit better off in a few days.