topic Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily in Credit Cards

Checking Credit Card Accounts Several Times Daily

DI — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:02:53 GMT

I find myself logging into my 11 credit cards, checking and savings account several times a day( as long as I'm at my office or home computers). It's like an addiction. I also check my EQ and EX reports daily since I get free access. I have no reasons for checking my information constantly. It's not like activity on the accounts are changing throughout the day.

Is it possible I'm suffering from identity theft phobia?

Message Edited by DI on 12-03-2009 09:43 PM

Message Edited by DI on 12-05-2009 02:02 PM

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Gibran — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:46:16 GMT

WOW! I thought I was the only one doing that that's like the first thing I do when I get into the office, I log into all my accounts, It's almost like I'm expecting to see something different..

FICO EQ:627 TU:673 EX:649 PLUS

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:52:37 GMT

It's more likely that you're suffering from I've-done-a-bunch-of-credit-hunting-and-now-I'm-having-to-do-credit-gardening-for-a-while-and-I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-all-this-energy neurosis.

When you've done a planned and targeted attack on credit, and you've succeeded in most of your goals, it can be hard to know what to do with yourself afterwards. This is actually a tamer version of what military personnel go through when they come back home from active duty. They're used to being on guard 24/7, and it's really hard to just settle back and let things be.

It might be time to pick up a second hobby. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging what you have by compulsive tweaking. I believe you've already done the CLI bit, right?

eta: I still check all my accounts, credit and banking, once daily, and I balance my checkbook daily. But just once. I'd hate to have anyone think that I was nutty, or something!

Message Edited by haulingthescoreup on 12-03-2009 07:52 PM

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

DI — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:54:28 GMT

By the way...I also check my budget spreadsheet daily. I do all the account checking while at work.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

MarineVietVet — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:56:42 GMT

It's not like activity on the accounts are changing throughout the day.

Probably not but I see nothing wrong in checking all my accounts everyday. That might be a little excessive but I prefer that method as opposed to looking at all of them once a month or less often as some do and as I used to do.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:58:11 GMT

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ADHD, and I have to see, and touch, and feel, and taste things over and over before I believe that I've really done what I meant to do.

It can be pretty exhausting, which is why I do as much as possible on line, with a rigid calendar for a guideline. Otherwise, i'd be a complete fruitcake.

I'm all about KISS (keep it simple, stupid.)

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

DI — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:08:01 GMT

I have all my accounts bookmarked in a folder on my computers. So that help keep things simple for me. But sometimes when the computers I use doesn't hold my username and passwords it causes a big mess. I forget the username and password associated with a particular account. Unfortunately, I was not able to use the same username and passwords for more than 11 accounts. So one of the benefits of logging into my account everyday is to help me remember my passwords for the accounts. I do not write them down anywhere.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

MarineVietVet — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:09:52 GMT

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ADHD, and I have to see, and touch, and feel, and taste things over and over before I believe that I've really done what I meant to do.

Let's see. My keys are lined up large to small with all of them turned the same way. The bills in my wallet (when I have any ) are all facing left, sorted by denomination and all turned exactly the same way. The shirts in my closet are separated with short sleeve on the left and long sleeve on the right, all facing to the left. The laces on my shoes are all left over right.

HELP!!! LOL

We all have our crosses to bear. I understand completely.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

laz98 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:24:31 GMT

DI, you & i seem to handle our finances exactly the same way! i check everything daily, typically 3 times.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:48:55 GMT

marinevietvet wrote:

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ADHD, and I have to see, and touch, and feel, and taste things over and over before I believe that I've really done what I meant to do.

Let's see. My keys are lined up large to small with all of them turned the same way. The bills in my wallet (when I have any ) are all facing left, sorted by denomination and all turned exactly the same way. The shirts in my closet are separated with short sleeve on the left and long sleeve on the right, all facing to the left. The laces on my shoes are all left over right.

HELP!!! LOL

We all have our crosses to bear. I understand completely.

You sound kinda OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder.) I only wish I had that level of drive and organization. I just live with panic just around the corner, and I've learned for self-preservation that some things have to be done.

That being said, all my clothes go on hangers with the hook facing the same way, and I take a half hour to eat a bag of peanut M&M's due to the necessity of keeping the colors balanced out. So maybe we're closer than I thought!

btw, it's probably not a good sign that one of my favorite movies is "As Good As It Gets." I'd like to think that I'm the Carol Connelly character, but in my darker days, I suspect I'm closer to Melvin Udall. Minus the hair dye, of course.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Watchmann — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:07:39 GMT

DI wrote:
I do all the account checking while at work.

If you are doing all the account checking 3 times a day (11 accounts), plus work on your budget spreadsheet at work, it probably means you are wasting 1-2 hours per day (12-25% of the work day), and that's ignoring other stuff that you may be doing during the day (myFICO, ebay, Amazon, other sites). Perhaps your employer is fine with that, but if I was a company I'd think that is a little excessive. Not judging your case, just an observation in general.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:45:58 GMT

@Gibran wrote:
WOW! I thought I was the only one doing that that's like the first thing I do when I get into the office, I log into all my accounts, It's almost like I'm expecting to see something different..

FICO EQ:627 TU:673 EX:649 PLUS

I'm also guilty of this. I've been seriously thinking about trying to find a support group LOL Or even someone else in my area to yap about credit to. My family and friends are getting pretty tired of hearing about it. =/

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

MarineVietVet — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:53:45 GMT

You sound kinda OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder.)

Have you been reading my VA file?

There are lots of Vietnam vets just like me.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:14 GMT

haulingthescoreup wrote: btw, it's probably not a good sign that one of my favorite movies is "As Good As It Gets." I'd like to think that I'm the Carol Connelly character, but in my darker days, I suspect I'm closer to Melvin Udall. Minus the hair dye, of course.

I quote Melvin Udall to DW frequently. It drives her bananas, but that's why I do it! Everybody needs a hobby!!

Woman: "How do you write women so well?"

Melvin: "I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability."

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Jazzzy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:04:01 GMT

Well...I feel pretty darn "normal" right now...

I check my credit card accounts once each morning. I track my balances and payments due on an Excel spreadsheet. I check investment accounts weekly.

That's it. Wow.

I will say, however, that just in the past month I've found 3 annual automatic renewal charges on things we don't need anymore (computer antivirus, TurboTax, etc.). I HATE having things automatically renew annually, and I've cancelled and gotten refunds on all of them. I never used to be that on top of things. In the old days, I'd have looked at the statement at the end of the month, seen an annual charge like that, and think, "Crap. I have to get that stopped before next year." Now...I do it right away.

What my checking accounts has done is ruin practically any surprise my poor husband tries to pull off. Around my birthday, I'm checking accounts and ask, "Did you charge something at......??" Poor guy. He picked our least-used card to use and thought I wouldn't pay attention to it because we don't use it.

No more surprises for me.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

DI — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:48:26 GMT

@Watchmann wrote:
DI wrote:
I do all the account checking while at work.
If you are doing all the account checking 3 times a day (11 accounts), plus work on your budget spreadsheet at work, it probably means you are wasting 1-2 hours per day (12-25% of the work day), and that's ignoring other stuff that you may be doing during the day (myFICO, ebay, Amazon, other sites). Perhaps your employer is fine with that, but if I was a company I'd think that is a little excessive. Not judging your case, just an observation in general.

You are 100% incorrect. It only take me less than 10 seconds to glance over each account. Also, I get breaks and I'm more than capable of multitasking.

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:17:04 GMT

Same here. Check the budget spreadsheet, check the cards, setup bill pay and check the investments each day. I pay down cards several times a month. Somehow I'm only obsessed with CRA checks when I'm on an app'ing spree. Otherwise, I manage to let Scorewatch and/or Creditchecktotal tell me if something strange has come up.

My other obsession is checking all my online high interest checking accounts since most cap the high interest at $25k. Making sure I get enough debits and ACH's in each month to qualify for the high interest and make sure I move some money around if I'm close to the $25k limits to ensure I maximize the monthly interest. It use to be more fun at 5 and 6%. Now 1.75-2% is pretty **bleep** good.

Message Edited by cantex on 12-04-2009 11:17 AM

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:30:27 GMT

I have all my accounts on Quicken on line. I check on them once a day and leave it at that. I balance my check book each morning. Since I had my Debit Card compromised earlier this year I find that I do pay more attention to my accounts. I try not to perseverate over them too much though.

Oh yea, I always eat my french fries in pairs, largest to smallest.

Cheers!

Message Edited by charliebrown1370 on 12-04-2009 11:30 AM

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

BungalowMo — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:54:31 GMT

Oh jeez...I check all mine every day too! All my cc accts, all my banking...make sure it is what it should be. I also got rid of every auto renewal. If I want it, I will buy it!

I also stole HTSU's idea for my accts in my bookmark list. Instead of the link being called "the mile long oddly named link", it says "Chase 12" as in, Chase visa - statement cuts on the12th!! So I don't have to continually go & look back at the statement dates. They are all like that & it's SOOOO Helpful!!!

And the credit reports...if I could get a new one more than once per day...I'd have several!!!

We're all in the same boat....FICO-Holics to the Nth degree!

Re: Checking Credit Cards Accounts Several Times Daily

Woolfman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:03:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I have all my accounts on Quicken on line. I check on them once a day and leave it at that. I balance my check book each morning. Since I had my Debit Card compromised earlier this year I find that I do pay more attention to my accounts. I try not to perseverate over them too much though.

Oh yea, I always eat my french fries in pairs, largest to smallest.

Cheers!

CB
Message Edited by charliebrown1370 on 12-04-2009 11:30 AM

I have started using mint.com for this same thing . Till i read your post about quicken (which i use also) I was thinking man you people are strange. Then after reading this post. I realize i do the same thing just all at once . Both mint.com and quicken online have Iphone apps that i use . I see all the accounts and history and balances at once . So i guess im no different!