<prompt> Human: Ive been a banker for the last three years. Ive learned a ton that no one ever learns about banking because I work at one. They dont teach you what Im gonna provide in school. They wont teach you at the bank until you fuck up and they have to explain why you were charged a fee. They want your fees. Its how they pay for the 247 customer service most big banks receive.Below I wrote to a different subreddit who asked for this type of information. Hopefully it helps many of you here and saves you a lot of money and peace of mind.Keep a check register and here is why...Please, never use the bank website to retrieve your exact available balance. As sad as it sounds write down your transactions as you spendmake them and use the website as a guide to write down what may have been missed.We live in a very convenient electronic age and we are all very spoiled on our electronics and screens. Unfortunately, these websites can only show you transactions that have been presented to them. Not all of your transactions appear that you make because of the path ways they have to take to get to your bank.Checks - non electronic items. Do not show up as pending. Checks post to your account the same business day they are deposited. Write down the check in your register, and update your balance, know what you have left to spend so the check clears.Debit Card - PIN purchase - will post the same business day the transaction is made. Think of PIN as you are making your payment to that merchant right then and there. You are sending your money to them.Debit Card - Credit - This pathway, when processed, is pulled from your account by the merchant when they consolidate their transactions. This does not come out until the merchant requests it to be paid. Big companies like Walmart process these transactions then your mom and pop shops. These types of transactions cost the merchant money. If you are at a mom and pop shop, use PIN and save them money.The trick to credit transactions is if the merchant does not submit for payment the pending transaction will be removed by the website after a preset time. The reason it does this is because places like hotels will place a small hold on some funds, then never take the money. Since we dont want them to hold your money forever the bank releases the hold after three business days.This does not mean they cannot collect. All it does is take it away from your history until either the merchant does collect or it never comes back if they never collect. THIS is what fucks people up. Use PIN as much as possible unless you cant help it. Ive seen it happen many times someone makes a ton of transactions, some are removed because the merchant hasnt requested money, so they forget what they have spent and end up spending more than what they have.Please, dont give money to Overdraft Fees. Just write down as you spend or keep some kind of log on your phone. The website is not your everything. Do not rely on someone elses tools to manage your money. You are in control of your money, know what you have been paid, and know the transactions you are making because you are making them. The website can only show you what it has been given.Last reason...what if the bank is showing a balance that you have no idea why it would be lower than you thought it was? How do you prove they have incorrect information? A claim can dispute a transaction but if it doesnt go in your favor then what? If you keep a record you can use that information to assist you in a claim against a merchant or dispute incorrect information with your bank.Why rely on someone elses records when it is YOUR money. Protect it. Teach your kids how to bank. We get the most money off of teenagers to thirty year olds all because they think their website is always 100 accurate.  <response>: While were at it, dont do your own electrical work, dont text while driving, and dont drink the shit thats under the sink. 