Frequently Asked Questions

Why keep a ledger by hand instead of using an app?

Some people find that writing an entry by hand makes them notice it more, and that a fixed page layout is harder to scroll past without looking. It is a preference, not a rule — plenty of ledgers here are kept alongside an app like Column Book rather than instead of one.

What's the actual difference between a ledger and a cash book?

In most household use they overlap. A cash book tends to track cash in and out specifically, while a ledger is often organized by category and can include transfers or planned bills. This journal mostly writes about ledgers, but many of the habits apply to either.

How many columns do I actually need?

Two is usually enough to start: one for the entry, one for a running balance. A third column for category, and sometimes a fourth for a margin note, covers most household ledgers we've seen without adding much time to a close.

What if I make a mistake writing an entry in ink?

A single line struck through the error, with initials and a date beside it, tends to read more honestly later than an erasure or a blacked-out box. See 'Pencil Versus Pen' in the journal for the longer version of this.

How long should I keep old ledgers?

There's no fixed rule we follow site-wide; some households here keep a rolling few years, others keep everything. What seems to matter more than the length is whether an old entry still explains itself without you having to remember the context.

Do I need to record every small purchase?

Most ledgers in this journal don't. A single daily line for small cash spending, reconciled against a receipt or a tin at the end of the day, tends to be enough without turning every entry into its own line.

What if two people share one household ledger?

A few written rules about who logs what, and when, tend to matter more than adding extra columns. 'Keeping One Ledger Between Two People' goes into a shared-ledger approach one household here uses.

How is a monthly close different from just adding things up?

A close is a short, repeatable sequence — total in, total out, check the balance, carry it forward — done the same way every month. Just adding things up occasionally tends to turn into a much longer session once receipts pile up.

What categories should I use?

A short list that still makes sense eleven months later, rather than a long list built for one unusual week. 'Choosing Categories That Still Make Sense in December' covers how one household narrowed theirs down.

Is Column Book required to follow this journal?

No. The journal is written from paper ledgers and reads the same with or without the app. Column Book is a separate, optional companion, currently in a small private trial.

Does Ledgerline sell anything or take sponsorships?

No. There are no sponsored posts and nothing is sold on this site. See the About page for the full content policy.

Can I switch from an app back to paper partway through the year?

Some households here have. Copying the last running balance over as an opening balance on a fresh page is usually enough to carry the record forward without starting over.

What do you do with receipts once they're logged?

Practice varies by household. Several writers here keep receipts filed by date for a short period as backup, then set them aside once the month has closed and reconciled cleanly.

Where do the example numbers in your posts come from?

They're illustrative, built to show a method rather than taken from any one household's real figures, and we say so in the text where it matters.