Keeping Track of your Bank Account Balance – Easy as 1,2,3....

Keeping track of your bank account balance has never been easier. Long gone are the days when the only way to accurately discover how much was sitting in your current account was to traipse down to your local branch, or pick up the phone and call the bank’s telephone banking department.

Now, the vast majority of account holders can determine their balance - and indeed do the majority of their banking - 24 hours a day, seven days a week via the internet. Offered by all the major high street banks online banking allows account holders to effectively self-serve their banking needs. Setting up direct debits, standing orders, arranging bill payments and transferring money between accounts can all be easily done online as well as host of other services, dependent upon the user’s bank.

But, those who are regularly out and about and unable to access online banking may wish to sign up for free text alerts to their mobile phone. Offered by most UK high street banks, by subscribing to mobile phone alerts a bank account holder can receive notification of their balance on a weekly basis; on a particular day and time of their choosing. The balance sent is normally taken from close of business the night before and most banks also offer details of the last few transactions on the account as well as the overall balance.

In addition, banks now allow the receipt of text alerts when an account holder slips into the red or their account balance falls below a set figure and most also offer the facility to order PIN numbers, cheque books, paying-in books and various other bank account items by text. Banks may charge a monthly fee for those mobile banking features, examples of which also include the facility to request balance information instantly by text; extremely handy for anyone about to make a purchase but unsure as to whether they have enough cleared funds to pay for the transaction.

Finally, if all else fails then account holders can always pick up the telephone and talk to someone, or listen to an automated service to discover their balance. High street banks have been offering telephone banking services for some years and - just like online banking – most require prior registration before being allowed to use the service. However, once registered it is easy to use and telephone banking can also be used to request a host of current account services; many similar to online banking services. Whatever method you choose, it really is easy and convenient to keep track of your bank balance these days.