Checklist: Internet Banking

Things to do this weekend with your money:

If you’re interested in monitoring your bank and credit card accounts electronically, most financial institutions are eager to help.

* Today: Most major banks and credit card issuers will allow you to view your account online for free or for a small fee. Some smaller banks and credit unions also offer such access. Call your financial institutions or visit their Web sites for more details. You’ll probably need a copy of your bank or credit card statement to get started.

* Saturday: So-called stored-value cards let parents load a plastic card with a set amount of money that a teenager can spend at any store that accepts credit cards. You can find information about Visa’s offering at https://www.visabuxx.com; MasterCard offers a similar product through College Parents of America at https://www.collegeparents.com/moneydiscounts.html.

* Sunday: Newer versions of personal finance software such as Intuit’s Quicken and Microsoft Money guide you through the process of enabling your bank and credit card accounts to download directly into the software’s financial registers. For details about these products, visit https://www.quicken.com and https://www.microsoft.com/money.