An allocation board that is never recounted becomes wall art. The habit that works in Cheung Sha Wan flats is surprisingly short: pick one weekly slot, open every wallet that has a column, write the number in pencil, date the change.
A workable sequence
- Clear the table of unrelated mail.
- Open wallets in the same order as the board columns — left to right reduces skipped envelopes.
- Write the count, then compare to the target. Do not “fix” the number by moving cash until the count is written.
- Only after the board is updated decide whether a transfer is needed.
- Note the next count date at the bottom of the board.
Common failure modes
Counting only the fat wallets. Counting after midnight when patience is gone. Letting one partner count without the other when veto rules exist. In household workshops we assign a primary counter and a witness for the first month; after that, households invent their own rhythm.
If a month goes by without a count, book a reserve review rather than pretending the board is current. Shame helps nobody; a dated rebalance does.