> How do you deal with Cash?

For personal finances, when I get cash (say from an ATM) I transfer the amount from asset Bank to asset Cash (i.e. CR Bank/DR Cash). I then record (important) expenses against either Cash or Bank (e.g. CR Cash/DR Groceries). At the end of the period, I check the actual amount of cash vs recorded, and charge the difference against a Misc expense account.

This is in the spirit of the standard accounting rules for handling petty cash in an organization.

> How do you deal with interest?

Consider interest an expense, e.g. CR Bank/DR Interest

> Advice?

Consider learning the following rules of double-entry accounting:-

Asset ... Increase = DR, Decrease = CR

Liability ... Increase = CR, Decrease = DR

Income ... Increase = CR, Decrease = DR

Expense ... Increase = DR, Decrease = CR

Equity ... Increase = CR, Decrease = DR

Aside: yes an increase in an asset like Bank is a DR. Your actual bank statement is showing what is recorded in your bank's accounting systems, not in yours. If you have a positive balance at your bank it is recorded as a CR on your bank statement because it is a LIABILITY for them, i.e. they owe you the money.

Knowing these rules allows you to think how to deal with things. For example, a purchase on your credit card is what?

Some example entries:

Get Paid: CR Income 100 (see table increase in Income) / DR Bank 100 (see table increase in Asset)

Pay Groceries: CR Cash on Hand 20 (see table decrease in Asset) / DR Groceries 20 (see table increase in Expense)

Purchase on credit card: DR Airline Tickets 1,250 (see table increase in Expense) / CR Accounts Payable 1,250 (see table increase in Liability)

Pay credit card: CR Bank 1,250 (see table decrease in Asset) / DR Accounts Payable 1,250 (see table decrease in Liability)

Interest on bank statement: CR Bank 35 (see table decrease in Asset) / DR Interest 35 (see table increase in Expense)

edit: tried to deal with HN not allowing any sort of text formatting