How to keep RT and arisan accounts so that no one gets suspicious

By Mohammad Hilmi Bisri, S.Kom.. Published 9 October 2026.

The cash fund of an RT (a neighbourhood association), an arisan (a rotating savings group), or a farmers' group rarely runs into trouble because money goes missing. More often the records are unclear and kept by one person only, and suspicion follows. The seven simple habits below help the treasurer stay calm and the members keep their trust.

1. Record it on the same day

As soon as money comes in or goes out, write it down. If the treasurer waits until the end of the month, it is easy to forget or make mistakes.

2. One entry for each transaction

For every payment in or out, write the date, the amount, a short description, and who handed over or received the money. Do not combine several transactions in one line.

3. Keep the evidence

Keep shopping receipts or a photo of each transfer slip. Small proofs like these save a lot of explaining when someone has a question.

4. Keep the fund apart from personal money

Store the fund's cash separately, for example in a dedicated envelope or its own bank account, so the balance in the records can always be checked against the money on hand.

5. Report the balance regularly

Read out or share the balance and a summary of spending at every meeting. That way members do not feel awkward about asking questions.

6. Do not leave the records with one person

Records kept only in the treasurer's book can be lost, get wet, or be damaged, and other members find them hard to check. Share copies with the committee or with all members.

7. Correct mistakes with a new entry instead of deleting

If something was recorded wrongly, add a correcting entry. Do not cross out or delete the old entry, so the history stays easy to follow.

If you would like to use a phone

BukuGembok is a free cash book app made by HanzCodes that follows the habits above. All members hold the same records on their own phones. An entry changed by one person alone is rejected when the books are synchronised. The app keeps working without internet. It opens in the phone's browser, with no download from the Play Store and no account needed.