When Two Figures Look Different
First check whether the figures refer to different pots, scenes or assumptions. Separate worked examples do not form one live balance.
In the first accounts story
Characters want to understand an imaginary account, using a first leaf statement. The comic complication is mistaking a welcome leaflet for lunch. Keep that scene separate from your own information: the character’s details describe the tale, not the visitor.
Check the context
- Read the page heading to identify the subject.
- Check whether an amount is a starting pile, a movement or an ending total.
- Follow the collection link for neighbouring questions.
If the wording still seems nutty, remember that Professor Nibbles is a made-up character with a leaf clipboard. There is no customer-service case to open, no real transaction to trace and no hidden balance waiting behind the bark.
Put first accounts into a bank-style example
The related product is Squirrel Saver, used for a first home for spare savings. Its current fictional demo rate card is 3.75% AER / gross p.a. (variable). This separate example uses pounds, not the acorn tokens in the story above. There is no conversion between them.
| Year | Balance at start of year | Interest that year | Closing balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £2,000.00 | £75.00 | £2,075.00 |
| 2 | £2,075.00 | £77.81 | £2,152.81 |
| 3 | £2,152.81 | £80.73 | £2,233.54 |
The principal is deposited on day one, interest is credited annually and no money is added or withdrawn. Variable rates are held constant solely for the calculation; figures exclude fees. For a fixed product, the illustration ends at maturity.
A check for this page
When working through when two figures look different, identify the amount, the time it stays in the account, and whether the result is interest, growth, a reward or a cost. The access rule is: unlimited withdrawals in the demo; no notice period. If the scene changes any of those assumptions, start with the Squirrel Saver worked examples and recalculate rather than reusing the closing figure. A very confident squirrel is still not a calculator.
Related reading
- This Is a Fictional Bank — No Real Banking Here
- Site Map — Every Branch of AcornBank
- First Accounts — Help Collection
- How to Bank — Online, in the App, in Branch or by Phone
- First Accounts — Understanding a Fictional Example
- First Accounts — When a Link Leads to Another Branch
AcornBank: entirely fictional banking, exceptionally committed squirrels.