I received this reader question:

I bought a small amount of etherum.

https://www.ethereum.org/#ethersale-app

There is a place in the link above where it says I can check my balance. I've put in what I thought was my ethereum address, my password, the address where I sent my BTC. Every time I get an error. Is that because there is no ether balance yet until it is created in early 15?

Answer:

Sorry you are having trouble checking your balance. Hopefully this should help:

1. Find the wallet file you downloaded. Mine is named: ethereum-wallet-5b759fa110a31c88469f54d44ba303d57dd3e10f.json
   
   Remember this file is important and will need to be used in the future to get your ethereum. Make sure not to make any changes to it or to have a backup of it. Also don't share this file with anyone you wouldnt share a bank username and password with. Anyone who has access to that
   file will have access to your ethereum.
   
2. Open that file in a text editor.
   
3. Scroll to the end of the file.
   
4. Find "ethaddr":"
   
5. The text in the quotes after "ethaddr":" is your wallet address. Mine is 5b759fa110a31c88469f54d44ba303d57dd3e10f
   
   My full text looks like this: "ethaddr":"5b759fa110a31c88469f54d44ba303d57dd3e10f" and my address is bold
   .
6. Copy that text (mine is 5b759fa110a31c88469f54d44ba303d57dd3e10f)
   
7. Go to http://www.ethereum.org and paste that text into the check balance field.
   
8. Click Check balance.

If you have any troubles or additional questions, let me know in the comments!