Comments on: Take Control of Your Finances Part 2: Track Your Money http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/ A premiere personal finance blog, established 2003. Within, Flexo discusses his own experiences with money, and he and other authors comment on a wide range of personal finance topics. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:50:42 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Mary http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186268 Mary Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:32:21 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186268 If you happen to be both a diehard PalmOS user AND a Microsoft Money fan, you can't go wrong with Ultrasoft Money. I've used it for at least four years and have never ever had a problem syncing. It works flawlessly. (Just discovered this site via Get Rich Slowly, by the way.) Peace Mary If you happen to be both a diehard PalmOS user AND a Microsoft Money fan, you can’t go wrong with Ultrasoft Money. I’ve used it for at least four years and have never ever had a problem syncing. It works flawlessly.

(Just discovered this site via Get Rich Slowly, by the way.)

Peace
Mary

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186122 Jeremy Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:16:11 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186122 Before I entered the world of Quicken, I was an Excel devotee. Excel can work really well once it's set up to your liking, but it always takes some time when you need to do steps like importing your credit card data. Quicken is a slick, push-a-few buttons solution! I do really love Excel though. Excel is to Quicken as a 21 speed mountain bike is to a Razor scooter. Excel is powerful. (Disclaimer: I still use Excel for some things. I guess it's like an old school security blanket! Except it doesn't keep me warm at night; that's what the laptop battery is for! I'll go all Web 2.0 soon, I promise.) Before I entered the world of Quicken, I was an Excel devotee. Excel can work really well once it’s set up to your liking, but it always takes some time when you need to do steps like importing your credit card data. Quicken is a slick, push-a-few buttons solution!

I do really love Excel though. Excel is to Quicken as a 21 speed mountain bike is to a Razor scooter. Excel is powerful.

(Disclaimer: I still use Excel for some things. I guess it’s like an old school security blanket! Except it doesn’t keep me warm at night; that’s what the laptop battery is for! I’ll go all Web 2.0 soon, I promise.)

]]> By: George http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186111 George Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:13:40 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186111 While it's not free, Fortora Fresh Finance is another great personal finance manager for the desktop (and a great alternative to Quicken in my opinion). It's super simple to use, has excellent licensing terms, and it's available for both Windows and Mac. You can find out more at http://www.fortora.com While it’s not free, Fortora Fresh Finance is another great personal finance manager for the desktop (and a great alternative to Quicken in my opinion). It’s super simple to use, has excellent licensing terms, and it’s available for both Windows and Mac. You can find out more at http://www.fortora.com

]]> By: Suburban Wife http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186110 Suburban Wife Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:51:13 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186110 Flexo, Great article. I couldn't agree more that knowing where your money is going is a critical step in taking control of one's money. One desktop program that deserves to be on your list is a program called YNAB -- You Need a Budget (www.youneedabudget.com). YNAB is currently available only for Windows; a Mac version is said to be in the works. The software is not free but so far all upgrades have been once the initial program is purchased. I've been using YNAB for a year now and it has literally changed my life. The great ability of YNAB over other programs (like Quicken) is that it can be used to either track past expenses or establish a live, working budget (in reality, it does both) depending on where one is in their financial-control evolution. Flexo,

Great article. I couldn’t agree more that knowing where your money is going is a critical step in taking control of one’s money.

One desktop program that deserves to be on your list is a program called YNAB — You Need a Budget (www.youneedabudget.com). YNAB is currently available only for Windows; a Mac version is said to be in the works. The software is not free but so far all upgrades have been once the initial program is purchased.

I’ve been using YNAB for a year now and it has literally changed my life. The great ability of YNAB over other programs (like Quicken) is that it can be used to either track past expenses or establish a live, working budget (in reality, it does both) depending on where one is in their financial-control evolution.

]]> By: Mark http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186106 Mark Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:51:51 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186106 I record all my expenses in a Google Docs spreadsheet. Every spreadsheet covers one month. I list the dates down the left-hand column. Then across the top row I create headings such as transportation, meals, snacks, pop/juice, laundry/dry cleaning, grocery, clothes, etc., and create three Other categories (Other 1, Other 2, Other 3) for things that wouldn't fit elsewhere, like a Sunday newspaper here and there, dental copays or prescriptions, the trip to Target for misc. items, and etc. Along the far right column, I create =sum(a2:r2) formulas in each cell for each date to add up each day's expenses in one spot, and likewise at the bottom row I create similar =sum formulas to add up each category's expenses. So for example, I can tell at a glance how much I've spent this month eating out, or how much I spent in one day taking the bus downtown to buy some clothes and eat out. At the end of each month, I just do a Copy Spreadsheet to create a new one for the next month, kind of like a template. It takes a few minutes to re-date, clear out all cells, and so forth. It's easy, accessible from anywhere I'm online, and free! I record all my expenses in a Google Docs spreadsheet. Every spreadsheet covers one month. I list the dates down the left-hand column. Then across the top row I create headings such as transportation, meals, snacks, pop/juice, laundry/dry cleaning, grocery, clothes, etc., and create three Other categories (Other 1, Other 2, Other 3) for things that wouldn’t fit elsewhere, like a Sunday newspaper here and there, dental copays or prescriptions, the trip to Target for misc. items, and etc.

Along the far right column, I create =sum(a2:r2) formulas in each cell for each date to add up each day’s expenses in one spot, and likewise at the bottom row I create similar =sum formulas to add up each category’s expenses. So for example, I can tell at a glance how much I’ve spent this month eating out, or how much I spent in one day taking the bus downtown to buy some clothes and eat out.

At the end of each month, I just do a Copy Spreadsheet to create a new one for the next month, kind of like a template. It takes a few minutes to re-date, clear out all cells, and so forth.

It’s easy, accessible from anywhere I’m online, and free!

]]> By: Craig http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186091 Craig Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:51:08 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186091 Great post and you have listed a lot of excellent options that people will be smart to take advantage of to help their money management. I would like to introduce you to another web tool called BudgetPulse. No downloads, no security risks. And it's FREE! Great post and you have listed a lot of excellent options that people will be smart to take advantage of to help their money management. I would like to introduce you to another web tool called BudgetPulse. No downloads, no security risks. And it’s FREE!

]]> By: Flexo http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186087 Flexo Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:04:44 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186087 Dave: Thanks! I've added GnuCash to the list within the article.I've used GnuCash -- it was a good choice when I didn't have money to spend. Dave: Thanks! I’ve added GnuCash to the list within the article.I’ve used GnuCash — it was a good choice when I didn’t have money to spend.

]]> By: Dave Stinner http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/11/14/take-control-of-your-finances-part-2-track-your-money/#comment-186086 Dave Stinner Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:47:03 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=4582#comment-186086 Another option for desktop software is GnuCash. It runs on Windows and Linux and also has a Portable Apps version. It's also completely free. Another option for desktop software is GnuCash. It runs on Windows and Linux and also has a Portable Apps version. It’s also completely free.

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