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Personal Finance Software
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Author:  Cyrus Rex [ Thu May 12, 2005 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Personal Finance Software
I started using Quicken back in 1994 and kept my records up until I started doing hazmat work all over the country. I loved quicken back then… but I guess I was a freak because I was a junior in high school with my finances locked down tighter than most business. I actually kept cash account so I could track every dime.

When I started working all over the country Danyale took over my bills at that time and she did not have a PC to keep things up. My knowledge of financial software died right there. With me in school I left my bills in Danyale’s good hands.

Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. If things go my way I will be graduating in December. I am now in full want-a-nest-egg mode. Rom showed me a few good financial audio books which lead to many more great audio books. Yak helped me find what I was looking for… and now I am ready to try out the Financial Software that is available today.

Right away I searched Amazon.com and looked up Quicken and MS Money. Boy was I shocked at how many people are HATING the new versions of their software. The reviews make me want to cry… this software can not be THAT bad!! Because I am jumping in new, I am sure I may not notice the changes that have loyal fans in an uproar… but their negative comments have me worried.

I need to ask my Avians what they know about Personal Finance Software.

Do you use any Personal Finance Software? If so what do you use and how do you like it?

If you use MS Money, what is this business about the program sharing your data with MSN?
I am not overly paranoid… but I want to know what’s up.
Author:  bigyak [ Thu May 12, 2005 10:37 am ]
Post subject: 
I've used many flavors of personal finance software.

For a while, MS Money was my favorite. You can turn off the sharing with MSN (that's just to allow you to access all your stuff at work or on the road, but a bad idea IMO). I really liked how it would connect to my banks, grab every credit card expense, and then let me verify each independently. It also groups money expenditures by category, so you get a really good picture over spending categories and how it changes over time (though that led to the Starbucks consumption wars of 2003, which my wife and I still argue about). It does some great forecasting, and even better questioning of your goals and financial plans. The advanced versions offer... "tricks" just like an accountant would. (ie, stop paying for college, put your cash in a Section 529 account, instead). It alos watches your stocks, and integrates alerts into your MSN messenger (my favorite went something like "Stock:Microsoft is no longer profitable. Based on your life plans, Microsoft Money recommends you sell it immediately.")

I got a bit tired of the yearly update fees, and had some trouble with my accounts when leaving the military and integrating all car finances into it, so just switched to an Excel document where I can control all the formulas. Add in Web services to automatically pull down stock prices and interest rates, and it works pretty damn well.
Author:  Obo [ Thu May 12, 2005 10:41 am ]
Post subject: 
I know next to nothing about accounting software, so much so that the only one I even know about is Sage, which is a UK company afaik but has US versions.
Author:  TheMole [ Thu May 12, 2005 10:56 am ]
Post subject: 
I just use excel... free and easy to control!
Author:  Flyoc [ Thu May 12, 2005 2:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
I use an excellent software called "Mother" !
I will have to find something else when I'll start working though :|
Author:  X2-PB [ Thu May 12, 2005 2:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
Flyoc wrote:
I use an excellent software called "Mother" !
That's a good one!


My policy is plain and simple: if it ain't in the bank, it can't be spent!

I do by budget mentally on an annual basis. Take income, minus known expenses, minus an approx. (hopefully overestimate) of unknown expenses, divide remainder by 52 and that's what I have that I can freely spend each week. Works swell and I usually end up with a wonderful healthy balance at the end of the year. It also doesn't take into account existing balance from previous years so that is automatically put into savings, which pays for leisure expences like a PC upgrade!
Author:  tobiasds [ Thu May 12, 2005 2:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Might not be what you are talking about, but I use Turbo Tax each year to prepare my taxes. My taxes are not simple and while I have a good idea how to do them from carefully watching HR Block for a few years, I could not do without it. It is very easy to use. It is tied to Quicken if you use Quicken making things even easier. I don't use Quicken but will never stop using Turbo Tax.
Author:  Golga Bolg [ Thu May 12, 2005 3:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
A few years ago I tried both Quicken and MS Money. If I recall both have their quirks, but the only real difference was the less used higher level functions. It's been a while so I hesistate to give much of a reaction to either of them at this point. (Mind you I found out a month ago a cousin of mine now works for Intuit, so buy Quicken and support my family) :twisted:

Either way I think it's a good plan to track your savings. More importantly you should review your planned expenses since most people underestimate and forget the major events in their lives, and what those may cost as well.
Author:  Cyrus Rex [ Thu May 12, 2005 3:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks everyone. Keep the comments comming.

I got my hands on both brands and I will see how they stack up to each other.
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