I have been introduced into the world of Quicken..

[AznAnarchy99]

Seeing your expenses categorized and seeing all of them pretty much in one category make you really "wow I spend that much on that?".

I think Ive been doing about $500 a month on eating out ...

 

[kranky]

I find it to be very useful also to track everything I will need to remember when filing taxes, for budgeting for future large expenses like property tax bills, and for tracking investments. I have all my financial data in Quicken for the last 18 years.

 

[precocial]

Welcome to 1992, Slacker.

 

[shiner]

Seeing your expenses categorized and seeing all of them pretty much in one category make you really "wow I spend that much on that?".

I think Ive been doing about $500 a month on eating out ...

Hire cheaper hookers

 

[lokiju]

Now do yourself a huge favor and make the switch to Mint.com asap before you get to deep in Quicken.

Mint.com is free, no paying for Quicken and is owned by the company that makes Quicken and lets you do all the things you mentioned on the go from a smart phone or computer.

 

[destrekor]

Now do yourself a huge favor and make the switch to Mint.com asap before you get to deep in Quicken.

Mint.com is free, no paying for Quicken and is owned by the company that makes Quicken and lets you do all the things you mentioned on the go from a smart phone or computer.

I'm using Excel and browsing my various accounts online.

I've wanted to put everything into Mint, but I still hold back on that decision though. I just don't want to put all my fancy eggs into one basket of unknown strength. They have their claims of security and all that jazz, but I'd still be handing over all of my identity information, in a nice labeled package with conveniently everything in it, over to a single website.

Then again, I guess it isn't that much different than using Lastpass as a password manager (as I do).

:hmm:
One of these days I might have to take a good look at Mint.com, kind of interested in how much it might help me.

 

[shiner]

Welcome to 1992, Slacker.

Maybe he's Amish?

 

[paperfist]

I'm using Excel and browsing my various accounts online.

Are you using another ap as well or just downloading your file from the various accounts?

I couldn't stand Quicken or Mint for that matter. If they support your bank accounts great, if not then misery. There's a couple of free (AceMoney, Money Manager Ex) money mangers that work as well, but not as slick as Quicken and they support different bank file formats.

Overall though I'm not a fan of Intuit, Quickbooks gives me a headache almost every day.

 

[destrekor]

Are you using another ap as well or just downloading your file from the various accounts?

I couldn't stand Quicken or Mint for that matter. If they support your bank accounts great, if not then misery. There's a couple of free (AceMoney, Money Manager Ex) money mangers that work as well, but not as slick as Quicken and they support different bank file formats.

Overall though I'm not a fan of Intuit, Quickbooks gives me a headache almost every day.

Not even downloading anything. Just make a quick spreadsheet where I input the amount of my paycheck, enter my bills I pay each pay period, and it spits back how much I still have, and follows that total across each pay period.
Rough and dirty, but for my expenses it works as I want. But it doesn't track random expenditures, as I don't exactly input how much I spend every time I use my debit card or anything. But at the end of the pay period I do update the Total Remaining in my bank account so that the chart will be accurate. Helps me keep track of how much I can spend, since sometimes my accounts will be higher (as a bill hasn't been paid but will be soon), so I know the spending allowance at all times.

 

[Nik]

welcome to making a budget, a concept that's been in use for thousands of years