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briansol · 10-13-2006, 12:07 AM

What tools do you guys use to keep track of your buget?

I'm very behind in all this... I don't even balance my check book. I kinda just know whats in there, and if i'm not sure, i hit an atm for a balance check, and then x-reference any checks that may be outstanding to make sure i have enough in there to cover the check so it doesn't bounce.

I tried MS money, but after the inital entering of data, i never used it again. too much of a pain to keep up with everytime you do a transaction, which for me is like 3 times a day sometimes.

Any nice tools out there?

titan22 · 10-13-2006, 12:47 AM

if you want to go all out, you can use quickbooks from microsoft. but i know how you feel about them. it might be easier for you since you make money from running websites. it will help you come tax time. a lot of accountants can transfer the data straight to a return.

i don't really use anything. i'm pretty cautious on what i spend my money on. well, i try to be. i pretty much don't write checks anymore. mostly online stuff. as far as credit balances, i keep an excel spreadsheet of total balance owed and what day it is due. then at the bottom i have a running total of all my debt.

it's pretty easy for me that way. i just check it about once a week to see if something is coming up. i also have a bank that scans checks and posts them online to view when they are processed.

Ben22 · 10-16-2006, 06:41 PM

Definitely good to keep track though, I have a friend who makes a fortune for a college sophomore, but he is an idiot and overcharges his debit card all the time and has paid a few hundred a month at times. Said he didn't care, "he could cover it." He works for CutCo, so we'll see how far he gets with that.

10-13-2006, 12:07 AM	#1
briansol Savings Advisor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Central CT Age: 31 Posts: 761 Rep Power: 7	Tools of the trade What tools do you guys use to keep track of your buget? I'm very behind in all this... I don't even balance my check book. I kinda just know whats in there, and if i'm not sure, i hit an atm for a balance check, and then x-reference any checks that may be outstanding to make sure i have enough in there to cover the check so it doesn't bounce. I tried MS money, but after the inital entering of data, i never used it again. too much of a pain to keep up with everytime you do a transaction, which for me is like 3 times a day sometimes. Any nice tools out there?

10-13-2006, 12:47 AM	#2
titan22 Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: West Coast Posts: 773 Rep Power: 7	if you want to go all out, you can use quickbooks from microsoft. but i know how you feel about them. it might be easier for you since you make money from running websites. it will help you come tax time. a lot of accountants can transfer the data straight to a return. i don't really use anything. i'm pretty cautious on what i spend my money on. well, i try to be. i pretty much don't write checks anymore. mostly online stuff. as far as credit balances, i keep an excel spreadsheet of total balance owed and what day it is due. then at the bottom i have a running total of all my debt. it's pretty easy for me that way. i just check it about once a week to see if something is coming up. i also have a bank that scans checks and posts them online to view when they are processed.

10-16-2006, 06:41 PM	#3
Ben22 Greenhorn Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 15 Rep Power: 0	Definitely good to keep track though, I have a friend who makes a fortune for a college sophomore, but he is an idiot and overcharges his debit card all the time and has paid a few hundred a month at times. Said he didn't care, "he could cover it." He works for CutCo, so we'll see how far he gets with that.

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