Posted on 06/05/2022 4:05:52 PM PDT by ducttape45
Good evening fellow Freepers.
I wanted to ask for advise from you all. I have been using a simple Excel spreadsheet to list my expenses and monitor and track my bills for years, however, I was thinking of utilizing a PC based software program or a web based financial management website. I was wondering if I might acquire some recommendations for which way to go.
I've used Excel just because it's easier for me just go on there and list my expenses and revenue, but I'm wondering if there might be an easier way to do things.
Thanks for your help.
Do not go with cloud-based. They own your data and can blackmail or put you out of business at will.
QuickBooks (Online) is the most common choice. Not perfect and it has a learning curve, but it will be a big improvement over Excel for you.
I second that.
There are some decent open source projects out there, the advantage being there are no licensing fees and you own it all.
https://softwareconnect.com/erp/open-source/
Quicken or QuickBooks. You can do a lot with Quicken. If you run a small business, you might want to go with QuickBooks.
Quicken is pretty easy. Takes some setting up of accounts, establishing downloads with banks and such and a little maintenance going forward. I have used Quicken since the 90s. It now has a yearly subscription fee. Once you get it working, it provides a good view of your financial status.
Quick books.
Do not go cloud based.
I definitely don’t want to go cloud based. Someone suggested I try Intuit Mint, but I already see that one as taking a while to learn but everything is done “online.” I would rather have something that, yes, pulls data from online sources but stores that information on my PC.
No business, just personal finances. I just need whatever I use to be simple enough for this 61 year old brain to comprehend. :-)
Quicken is a single entry checkbook program.
Quickbooks is a double entry accounting program. Don’t go there.
I have used both and have elected to go back to Excel, using new functions that I have learned.
We are the same age, and this is for your personal finances.
Take an Excel class to learn new things.
I used Mint for years, but at some point it became just too much trouble.
You might find that a newer product called “Tiller” will let you stick with your spreadsheets, but it automates the process of connecting your bank account and credit card statements to your spreadsheets.
Haven’t tried it, but it looks cool.
If I do did find something, I want it to be PC based, and not web-based, like my Excel data.
Thanks for the advice.
I use both quicken and excel. I use quicken to record and track expenses. I use excel to prepare an annual budget. In January, I use the data from quicken to update and revise my budget for the next year. The categories in excel are the same categories in quicken.
Quickbooks (desktop) is a feature rich business solution. Intuit recently dropped the loan management feature. I use QB extensively. I wouldn’t use it to manage personal finances which I manage by hand — easy when one is in the red :(
just keep the K.I.S.S. principle in mind
Excel is easy and you are used to it.....
QuickBooks Desktop version, NO CLOUD or Internet based of any kind. You are stuck with winblows though
Stick with excel. If you need to automate, post of upwork what you need, and you’ll pay 100 bucks to get it singing.
I used quick books when I ran my own business. But it seems you are looking for a household system. Quicken does that for me. It ties in with my IRA site and my E*TRADE accounts, and I can download all of my checking account and credit card information into a single source.
It is decent at helping us get a good expense picture going into retirement.
So, between the two, Quickbooks is more business targeted. Quicken is more consumer based.
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