Money Managing Software

connikins

Someone recently recommender Microsoft Money as a good tool for keeping on top of finances and the thought of having everything in one place appeals to me as I have several accounts and various debts and confess I really need to do better on a month to month basis.

Can anyone recommend Microsoft Money or a better package that's potentially free?

Connie

Techhead_2

I would be interested in opinions on this subject.

Olipro

GnuCash - https://www.gnucash.org

Not designed for those who don't understand basic Accountancy principles, but if you do, it's ideal.

Loughton_Monkey

Sadly, most others are in the same boat. To the best of my knowledge and belief, Microsoft Money has been unavailable in UK for a few years. They are discontinuing it worldwide early 2011. I use Quicken (latest 2004 version) which again is discontinued in UK, and unsupported.

Microsoft Money, and Quicken, were both extremely similar (I can't remember which one stole it from the other) and both very good. I would feel naked without my Quicken, and will continue using it (I don't use any of its automatic updating anyway). One day, I might be forced to upgrade to a version of Windows which won't allow it to install.

My only 'contingency plan' is to merge to Intuit QuickBooks. This, I believe, is just as good as Quicken, but might probably be a bit 'heavy' to use since it's for small businesses. If you are just starting out, then you can get it for £99 plus VAT. You can get a free download to try it. My own specific problem is that I have 38 years of data on Quicken, and Quickbooks Starter doesn't import the Quicken Files. I have to buy the £250 'Pro' version for that!

I have trawled the Internet on and off over the last 2 or 3 years and never found anything that comes within a gnat's crochet to Quicken.

I, too, am interested in others' experiences in case I've missed something.

brewerdave

I still use MS Money '99 on a Vista PC to keep track of ~ 6 live accounts plus it keeps records of ~ 10 past accounts. As Loughton Monkey says I'm dreading the day when it won't install on a new operating system! I still have various discs of "ancient" MS op systems so I might be forced into running a very old PC just for accounts.

AnonymousForObviousReason

I use the Egg tool for looking at my bank accounts (initially with much trepidation but without problem). This gives the basics overview of balances for my accounts, but not the detail

I echo Olipro in recommending GNU cash - it's free to use so may as well try before you donate. It's not terribly attractive but is functional and you can do lots with it, try not to import from year dot, maybe start a couple of months ago. Once happy go back if you want.

I think you'll be okay as long as you understand:
Liability accounts = stuff you pay out on - e.g credit cards
Asset accounts = stuff worth money e.g savings accounts, ISA, bank accounts (although obviously if your in your overdraft this is a negative asset but you get the idea I hope)

I got terribly into it and even had a pocket account to track where the money I got from cash machines went. This is over the top but useful if you're planning a budget but be prepared for uncomfortable truths to be revealed. I hardly ever eat snacks in my own mind, micro accounts show this is why I'm a bit porky

However I personally never got it to automatically link to my accounts to download transactions and ended up exporting it in Quicken format from all my bank accounts and savings.

le_loup

A second hand copy of MS Money can be obtained from Amazon and will run on Windows 7, Visa and XP. About a fiver. Smashing program.

Blenheim_2

Microsoft have made a couple of 'Sunset' editions of Money available for free as detailed in this forum post from last week.

They seem to be US versions, although it is possible to set the currency as sterling and run / manage day to day bank accounts.

MrsManda

I've used Microsoft Money for years. Works reasonably well and we find it useful for keeping track of our spending, especially when it comes to making a budget and seeing where we're over/underspending.

donkingkong

Try https://www.xero.com/personal/

goRt

brewerdave wrote: »

I still use MS Money '99 on a Vista PC to keep track of ~ 6 live accounts plus it keeps records of ~ 10 past accounts. As Loughton Monkey says I'm dreading the day when it won't install on a new operating system! I still have various discs of "ancient" MS op systems so I might be forced into running a very old PC just for accounts.

The OS issue isn't - run oracle VBOX and load your old OS within - that way your old programs will still run:

http://www.virtualbox.org/