WTBSEs 'Starting From Scratch' Savings Diary.

WantToBeSE

Eco_Miser wrote: »

Your notation gets confusing when I want to refer to cells, use A, B, C etc to refer to columns, as the spreadsheet does. Like
A- Date
B- School Expenses
C- RT (Running Total) for School Expenses
D- Christmas
E- RT for Christmas
F- Car Fund
G- RT for Car Fund
H- Clothing/Books
I- RT for Clothing/Books
J- Total in the account.

So assuming that each running total column has a formula that adds your entry to the cell above, such as =C3+B4 in C4 and column 10 adds all the running totals, that would do it, and can't really be simpler.

Having typed the formula into C4, you would copy it, and paste into E4, G4, and I4, and the formula =C4+E4+G4+I4 into J4, then select then row C4:H4 (by dragging the mouse), then put the mouse on the bottom right corner of H4 and drag down for as many rows as you need. Magically, all the running totals appear (unless you have zero display suppressed). Put your opening balances in C3, E3,G3, and I3, and copy H4 to H3. Again you might have done this, or you might have typed the formula into every cell. Let me know if I'm giving too much that you know already.

My own spreadsheet is slightly easier to enter, but much more complicated to set up in the first place. It's handling 7 different bank accounts and does transfers between them with a single entry. I wonder if not having complicated formulae would actually make it work faster?

How are you getting the red and green numbers? a format with different colours for positive and negative, or conditional formatting?

Does what you describe above also work with open office software, as that is what I have. If so, I'll give that a go.
At the moment I am just calculating it all by hand.

MrCrimeFiction

If you have any apple products try XL free. Google drive is also very good. My spreadsheets show up my income, all outgoings in each categories and the final savings figure. Simples

Absolutely knackered tonight so I'm off for an early night. Il catch up tomorrow x

MrCF

Eco_Miser

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Does what you describe above also work with open office software, as that is what I have. If so, I'll give that a go.
At the moment I am just calculating it all by hand.

That is Open Office Calc, it should all work with Excel and other spreadsheets too, it's all very basic formulas, no functions.

Remember to enter withdrawals as negative numbers. If you don't want to be hitting the minus key, you'd need extra columns, as described in my earlier post.

PS. You know control-C is copy, and control-V is paste, right? Much quicker than mousing up to the edit menu every time.

Disclaimer: All that was typed at silly o'clock in the morning, and not tested, so if it doesn't work as expected, look for silly mistakes like getting the column letter one out.

WantToBeSE

Thank You EM, I'll work on it this weekend


I am so pleased its Friday! I am working until 1, then doing some admin.
The kids are off to their Dads house this weekend, from 4pm this afternoon to 4 pm Sunday. So I'll be painting, ripping up my front room carpet and doing various D.I.Y. jobs around the house. I'll also be getting back to the gym after a break of a few months.


Its my best friends birthday, so I might take her into town and treat her to some dinner, if she is free.

JoJoC

Atush, you're right my low shopping bill is cheating a tad but we don't always eat out twice per week! I normally meal plan for six days as we go to my parents every Wednesday though so we do have that added bonus.

Im so glad it's Friday too, it's been a long and busy week and I haven't had much spare time to do anything. I'm taking my son swimming this morning then we'll come back and have lunch then I'll probably just get some housework done this afternoon.

My husband is working all weekend so I'll need to figure out what my son and I will do. Perhaps a visit to my grandparents.

Your weekend sounds very productive WTBSE- how often do your boys go to their dads if you don't mind me asking? Do they enjoy their weekends with him? I just worry about my nephew because as he is getting older he seems less enthusiastic about spending time with his dad.

WantToBeSE

Hi Jo.


The boys go to their Dads house normally once a month, but it depends really. At the moment he is working a lot of weekends, so its been about 6 weeks. Other times it's been fortnightly.
It really depends on his working hours, the amount of homework the children have, whether I have plans with them etc.
But he can always pop in and see them if he is passing, or if he just wants to see them, and can email, skype or phone them as often as he/they like.
I don't have any restrictions at all on how often they see him. He is a great Dad to them, but he has his own problems which means that he can sometimes be a bit wary of interrupting their lives with his presence (that's how he sees it). He has been so helpful over the past year or so with advice on parenting the teenager, and can talk to him much better than I can. I guess you have to have been a teenage boy to fully understand them


Yes they seem to enjoy their weekends with him, although he doesn't have any games consoles, so they get a bit bored (although the same can be said of anywhere they go!), however I don't think that's a bad thing to be honest. But at the same time, they are always happy to come home.


We have done everything we can to remain amicable, especially in front of the boys. I don't think they've ever seen us argue, and I certainly would never say anything bad about him to them. My parents were awful when they got divorced, and I always remember the awful things they said about each other and the awful ways they behaved and argued. I'd never want my boys to experience that.


Work is now finished for the week, yay! What's everyone else's plans for the weekend?

JoJoC

That sounds so positive WTBSE, it's not very often that you hear a story like that. I'm glad the boys still have a good relationship with their dad and that you guys still communicate well.

My BIL and SIL are more or less on good terms but my nephews gran on the other side has him a lot after school and when his mum is working and she is so poisonous. My nephew has told us several things that his gran has said about us over the years and it's just horrible.

It just makes me sad when his parents try so hard to keep it working.

Anyway, enough of that chat!

Need to wake my son soon, he's been napping for almost 2 hours!! Swimming must've taken it out of him.

WantToBeSE

Seriously, its Sunday already? Where do the weekends go?


Have FINALLY painted the kitchen! Woo-Hoo! Only took me about 6 months Need to do a final coat tomorrow afternoon, but that should be it!


Plan tomorrow:


-Take potential new employee on a job as a trial
-Finish painting kitchen
-Take clothes to the clothes bank


As long as those 3 things get done, I will be happy

WantToBeSE

Hello All


I have an appointment at the bank at midday, to possibly open a business account. I doubt that I'll get one, as my credit rating still isn't that great.


I am just wondering what on Earth I would do if I don't get one! I cant use my personal account, as it breaches the Ts & Cs to use a personal account for business...so we'll have to wait and see how it goes.


In other news...Shopping bill was quite high this week (£64) but that did include some new baking trays because my other ones desperately needed replacing.

WantToBeSE

OK, to my surprise I sailed through the credit check! I really think that the credit card I took out has helped build my credit.
I generally buy food or petrol for the month on the CC and they pay off in full every month.
It really does show how sensible financial decisions can effect your life. I know that sounds really obvious, but sometimes I need to remind myself!


Just came home and devoured a huge lunch, have already given the kitchen a second coat of paint, and am going to settle down and catch up on some admin