How do you keep track of your finances?

Hi all

I'm not great at excel and spreadsheets and i really want to get organised with my spending so i can keep track of all my bills and spends.

Is there a good spreadsheet i can download from anywhere that can help me budget.

i have completed Martins Budget planner, but i want one i can use monthly adding extra spends as they occur etc.

thank you
mortgage 100,000
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Comments

  • marvin
    marvin Posts: 2,186 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    I use my own beast of a spreadsheet but here is a link to some

    http://financialsoft.about.com/od/spreadsheettemplates/tp/Free-Budget-Spreadsheets.htm

    Here is a thread on the subject

    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/950
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  • I have always (for over 15 years) used Microsoft Money, you have to download but I find it really easy to use and you can track bank balances and set up the monthly / annual bills too.

    Hope that helps (I shall see if I can find a link)

    TC
  • Dobbibill
    Dobbibill Posts: 4,177 Ambassador
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
    There's a few different ones here, personal, household, family etc

    http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/budgets.html
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Budgeting & Bank Accounts, Credit Cards, Credit File & Ratings and Energy boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

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  • Bmth100
    Bmth100 Posts: 1,037 Forumite
    Nice and simple, iPhone notepad. I chronologically list the money coming into and going out of my account and keep it up to date for around 2 months in advance, with a running total of my bank balance. E.g:

    + £XXX wages November 20th (£1,000)
    - £XX Utilities November 22nd (£950)

    But primitive and OCD, but really clear and useful.
  • marvin
    marvin Posts: 2,186 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Bmth100 wrote: »
    Nice and simple, iPhone notepad. I chronologically list the money coming into and going out of my account and keep it up to date for around 2 months in advance, with a running total of my bank balance. E.g:

    + £XXX wages November 20th (£1,000)
    - £XX Utilities November 22nd (£950)

    But primitive and OCD, but really clear and useful.

    Apart from some us not having an I anything some finances are a little more complicated, loans, mortgages, investments, savings, pensions etc all of this needs keeping track of.

    I also keep track of NI and Tax as well as total and net incomes for the year.
    I started with nothing and I am proud to say I still have most of it left.
  • M0ney
    M0ney Posts: 494 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 100 Posts
    I like Money Dashboard.
  • Ken68
    Ken68 Posts: 6,825 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Energy Saving Champion Home Insurance Hacker!
    I have two analysis books, one for my main bank account and one for petty cash spending. At month end print off all online bank statements and amalgamate and list all assets, including shares and property values.
    During the month I do a forecast of ins and outs so as not to go into debt mode.
    Works for me.
  • There is a free iphone app which I use called spending for everyday outgoings and incomings.


    I also have a excel spreadsheet to keep track of savings accounts (maturity dates for fixed rate savings and interest rates) , and pension information compiled from statements. I do also have Personal Accountz on my laptop which I got years ago and have kept upto date but tbh I am not sure I need that any more. I had to pay for it though so I have kept using it.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

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  • Archi_Bald
    Archi_Bald Posts: 9,681 Forumite
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    Topcat1978 wrote: »
    I have always (for over 15 years) used Microsoft Money, you have to download but I find it really easy to use and you can track bank balances and set up the monthly / annual bills too.

    Hope that helps (I shall see if I can find a link)

    TC

    Download links: http://www.hotukdeals.com/freebies/free-microsoft-money-finance-software-save-yourself-40-1453292

    I have been using MS Money for well over 10 years. MS don't maintain it any longer but it is still very good. There may be some more modern packages now but I can't see myself migrating as there is nothing fundamentally wrong with MS Money. If I started fresh, though, I would investigate a few more recent offerings, too.
  • I use a program like MS Money: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KMyMoney
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