Budget tracker?

VfM4meplse

Hi all,

My annual first quarter fiscal fast begins!

Can anyone recommend a good budget tracker? I'm looking for a simple .xls template that can help me track what I spend from my pocket rather than entering stuff online, encourage NSDs etc. I was hoping that there's something out there that can save me from creating my own so if there's something that has worked for you (in as much as is not a bother to complete daily, and has helped you control unnecessary expenditure).

TIA

DWhite

Probably not what you're after, but YNAB is a pretty good budget tracker and you can have it as an app on your phone to help track spending when out and about if like me you lose receipts/forget to enter it later.

zippychick

good luck with your budgeting.. ive moved this to the budgeting board for you

Zip

Hi, we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

zippychick

I use a very simple spreadsheet i've written myself with basic formulae in and just update it each month.

Zip

colsten

Ace Money Lite if you have just 1 or 2 accounts that you wants to monitor. http://www.mechcad.net/products/acemoney/free-personal-finance-software-quicken-alternative.shtml#

If you have more accounts, you can buy a version with unlimited accounts.

Currently just available for Windows and Mac. An iPhone and Android versions are apparently in development.

VfM4meplse

Thanks for your help guys. I've used software before and hate it, it makes such an industry of things.

Just to let you know that I did set up my own - seemed quicker in the end as I just wanted to jot something down every evening related to my own conscious voluntary expenditure (some bills just can't be avoided so they're not on the list), rather than use someone else's software. I based it on the CAB's template, but the fields I used are as follows:

Food (home)
Household
Travel (Tfl)
Petrol
Food (out)
Entertainment
Gifts
Clothing
Charity
Prescriptions/health costs
Subscriptions
Unforeseeables
Business
Other
Total outgoings

Returns / cancellations
Total refunds

I'm sure I'll add more to the list as I go. The bonus is that filling in the spreadsheet will be a disincentive to spend in the first place. Ditto, inserting comments in .xls is quick and easy enough and is a good visual reminder to stop spending! NSDs will be highlighted in orange and totalled at the end of the month.

Let 2017 be the year of the careful spender

getmore4less

Once set up MSMoney is great for this sort of stuff.

The trick with good budget/tracking is getting the categories right and planned.

NSD happen a lot with decent planning.


ON going the important thing is to know where your money went and any way you do that is good.

You can't fix a spending problem if you don't know where the money goes.

Most people fail at budgeting because they don't plan properly and don't track.

Doshwaster

getmore4less wrote: »

Once set up MSMoney is great for this sort of stuff.

Yes, it's a shame MS discontinued Money. I'm using an ancient copy of Money 2005 and it has data in there going back to 2001. Even though it is lacking a lot of modern features (a mobile app would be nice) I'd be lost without it.

When you are starting out budgeting it is important to keep track of every penny you spend. It's amazing how much money can vanish on things like coffees and snacks.

getmore4less

Sunset version available free.

Archi_Bald

VfM4meplse wrote: »

(some bills just can't be avoided so they're not on the list)

excluding unavoidable bills seems a bit of an odd approach to budget tracking. Perhaps it's just me.

VfM4meplse

Archi_Bald wrote: »

excluding unavoidable bills seems a bit of an odd approach to budget tracking. Perhaps it's just me.

Well, some things are fixed expenditure, and just need to be paid for, e.g. TV license. I won't compromise on utilities (contacts reviewed last year), I shop around for insurance and if the car needs fixing, I consider this an unavoidable.

This exercise is about areas of expenditure where spending can be reduced or is unnecessary, the smaller things that add up, are no use, don't bring me any happiness and clutter up my home.