Spreadsheet query

Gers

For a number of years I've been making and maintaining a yearly spreadsheet of all my financial affairs. It's always been a tax year, now I'm wondering if a calendar year is better though it won't tell me about the amount of interest etc.

Are either the 'best' option?

DullGreyGuy

Depends on your personal need, calendar year doesn't mean much to me so dont keep anything on that basis but do keep records based on both the tax year and financial year for my company for tracking both of our taxes

Gers

DullGreyGuy said:

Depends on your personal need, calendar year doesn't mean much to me so dont keep anything on that basis but do keep records based on both the tax year and financial year for my company for tracking both of our taxes

Thanks.  I appreciate you replying, I won't bother stressing about a calendar year one.

gambleruk

I do the calendar year as I enjoy looking back over the year seeing what we have spent, I do have a separate spreadsheet for saving interest, survey taxes etc so I can keep an eye on them for when I start to withdraw my pension in the near future. I think from a mental point of view it is easier to do the calendar year and set any financial goals at the beginning of the year.

RobfromCornwall

I use a mixture.  Interest is by financial year for obvious reasons.  Most other things are calendar year, although I do also use financial year (now I look at it) where I could perhaps use calendar.  I also use academic year too...

PRAISETHESUN

I use a mixture of both, mostly because I have some foreign tax liabilities that operate on a different calendar to the UK. My "annual" records usually cover about 18 months to make sure everything is covered in one place. I've got a few separate columns that calculate interest for the different tax years involved based on the input data.

sausage_time

I too use a mixture of both.  Interest, dividends, share transactions are per financial year.  Most other things are per calendar year.  Much of my trend analysis is actually rolling monthly.

MisterMotivated

My main spreadsheet is based on calendar year as I find it keeps things neater and I like to look back on how the year has progressed.  It also makes more sense as the tax year dates are irrelevant for most of it.  In the past couple of years, I've taken to buying one-off items (that I already planned to buy) and stocking up on non-perishable goods before New Year in order to round down the balance to the nearest £1,000.
The interest tab, which I've actually just been reviewing (it's nice to see £850+ interest just 3 days in ), is also laid out by calendar year, but with a red border at April separating accounts paying interest in one tax year from those paying in the other.  The cells are also coloured differently for each tax year (and differently again for tax exempt accounts). Totals for each tax year are shown separately, with the total for the previous April-December added.
I have a separate spreadsheet for buy-to-let management which is, of course, based solely on tax years.

Gers

All interesting and diverse ways!  I'm retired, no company, no buy-to-let, only savings in a number of vehicles (no investments) so it's the interest which I'm keen to keep a track off.

ThePirates

My spreadsheet runs on a 4 week basis, that's how I'm paid. It goes back about 10 years from when I started it and I usually run it 1 year into the future. 
It has all my DDs and SOs plugged in, so if I stick to my 4 weekly spending forecasts I can tell you my balance in 12 months time. 
It records my main current account, all reward accounts and all my savers.

badger09

I’m also retired, no company, no BTLs but have both savings & investments in S&S ISA & SIPP.  I operate multiple current, savings & Regular Saver accounts, though gradually reducing numbers to minimise work for my executors. 

I keep a detailed spreadsheet with separate pages for cash savings & investments where I update account balances, closures, transfers etc every month. Monthly sheets are retained in case I need to track something, such as a transferred Cash ISA. I summarise at the end of the calendar year so I can track progress. 

On a separate page I keep details of interest as it’s credited on closure or maturity, & at the end of each tax year. 

Having typed that, it sounds complicated but it isn’t & has evolved over several years. Hopefully when the time comes, my son will have no problem administering my estate😇