MoneySavingExpert Online Budget Planner

MSE_Martin

Technical Queries Discussions: This is the place for any comments or queries regarding the technical and/or functional facets of MSE's Online Budget Planner. Any bugs or errors, please write them down here.

Questions about Budgetting: To discuss budgets and budgeting, please go here.

Martin's Article: Before you use the planner, make sure you read Martin's article:
Budget the MoneySavingExpert way

To get the planner, click here.

Special thanks to MSE regular Tony H for putting the Planner together!

Webby


Addition from Martin

Tony has done an amazing volunteer job doing this. And i know he is reading this and will be here to help if you can't use the planner.
martin

Tony_H_3

As you asked me so nicely I'll keep an eye on this thread for you.

PS - You've integrated it nicely into the site, i'm very impressed.

Mfraser_2

The JavaScript budget calculator doesn't work with browsers that don't support inline frames. For these or browsers that don't have support for normal frames you have to go to https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/budgetcalc.phtml

Tony_H_3

The article relating to this online budget planner suggests it could take awhile to load if using a 56kbps "dial-up" modem and you should refresh the page if it fails to load after 5 minutes.

This is not the case and it should realistically take between 1 and 2 ^1/4 minutes, please refresh if it fails to load after this time.

You will also need to have installed something called "Java", this is usually installed by default with your web browser software.

It can be obtained Here by clicking on the yellow download button located in the top right hand green info pane.

Mfraser_2

I've looked at the source code and no you don't need Java, you need JavaSCRIPT - there is a huge difference between the two.

Unlike Java, JavaScript can't be run from a plug-in and is interpreted by the browser.

The reason I can't use the budget calc as it is, is because of the use of inline frames:

<iframe src="/budgetcalc.phtml" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" width="650" height="4325" /></iframe>

Actually, I'm not sure why the "/>" is there it should just be ">" as the </iframe> ends the statement. Ah, I see it's been created by MSHTML

Tony_H_3

The JavaScript budget calculator doesn't work with browsers that don't support inline frames. For these or browsers that don't have support for normal frames you have to go to https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/budgetcalc.phtml

I had actually meant to thank-you for pointing this out, like you I was simply adding additional helpful information to the thread.

So thank's for pointing out about the iframe problem.

I am limited to creating the solutions and play no part in how those solutions are hosted / presented on the web
so if you do come across any other hosting issues please feel free to post to the thread.

Tony_H_3

Weekly Bump!! ;D

PrincessLilac335

I tried to get the link to unzip and download and enable macros or whatever else it wants and it STILL doesn't work. Is there not a copy and paste option - I can manage to do that! Anybody any ideas on a fool proof way of getting the damned budget sheet? I am running XP. Many thanks for reading my rant and even more if you can solve my issue!

PrincessLilac335

OOOOOpps - double posted! And obviously can't work out how to get this to work either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tony_H_3

I have just downloaded the zip file myself & extracted the budget sheet. All appears to be working fine. Once you open the budgetsheet you are asked to enable macros "Select Enable" it then goes to the menu page where you can click the grey buttons to navigate around the different components of the budgetsheet.

I'll watch this thread carefully and help where I can.

Joseyjo_2

Hello all, this is my first trip into this or any other threads so please be gentle with me!
I have tried to download the spreadsheet and each time am asked which program do I want to use to open it. I answer MS Excel as that seems a reasonable thing to do and it tells me 'the file is not in a recognizable format' followed by all sorts of ifs and buts that mean nothing! I have a feeling that perhaps I need to unzip the file with something first before I can open it, but with what I am afraid I don't know!

Any ideas woud be appreciated as the spreadsheet looks great!

Thanks.