What would you want from an MSE SOA? 🔢

13thlegion

On a computer screen the table was the easier version to read through. I really liked the notes column and this could be very useful.

For hiding/showing zero lines I think that it depends on the line. e.g. Mortgage when there is rent could be hidden. But other categories it may be more useful for those giving advice to see what isn't budgeted for rather than trying to remember a category. e.g. Xmas I would suggest should be shown as 0 if it's not being saved for. For ease it may be simpler to just show all zero lines than work out which ones can be safely hidden.

Grumpy_chap

What are MSE hoping to achieve by their own SoA tool that is not already achieved by the popular LemonFool tool?

My observation is that the draft output shared a couple of posts upthread is jolly hard to read compared to the simplicity of the LemonFool output that is often shared. I don't often visit the DfW area but, when I am drawn there, if I am going to comment in any way I want to have been able to see the OP's status quickly, simply and clearly.

MSE_Stephen

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82027583#Comment_82027583

Hi @Grumpy_chap

As the Lemonfool one hasn't been updated in a while, we thought it might be an idea to build a modern one.

In researching I tried to find what members often ask in followup to the SOA because the member has left out items.

The early draft I created is much more comprehensive just as a starting point, but It could be just as simple as the one you're used to if that's what members think would be preferable.

E.g. we could have one as simple as the current one, that had an additional Notes column, and a few extra prompts at the bottom:

MSE_Stephen

Hi

Just to reassure -

The Forum Team have zero preference or agenda for building an SOA form.

We just thought it might be an idea to have a more modern version. 100% community led.

Now, the draft I'm creating does ask for, and output, a lot more information, but I'm building it that way just to show what could be asked - and then narrow it down.

I can totally see the argument that someone looking for debt help for the first time might be more likely to fill in a really basic form - Even if that frustrates members feeling that they have to tease out information. In the end maybe that conversational style could be the more helpful.

What would really help is to get a wide range of opinions, so please direct anyone you feel could contribute to this thread

RAS

I'm happy with the lemonfool SOA, but it's been around a long time and depends on someone updating it and continuing to operate the web-site.

We all know how fragile some systems are, so at the very least having a maintained back up and an alternative is wise.

With respect to newbies, a couple of observations. sourcrates and others have over the years have written introductory threads for them, which largely seem to be ignored.

Some aren't used to the forum, many are in a blind panic (or two), some are just terrified their thread and SOA might enable some one else to identify them. Far too many are desperate to prevent their significant contacts discovering the financial mess. That may be the trigger that got them to the forum in the first instance.

I know MSE works on anonymity but I wonder if the downloading or posting of a SOA could trigger a welcome message encouraging people to be explicit about important factors?

I'm thinking about someone who has been in debt for ages, working with a debt charity and has just disclosed in passing potentially more serious secure debt. No-one asked because everyone here would assume that there current debt solution was devised after the secure debt was disclosed. It seems not.

There are other factors that also matter.

vampirotoothus

Hi you need a sewage section as in Bournemouth we pay Water in and Sewage out to different companies.
Under the pensions section there needs to be more options as quite often people have an independent pension as well as the state one. Some are paid weekly / 4 weekly and others are monthly.

Thanks V x

MSE_Stephen

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82032677#Comment_82032677

Hi @vampirotoothus

In the current draft, there is the ability to add anything you like to any section. So there's always the ability to add more. The ones that are default are more there to be a memory prompt of what the user should include.

Xenon

Good to see MSE looking at doing their own SOA - common sense and long overdue.

I find the existing SOA visually not very appealing - it could be better presented in clean lines/boxes (if that makes sense)

MSE_Stephen

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for the feedback so far.

Here is a very early draft of what an SOA could look like. ⚠️ For testing only.

As I mentioned previously, this early draft might overdo it in subdividing categories. The intention is to show what an SOA could ask, and then, with your feedback, scale it back to what’s really needed.

There may be things that you find confusing, so please let us know what would work and what doesn’t.

For example, the Pets section asks for pet food, but many people might already include that in their groceries.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/soa

Please give this a thorough test. Let us know what’s wrong with it as a concept first. If we continue with the project, we can then look at making sure it works properly on every screen and device.

13thlegion

Having played with the draft version.

I found the sub-dividing of categories helpful as prompts. I think if it was not there or just text next to a category title rather than an entry I would have been tempted to lump things together leading to greater inaccuracies.

1 area for improvement if possible is debt minimum payment. Currently it is a £ figure. Would it be possible to include a % option?