Money management software

[brodiej]

As our finances are getting complicated - we have multiple bank accounts, some savings, mortgages etc it would be really helpful to have a single "dashboard" of our finances.

In my dreamworld this would connect with our online banks (Natwest and Nationwide) and give us real time info on income and outgoings in a spreadsheet form which we could design how we want.

I have read such things exist but that some are better than others and some banks are not keen.

Anyone use anything like this or have advice?

It would be much appreciated

 

[GlasgowFinn]

I use moneydance and find it meets my needs. There's a free trial if you want to give it a go.

 

[biggs682]

i let the other half do ours and its cheaper

 

[fossyant]

Spreadsheet !

 

[EltonFrog]

i let the other half do ours and its cheaper

This

Spreadsheet !

And this plus consolidation.

 

[ASC1951]

As our finances are getting complicated - we have multiple bank accounts, some savings, mortgages etc it would be really helpful to have a single "dashboard" of our finances.
.....
Anyone use anything like this or have advice?
...

I too have multiple bank accounts, Sipps, ISAs , mortgages and whatnot. I've used products like Quicken in the pre-online banking days, where you had to enter cheques etc manually. After a few months I thought "What the hell am I doing this for? Why on earth do I need this level of detail?"

Domestic finances shouldn't be so complex that you need to track them constantly. I now have one simple home-crafted spreadsheet for investments, which I update weekly, and another in Balance Sheet form, which I update monthly-ish. If you find that you have to have this information in real time, otherwise the finances go Pete Tong, your priority should be to simplify them.

Nowadays you can get instant downloads from many financial institutions, so you could do it all a lot more quickly. But I would still be wary about setting up a system where you are constantly poring over figures. The time could be better spent; and it's bad for the soul.

 

[numbnuts]

Spreadsheet +1

 

[Alex H]

Domestic finances shouldn't be so complex that you need to track them constantly.

They shouldn't be, but sometimes they are . I use home Accounts 2012, mainly because I have to fill in tax returns for both France and the UK and it's infinitiely easier using some sort of software.

I don't use a spreadsheet, because, as you say, the time is better spent elsewhere

 

[PK99]

As our finances are getting complicated - we have multiple bank accounts, some savings, mortgages etc it would be really helpful to have a single "dashboard" of our finances.

In my dreamworld this would connect with our online banks (Natwest and Nationwide) and give us real time info on income and outgoings in a spreadsheet form which we could design how we want.

I have read such things exist but that some are better than others and some banks are not keen.

Anyone use anything like this or have advice?

It would be much appreciated

Recently came across this > http://www.yourwealth.co.uk/ in on of the Newspaper money sections, not tried it, but it look to do what you want

 

[gavroche]

I am not a wealthy person so my finances are easy to track. I do on-line banking and it answers all my needs. My accountant sorts out the business side.

 

[pplpilot]

My other half is a wizard with Excel, she written all sorts of macros/plugins graphs etc, I even get email alerts from it! It handles all the ins/outs for the rentals too. I do hear good things about http://www.moneydashboard.com/

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

I. I now have one simple home-crafted spreadsheet for investments, which I update weekly, and another in Balance Sheet form, which I update monthly-ish.. But I would still be wary about setting up a system where you are constantly poring over figures. The time could be better spent; and it's bad for the soul.

I'm exactly the same. I have an online stockbroking account for buying and selling investments, and simply transpose totals to the spreadsheet. ASC is quite right, the more detail you have, the greater the time you spend on it, and, in the case of share portfolios, the greater the temptation to deal too often. Having said that, sometimes a little study reaps benefits. I noticed that the directors of Thorntons were buying when the shares were about 25p, so I bought some, and they are now about 90p. However, most of the time, it's best to follow the Buffett approach - buy quality and invest for the long term.