What software do you use to track your credit cards and other bills?

[youdontkillmoney]

I'm interested in finding better ways to track my finances, credit card bills, etc.

I used to use MS Money until they stopped making it, besides I do not like being tied to one computer to access the program since you install the software on one computer.

I then looked at Quicken, but same issue as MS Money and not as robust as MS Money.

I looked at online sites such as Mint.com, and others as well.

I need a tracking tool I can access fron any computer and smartphone. I'm the kind of person who tracks cash balances, so when I spend $5, I deduct it from my cash balance. When I make a credit card charge, I enter that charge on my tracking tool, and when I pay it off from a checking accont, I deduct the checking balance for that amount and credit my credit card being paid. I do transactions at this level of detail.

So far what has worked for me is Google's spreadhseet. It can be accessed anywhere in the world on any device. What I do is create a tab for each account, then I create a Summary tab that links to each of these tabs to see balances for all accounts overall, and in this summary tab I include telephone and accunt numbers, etc of all accounts. One issue is that for me to deduct from checking to pay a credit card, I have to manually perform two entries whereas in MS Money I can transfer from checking to credit and the balances in both accounts update. That is my gripe, plus, being google, though password protected, I am sometimes uneasy about the fact that someone can hack into my account and see this spreadhseet (I suppose I can delete all account numbers and just show the card and balance with transaction without other identifying information).

Anyway, is there something better?

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youdontkillmoney Stats:

23 years (since 1991) of credit experience without EVER being late or missing a payment.

Experian FICO score: 798 (as of 2014)

Gardening since 04/03/2014.

Total 17 credit cards: $210,110:

AMEX Platinum ($85,000 with $450 annual fee plus an extra $175 for up to three additional member cards for $625 total each year);  Barclay's Black Card Stainless Steel Visa card ($10,000 with $495 annual fee and the last time I use this card the reaction is "wow, your card is heavy" and I just smile); Diners Club Carte Blanche ($15,000 with $300 annual fee); AMEX Business Platinum ($3,000); Bank of America Visa Signature ($5,000); Capital One ($2,000); Citibank MasterCard ($13,000); Discover ($3,000); Capital One Quicksilver (formerly HSBC) $20,000; JCB Card ($3,000); Juniper MasterCard ($5,000); Merrill Lynch Visa Signature ($5,000); US Bank Visa ($3,500); Wells Fargo Visa ($9,000); Credit Union Visa ($7,500); Chase Freedom Visa ($8,000); Citi Diamond Preferred ($13,200)

Total 4 Lines of Credit: $45,200

Wells Fargo Line of Credit: $11,200 ($25 annual fee with 13.75% APR)

Credit Union: $20,000 ($0 annual fee with 15% APR)

US Bank Premier Plus Line of Credit: $5,000 ($0 annual fee with 13% APR)

Citibank Custom Line of Credit: $9,000 ($50 annual fee waived first year, and if used once a year, annual fee waived with 12.99% APR)

[yudeology101]

I use Excel Spreadsheet, don't use the software. 

[youdontkillmoney]

Thanks for the reply. I considered using Excel but decided Google spreadsheet instead for the mobility (without being tied to one computer or on a flashdrive, which must have Excel on the computer you will use it on).

The plus is more security with Excel, the potential drawback for me is lack of mobility.

Our methods work for both of us for our own situations. Good enough.

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youdontkillmoney Stats:

23 years (since 1991) of credit experience without EVER being late or missing a payment.

Experian FICO score: 798 (as of 2014)

Gardening since 04/03/2014.

Total 17 credit cards: $210,110:

AMEX Platinum ($85,000 with $450 annual fee plus an extra $175 for up to three additional member cards for $625 total each year);  Barclay's Black Card Stainless Steel Visa card ($10,000 with $495 annual fee and the last time I used this card the reaction is "wow, your card is heavy" and I just smile); Diners Club Carte Blanche ($15,000 with $300 annual fee); AMEX Business Platinum ($3,000); Bank of America Visa Signature ($5,000); Capital One ($2,000); Citibank MasterCard ($13,000); Discover ($3,000); Capital One Quicksilver (formerly HSBC) $20,000; JCB Card ($3,000); Juniper MasterCard ($5,000); Merrill Lynch Visa Signature ($5,000); US Bank Visa ($3,500); Wells Fargo Visa ($9,000); Credit Union Visa ($7,500); Chase Freedom Visa ($8,000); Citi Diamond Preferred ($13,200)

Total 4 Lines of Credit: $45,200

Wells Fargo Line of Credit: $11,200 ($25 annual fee with 13.75% APR)

Credit Union: $20,000 ($0 annual fee with 15% APR)

US Bank Premier Plus Line of Credit: $5,000 ($0 annual fee with 13% APR)

Citibank Custom Line of Credit: $9,000 ($50 annual fee waived first year, and if used once a year, annual fee waived with 12.99% APR)

[yudeology101]

I don't think you know how to use the quote in a specific reply, so here you go:

1.  Click "reply" on the post you want to respond to.

2. To the right of the Spell Check button -- and above the message post window -- you will see the quote button.  It should look like this:

3.  Tap the quote bubble to insert the text of the post you are responding to and the block of text will appear in the message post window.

4.  Type your response below the quoted block of text and then click preview if you'd like to proof the post before submitting, or click "Post" at the bottom of the message post window.

[youdontkillmoney]

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@yudeology101 wrote:

I don't think you know how to use the quote in a specific reply, so here you go:

1.  Click "reply" on the post you want to respond to.

2. To the right of the Spell Check button -- and above the message post window -- you will see the quote button.  It should look like this:

3.  Tap the quote bubble to insert the text of the post you are responding to and the block of text will appear in the message post window.

4.  Type your response below the quoted block of text and then click preview if you'd like to proof the post before submitting, or click "Post" at the bottom of the message post window.

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Testing how to quote instructions by yudeology101...thank you for showing me

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youdontkillmoney Stats:

23 years (since 1991) of credit experience without EVER being late or missing a payment.

Experian FICO score: 798 (as of 2014)

Gardening since 04/03/2014.

Total 17 credit cards: $210,110:

AMEX Platinum ($85,000 with $450 annual fee plus an extra $175 for up to three additional member cards for $625 total each year);  Barclay's Black Card Stainless Steel Visa card ($10,000 with $495 annual fee and the last time I used this card the reaction is "wow, your card is heavy" and I just smile); Diners Club Carte Blanche ($15,000 with $300 annual fee); AMEX Business Platinum ($3,000); Bank of America Visa Signature ($5,000); Capital One ($2,000); Citibank MasterCard ($13,000); Discover ($3,000); Capital One Quicksilver (formerly HSBC) $20,000; JCB Card ($3,000); Juniper MasterCard ($5,000); Merrill Lynch Visa Signature ($5,000); US Bank Visa ($3,500); Wells Fargo Visa ($9,000); Credit Union Visa ($7,500); Chase Freedom Visa ($8,000); Citi Diamond Preferred ($13,200)

Total 4 Lines of Credit: $45,200

Wells Fargo Line of Credit: $11,200 ($25 annual fee with 13.75% APR)

Credit Union: $20,000 ($0 annual fee with 15% APR)

US Bank Premier Plus Line of Credit: $5,000 ($0 annual fee with 13% APR)

Citibank Custom Line of Credit: $9,000 ($50 annual fee waived first year, and if used once a year, annual fee waived with 12.99% APR)

[yudeology101]

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@youdontkillmoney wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I considered using Excel but decided Google spreadsheet instead for the mobility (without being tied to one computer or on a flashdrive, which must have Excel on the computer you will use it on).

The plus is more security with Excel, the potential drawback for me is lack of mobility.

Our methods work for both of us for our own situations. Good enough.

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Yea that would be the downside of using an excel, but nowadays people carry small tablets which you can access/edit Excel & different software for mobile.  Personally, I try not to do anything mobile these days, with all these Open Source mobile softwares/apps that are becoming more evident source of personal credit hacking.  One of my best friend works for Samsung in the upper level management and this is the advice i have received from him. 

For my personal budgeting, I still feel like going back to the 'old school' way of doing things such as Excel or similar is the best route. 

[Chris679]

I use Mint.com to track all of my CC purchases and Excel spreadsheet to create an overall balance sheet that I update at the start of each month.  I don't want to have to do a lot of micro managing and although Mint has limitations it does that job for what I want. 

[laz98]

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@youdontkillmoney wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I considered using Excel but decided Google spreadsheet instead for the mobility (without being tied to one computer or on a flashdrive, which must have Excel on the computer you will use it on).

The plus is more security with Excel, the potential drawback for me is lack of mobility.

Our methods work for both of us for our own situations. Good enough.

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Put your Excel in Dropbox?

[youdontkillmoney]

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@laz98 wrote:

Put your Excel in Dropbox?

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^^^

laz98,

that's an idea I did not think of. I just tried it, which would require me to download the file to the PC I happen to be at. I would have to remember to delete it afterwards from that PC. During the test, it reminded me of just emailing the excel file to myself using gmail and downloading when I need it, same concept.

Good idea, I appreciate the reminder of this alternative. I still think Google spreadsheet has a slight edge since no downloading of a file is needed.

[laz98]

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@youdontkillmoney wrote:

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@laz98 wrote:

Put your Excel in Dropbox?

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^^^

laz98,

that's an idea I did not think of. I just tried it, which would require me to download the file to the PC I happen to be at. I would have to remember to delete it afterwards from that PC. During the test, it reminded me of just emailing the excel file to myself using gmail and downloading when I need it, same concept.

Good idea, I appreciate the reminder of this alternative. I still think Google spreadsheet has a slight edge since no downloading of a file is needed.

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I never noticed it asking me to download it...always seemed like it just popped up.  Oh well, I'm glad Google works for you!