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I purchased the program back in January, as an effort to put our finances in some kind of order. Neither my hubby or I are very good with money, other than we pay our bills on time and keep our fingers crossed there's enough in the account. This sounds wierd, but I'm actually AFRAID of messing around with anything money related-I pay every year to have someone do my taxes because I start breaking out in a cold sweat just thinking about it!
Anyway, so I bought this program hoping to get some help in overcoming my fear, but I think they misnamed it-it should be called Microsoft Money for Money Experts. It seems way too advanced for me, and the little instructional intros that come along with it are not helpful at all.
Any advice about the program or an easier way to budget?
Answer:
I use the Microsoft Money that came with my computer and I really like it. Granted, I am an experienced computer user and I use way more advanced accounting programs for my bookkeeping part-time job but I think it's a good program. I like that I can setup a reoccuring bill and it puts it in for me so I don't forget about it and overdraw my account.
If you have any specific questions, PM me! I'd be happy to help you out!
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I used MS Money for years and once you get the hang of it, it saves you lots of stress. A word of caution though. I backed mine up religously and then my program got corrupted somehow and my backup didn't work either. I lost like 3-4 years of my checkbook register, bill payments, amounts, dates, etc., and I had thrown all my receipts away once I entered them. It took months just to get my checkbook properly balanced again. I have a handwritten ledger now and I don't throw away anything relating to money.
I would print off your ledger at the end of the month and put it in a safe place so if something like this happens you are not totally lost like I was. It would have saved me so much time.
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I use Quicken instead of Money, but they're very similar. The only suggestion I can think of is to start off slowly, and don't feel pressured to get everything into Money at once. Maybe start off with last month's bank statement, then move on to entering purchases as you pay bills or buy things, and add in the credit card statements, etc.
Check your library for books on using Money; I know there's a Quicken for Dummies book, and I'd bet there's a Money version as well. I read Quicken for Dummies because I prefer printed manuals and Quicken didn't come with much in the way of printed documentation. Lots of Help files and all, but nothing I can sit and read. I know of a message board for Money that might be helpful, but it's a paid site. (You can read for free, but to post anything, you have to pay a membership fee.)
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I used it until recently when the old PC finally met it's maker and we got a Mac. Now I don't know what to use! Anyone with Macs have any ideas for me?
I agree it was a bit tricky. I'd like something a little bit more simple. But I found the more I used it, the more I understood. I just didn't try and learn it all on the same day.
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I think there's a Quicken version for Macs. I'm not sure though; I don't have a Mac, so I tend to skip over that sort of thing. Too much random info in my brain as it is.