Budgets

[crikker]

Any suggestions on free budgeting software/programs? Need to get our arms around our finances. I know. Check Google and I'm off to there next but I always get great responses from TB. Thanks.

[sloasdaylight]

If you know your income and your monthly bills, excel or another spreadsheet type program are great. My girlfriend and I sat down last night with open office's spreadsheet creator and mapped our our weekly and monthly budget.

[MatticusMania]

I just use a pen and a piece of paper. Write down all my expenses and when theyre due, see whats left over from every paycheck.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Just use excel?

I've tried doing it on the PC, but find it easier, as Matticus points out, to just write it. Pick up a financal notebook and keep a track that way, pretty easy to do. If your income and bills are consistant each month, easy enough to fill some in advance at the start of each month.

[MJ5150]

https://www.mint.com/

It is all online, and that does turn off some people. So it may not be for you. However, there are some great budgeting tools and reports for seeing your spending habits. It was an eye opener for the wife and I when we started using it.

-Mike

[SoonerMatt]

Just use one of the free Excel alternatives - Open Office or Google Docs.

[tplyons]

I use Quicken which is relatively obsolete, but I have data going back 5 years and can report on anything with a few clicks.

At work, I use Excel to track my budgets. Start a small ledger and add lines as needed. Reconcile monthly.

[upandb]

+1 to Mint.com