How do you keep record of your expenses at home?

[Umnitsa]

We have not been particularly well organised and whilst I have an approximate idea of how much we spend on what I'd like to do expenses on a regular basis.

What software would you recommend for it? I've downloaded MoneyDance but it seems too complex for what I need. I guess I could just create a very simple programme in Excel... But I am sure there is a middle ground somewhere! Any advice?

Spreadsheet with all usual monthly expenditure on it plus the monthly equivalent of bills that are paid annually or quarterly.

Sometimes I do another spreadsheet to cover the amount of spending per month (excluding usual standing orders/direct debits). I do that if I want to work out what I am spending each month (on top of usual bills). That covers everything from weekly food shopping to coffee on way to work.

I've looked at other programmes but I find them all too complicated and not really what I need.

I just write mine all down in a text doc. I probably should do a spreadsheet but can't be arsed, also don't know how to do it

if you have a mac there is the 'numbers' programme which you just type your outgoings in and it does a budget for you - good idea, but somehow seeing it in b+w makes it more depressing.....!

Thank you for quick responses! Yes, it is depressing to see how numbers add up... that's why I need to do it, otherwise containing my shoe habit whilst on maternity leave will be too difficult!

Eyeofhorus - I do have a mac but was not aware of a special "numbers" programme. Do you mean spreadsheet application in the OpenOffice or there is a proper budget tool?

moneysaving expert have a (free) budget excel programme II found it really useful as it will work stuff out over the whole year.

Thank you DorisIsAPinkDragon! I've had a look at it and it looks interesting although operates somewhat different from what I envisaged: one needs to sum up total expenses per category before entering them into the system, whilst I was thinking about a programme where you could just assign transactions (copied from the bank statement) to relevant categories and it would do totals automatically.

It just occurred to me that I am looking for something similar to the expense system (concur) that we use at work. How ironic to be aspiring to do at home something that is normally the most unpleasant chore in the office! Well, builds character I suppose...

I use several a spread sheet to reconcile my bank & credit card statements and also budget each month for bills, expenses, car running costs, childcare etc.

Spreadsheets aren't hard to pick up. If you can't figure it out ask your dc (or neighbour's dc if yours are toddlers aren't into computers yet)

we use microsoft money because it is very basic

Thank you Gillybean! For about a year I did our expenses in several cross-referencing spreadsheets for several accounts but it was two cumbersome. I am looking for something a little more efficient now.

Oooggs - I was wondering about MS Money. It is not available for free trial now, and from the description it seems a little over-engineered for my needs. You are saying it's basic - basic as intuitive or basic=limited functionality?

you can do loads on it - well dh might. but I just open an account with a click oooggs housekeeping acc. put in shop, amount & date and it enters at the bottom like a spreadsheet. I can easily put next months child benefit in so I can see when I will next have money etc... very easy to use

Great, thank you Oooggs. Will give it a try.

Home Accountz - google it and you'll see it. I think they have a 1 month free trial as well. I use it and find it really good. It actually makes keeping accounts kind of fun in a geeky sort of way. And very enlightening when you click on a category and see how much you've actually spent on that!

Wolfhound - thank you! Just watched the introductory video and it seems to be the sort of thing I've been looking for.

I use a spreadsheet - all the items listed at the left hadn side e.g. "Food" "Clothes" etc. and the amount needed or budgeted, in the second column I keep a running total of how much I need left over for the month from each of these items, e.g. reduce the food total by £90 per week. It works well for me and means I can be sure my small surplus doesn't go on things I can't remember ( which makes me very sad)

Thank you Higgle. You are much more advanced than I am - I am trying to keep track of expenses, and you actively manage your budget!

Another user of MS Money. Takes some time to set up initially with accounts, direct debits, regular deposits etc. but if you keep it up to date it runs like a clock. Great for tracking expenses and working out cash-flow. Have have much fewer times of going accidentally overdrawn since using it for budgeting and forward planning.

Umnitsa - my motto is "don't let the bastards get you down" and I'm 100% determined the cuts and rising prices are not going to impinge on my fun, so I'm budgeting, using value floor cleaner and buying and selling on ebay to ensure I have a wonderful wardrobe and funds for holidays etc. Both DH and I will probably be wage frozen for 3 years - just as we have our sons going through uni - so I need to have my eye on the challenge!

glad it was useful umnitsa - they have quite a good user forum etc. and the helpline is good too.

I would second Home Accountz. Though I find the absence of a function to track cumulative or year to date spending really irritating - I assured their tech guys are working on it.

It is quite fun, in a geeky way.

Many thanks all for your responses! I am getting inspired by the fact that quite a few people do it regularly - and I share your sentiment, Higgle! Just need to commit to an evening of figuring out how it works and setting up the system.

I was intrigued about the "geeky fun" comments re Accountz. Do you mean techy geeky or amateur book-keeping geeky?

Sorry for hijack but can anyone recommend an app for iPhone that does the same?

I have two Excel spreadsheets.
One is a weekly spending breakdown, I can see how much money I spend each week on categories such as bills, food, nursery, outings, dd, myself, presents, travel etc. From this I can see percentages and statistics and see if my expenses on certain things are going up or down, and therefore see where I can make savings.

My second spreadsheet is a record of my weekly bank balance and incomings and outgoings. It has columns for date, balance, wages, child benefit, tax credits etc and another for total weekly outgoings (taken from my other spreadsheet). I've used formulas for work out all calculations for me and graphs which show how well I'm doing. And I can see by looking at this one when money is due to enter my bank account and I can predict accurately in advance exactly what my bank balance will be.

I've found that these two spreadsheets help me to be in completely in control of my finances and have helped me to save money well, even though I don't earn a great deal. I've been keeping these records for about 10 years.

Excel is really simple to use and limitless in possibilities. I think almost anyone could learn it quite thoroughly in about a week.

Pie Minister, I think Home Accountz has an iphone app tho' i haven't used it (no iphone to use it on )

I use PocketMoney, which is an iPhone app (also avail for other platforms). It's very good, you can enter stuff as you go along or import from file (I believe - have hardly done this). It has budgeting & chart features too, and is well supported with a good user forum.

i use excel, put in all monthly outgoings on 1st of montn that need to come out all the month then my bank balance and delete outgoings as they are spent keeping an eye on my bank balance and whats come out as the days pass so eventually towards end of month it says i have absolutly fuck all left or that i have a hundreds quid to blow on shoyte or diligently save