What I’d really like to do is attach my receipts into Microsoft Money.
As regular readers know, I’m on Microsoft Money 2005, which doesn’t support this feature, but I remember reading that certain versions of Quicken will allow you to attach PDFs and images to transactions.
Not sure if the new versions of Money, the US versions, support this?
Damn, I’ve processed more receipts (downloaded from online credit cards), and now the gap isn’t as good as it was .. this month has been a shocker.
Teaches me to run a report before I’ve processed all the data !
I’ve managed to get rid of most of my credit cards recently. I still HAVE them, but what I don’t do is spend on them .. But ….
I do have an Amex card. It’s supposed to only be for work. If I spend money for something related to work, I’m meant to pick up the bill using this card, then expense items through my work. So it’s ok to use it for personal spending.
Which is what I do.
Every month I have a bill that I estimate as maybe $1,000 that I must pay off (you’re not allowed to keep credit balances with Amex). This is kind of hidden spending that is not helping me get out of debt.
(Non-work-expense) spending on the Amex the last few months:
January: $313.97
February: $230. 57
March: $1,464.78
April: $786.75
Those numbers say it all. I’ll need to stop using that Amex so much.
The debt graph hasn’t moved much the last few months.
It is falling, but not much.
But at least it’s stabilised.
My latest mission is to find some good personal finance software for the Mac.
I’ve talked previously about the lock-in I have with Microsoft Money, and how I use it on my Windows laptop. But really, I spend more time on the Mac, and in a few weeks I’ll be going overseas and leaving the Windows laptop behind. Time is counting down for me to be able to manage my personal finance on the Mac …
I’ve played around with running Microsoft Money on a virtual Windows XP installation, with Parallels, but my MacBook Pro doesn’t seem to like running it as fast as it runs on the Windows computer. The other alternative is to run BootCamp, but who wants to reboot on a regular basis. Hmmmm …
As I write this, there is great uncertainty over the economy in the West, in the United States and Europe, and the credit crunch, debt levels and falling house prices are causing anxiety and even panic in some.
James Dale Davidson’s book, The Great Reckoning, foretells a depression, and the authors give a 15 step programme on how to get ready for it. Whether it’s coming or not, this is good advice for the risk averse.
15 Steps to Survival and Independence
Step 1. Get committed - be in charge of your own life
Step 2. Involve your spouse - support each other to make life changes
Step 3. Act as if the depression has already begun - save 25% of your income. Stop spending so much.
Step 4. Gather knowledge - knowledge is power
Step 5. Master compound interest - save early, get out of debt
Step 6. Stop shopping - don’t buy anything unless you need it
Step 7. Turn off the television - it is of no help to your brain
Step 8. Connect more closely to family and neighbors - contribute to your community
Step 9. Do not be a victim - positive thinking
Step 10. Watch the calendar, not the clock - think long
Step 11. Treasure your health - it’s all you have
Step 12. Don’t boast - keep a low profile, keep out of danger
Step 13. Help others - have responsibility
Step 14. Defend the open society - keep markets open
Step 15. Tell your children - educate your children on this
These steps are taken from one of my favourite books, The Great Reckoning, available from Amazon, but probably not your local bookshop.
Buy from Amazon: “The Great Reckoning: Protecting Yourself in the Coming Depression” (James Dale Davidson)
George Carlin on consumer capitalism, slave/wage labour and critical thinking.
I have been using Microsoft’s Money personal finance software for over 9 years. My 30MB data file has over 12 years of transactions listed, showing spending, profits, debts and general financial activity over the first years of my adult life.
I rely on Microsoft Money.
I have used Money on a series of Windows laptops I get for work - but in the past 2 years I’ve been using a MacBook as my main machine, at home, and so the only time I get to update money is when I’m at work. I would like a solution that could be used both at work, and at home.
I have installed Parallels to use Microsoft Money at home. It’s only the trial version, and it’s not the fastest. Also, I’m not sure I can justify paying for Parallels just to use Microsoft Money.
I’ve also played with BootCamp, but the re-booting is a hassle.
Anyway, I hope to write more about Microsoft Money over the next few months, and pass on some of what I’ve learned from using it.