Budgeting Apps
- Thread starter ackatch
- Start date
I've been using copilot this year ever since Mint went away. The app itself is really nice but there is no browser integration for Windows (can only use it on mobile or Mac). Most likely won't renew the subscription since I like to pull the detail out into Excel and currently can't.
If you want to do spreadsheets but don't want to build one yourself, there's a well-regarded product I've had my eye on for years called Tiller HQ. They provide pre-built spreadsheets with a lot of functionality to download/import transactions, build budgets, plan for retirement, and so on. I believe it's $60/year, works with Google Sheets or Excel, and there's a big community supporting it online - people building and sharing new spreadsheet ideas, stuff like that.
Personally I like the "hands-on" aspect of spreadsheets as they allow you to understand exactly where the numbers are coming from, where some of these apps can have a black box quality to them. But YMMV.
Personally I like the "hands-on" aspect of spreadsheets as they allow you to understand exactly where the numbers are coming from, where some of these apps can have a black box quality to them. But YMMV.
I went Mint>Monarch. I don't necessarily use it for budgeting, though. Moreso high level tracking.
I don't know about you, but Mint going away was kind of a blessing in disguise. It made me do some additional work at the start but Simplifi has been a lot better for me overall.
Simplifi isn’t perfect, but it seems to be less glitchy than Mint. And no annoying ads.
I tried Simplifi this AM and couldn't stand it sadly. I don't know why, I just didn't like the UI.
You should definitely give YNAB a try. We have tried various budgeting apps and spreadsheets over the last 20 years and were never able to stick to it. About 18 months ago we tried out YNAB. It's incredible. For whatever reason the YNAB approach is easier for us to stick to. With YNAB "every dollar has a job", and that's exactly how it works. YNAB has drastically improved our ability to save money.
As with any budget app, it takes a bit to get it set up. But if you get the basics in there, you can just keep tweaking it over time.
We like the "Heard it from Hannah" videos. The video about YNAB vs MINT is worth a watch and may be a good place to start....It may seem kind of dumb, but give it a chance.
One thing about YNAB that surprised us is that we actually kind of geek out over it.
As with any budget app, it takes a bit to get it set up. But if you get the basics in there, you can just keep tweaking it over time.
We like the "Heard it from Hannah" videos. The video about YNAB vs MINT is worth a watch and may be a good place to start....It may seem kind of dumb, but give it a chance.
One thing about YNAB that surprised us is that we actually kind of geek out over it.
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YNAB user here and love it. Not only the product but their articles, resources, ans customer service are top notch.
OP: it does require a subscription. I believe it’s up to $109/yr. You can do a free trial though.
Another +1 for Copilot, my main ecosystem is Mac + iPhone/iPad so the lack of WIndows support doesn't bother me. I love the budget graph I can put in a widget on my phone so I can see my spending at a glance. It doesn't update live but I think that's more of a limitation on the bank/CC connections rather than the app itself.
I ended up going with Monarch and for me it's the ability to link to all of my accounts - checking/savings/CDs/HSA/Credit Cards/Student Loans - into one place and see what's what.
Automation. I go to the web site and 20 different accounts are updated at once. Also tracking spending. I usually go to this site 4-5 times a week.
Is there a way to automate those in Google Sheets or do you just go to each web site and then update the spreadsheet with the new balance?
Saw that too. I couldn't remember what I paid last year but it wasn't that much.
Renewal is up next month, so if I end up with some free time I may tinker with spreadsheets.
How much does Monarch cost?
