Best bill-tracking app?

[javabird]

Anyone have a favorite app for tracking monthly bills? I've tried several-- still looking for the best one. I'm currently using a list in Handyshopper, but wonder if there's something better.

Ideally, it would show a running total and remaining balance of bills due for each month. It should not require you to re-enter the bills each month, but allow you to edit the bill's amount.

[sdsdsd]

BudgetMaster can do that. Maybe checkMoney can do that, too, but I haven't spent enough time with it to say for sure.

[javabird]

I should add that I don't need accounting software, since I use Pocket Quicken for that. I'm just looking for something that will track monthly bills.

[javabird]

No one has any other suggestions?

[*YellowRose*]

There's an app called MyBills that's pretty simple to use. Hasn't been updated recently, and it's not full screen, but it may do what you want. Do a Google or a search where you buy software, and I'm sure you'll come up with it . . . =)

[pusfarm]

I bought one awhile back called Bills Due that I wish I hadn't spent money on.  Had not used it in quite awhile, but thought I'd give it another try.  I emailed the developer, but the message came back undeliverable.  Not a good sign. 

You might want to stay away from that one.

As YellowRose mentioned, MyBills is another one.  I tried it about a year ago and generally liked it, but I was a little leery of the NSB Runtime that had to be installed.  It's probably fine and I'll probably give it another look.

[javabird]

Thanks. I actually had tried MyBills before, and I liked it, but it seemed to cause a conflict with PocketQuicken so I had to delete it. I also tried BillsManager Pro, but it doesn't allow you to change or edit an amount in subsequent months after it's entered. It also was subject to a lot of crashes on my T615.

Right now, I'm using a list in Handyshopper. Just wish I could find a better solution -- something that would show the balance due, and remaining balance after each bill is paid. (Handyshopper only shows the amount paid so far).

[Elina]

try checkmoney. Not sure, if it can do all but most of bill tracking is done

[anniebluesky]

Have you looked at QuikBudget?
http://www.QuikSense.com

[javabird]

Looks like the export tool is for PC only (I'm using a Mac), but I'll try the demo anyway.

[sonicxracer]

I LOVE SplashMoney - but not sure if it does exsactly what you're after. But I find it to be an excellent record of any and all payments, etc.

[LanMan]

I use PQ, but I use HandyShopper to track monthly bills/expenses.

[javabird]

LanMan, were you able to set up Handyshopper to show a remaining balance? Because what I want is something that will show the total monthly bills, and a running total, and allow you to check them off as they are paid, showing the remaining balance.

I have a list set up in HS, but it only shows the total due, and when you check them off, it shows the remaining balance, but changes the starting total.

[Duane]

I track a lot of expenses on the road using my PDA. To make it easy to upload into my companies Expense reporting system I built a spreadsheet using Docs to Go. With the vlookup capabilites you can build tables to pull in whatever information you want to store. It can't be that difficult and then you would have exactly what fields you wanted.

[javabird]

Thanks, I have a spreadsheet I use on my Mac. But to use Docs to Go on my PDA, I would have to buy the Pro version, and I can't justify doing this for just one spreadsheet. I was really hoping someone would know of a less expensive solution, just for bill tracking. But it seems there just isn't a good solution out there at the present time.

[rhart00]

I like SplashMoney. Are there any other good hires+ ones?

[xMRG]

Look at BankBook

http://www.bahsoftware.com/ProductsBankBook.shtml

it may do what you need. I use it for Checking/Savings/Credit Card transactions. I think it has a repeat for standard bills. The website lists its features and allows for a trial run of the software.

[javabird]

Thanks, I appreciate the responses, but not what I'm looking for. Don't want an accounting app (already use Pocket Quicken for that). Don't want a budgeting app (overkill for what I need, and I don't want to be locked into a "budgeted" amount).

Just want something that:
-lists monthly bills
-gives a grand total
-allows you to check off bills as they are paid, then,
-gives running total for that month
-allows you to enter the bill amount for that month, copies it to the remaining months (so it doesn't have to be re-entered each month), and
-allows you to edit the $ amount

...so I can see how much my total bills are, how much/what bills I have left to pay that month.

[sdsdsd]

BudgetMaster certainly can do that, and I think checkMoney can, too. Despite the name, BudgetMaster does not "lock" you into a budgeted amount (one checkbox switches that off). Though I haven't done it in checkMoney yet, it looks like there would be at least a report you could run that would generate what you're looking for.

Whoever suggested the database probably has the best idea if you simply don't want to use another package.

Frankly, I'm surprised Pocket Quicken can't do this.

[LanMan]

Originally posted by javabird
LanMan, were you able to set up Handyshopper to show a remaining balance? Because what I want is something that will show the total monthly bills, and a running total, and allow you to check them off as they are paid, showing the remaining balance.

I have a list set up in HS, but it only shows the total due, and when you check them off, it shows the remaining balance, but changes the starting total.

No, I simply use a popup calculator to subtract the total bills from the bills paid to get a remainder. I also use priorities, and categories to highlight the really important items.

[LanMan]

Originally posted by sdsdsd
Frankly, I'm surprised Pocket Quicken can't do this.

PQ 2.x does do budgeting. However, it doesn't keep a running total. I have complained to LandWare, but they are really lax about their upgrades. I guess they figure that they have a monopoly on the seamless hotsync to Quicken, so they don't have to listen to customers.

[javabird]

Originally posted by LanMan


No, I simply use a popup calculator to subtract the total bills from the bills paid to get a remainder. I also use priorities, and categories to highlight the really important items.

I just discovered that Handyshopper WILL show a balance. If you click on the $ sign that opens the Estimated cost box, then click the "Purchased" box, it toggles to a "Needed" amount. (I can't believe I've used it for over a year and never noticed this!) So now I can use HS to do pretty much what I need!

[anniebluesky]

I don't know why I didn't think of that. I use that feature all the time in my shopping list while at the store. It will quickly give me a total of what I have bought, or the total of what is left to buy!

[LanMan]

Of course! I really never noticed that feature. Thanks! Now if I could simply get items to automatically carry over from month-to-month I would be set.

[javabird]

Right, that would be easier... I've been copying each bill, then opening Details in the copy, and changing the month to the next month. That way I have a record for the current month, and the next month, too.

[pusfarm]

Originally posted by LanMan
PQ 2.x does do budgeting. However, it doesn't keep a running total. I have complained to LandWare, but they are really lax about their upgrades. I guess they figure that they have a monopoly on the seamless hotsync to Quicken, so they don't have to listen to customers. I've also emailed them about PQ - more specifically, about a bill feature and HiRes+ support.  As long as the technology's available, I'd love to see more recent transactions in small font, full screen for the bigger picture (so to speak).  I'd love to log bills and set advance alarms for them (like some other programs can do).  Better budgeting would definitely be a plus.

I'm holding off on getting their Leonard Maltin Movie Guide, partly in protest of their apparent disinterest in customer input.

[wellsjs]

Originally posted by LanMan
PQ 2.x does do budgeting. However, it doesn't keep a running total. I have complained to LandWare, but they are really lax about their upgrades. I guess they figure that they have a monopoly on the seamless hotsync to Quicken, so they don't have to listen to customers. Exactly my experience as well! :eek: Somebody please develop your product to do seamless hotsync with Quicken on the desktop!!! You might shake/wake LandWare up!! :rolleyes:

[sdsdsd]

On PDA724 over the weekend, Shaun posted about a free app called Housekeeping Book.

It allows you to enter earnings and expenses, keeps a running total of both, and shows you how much is left. It doesn't sync with anything that I'm aware of. But the price is right. I tried it out just to see, and, if I didn't want more reporting and a little more flexibility, I might stop using checkMoney or even BudgetMaster.

http://www.freewarepalm.com/financial/housekeepingbook.shtml

[Bill]

From what I have seen, the money managers either do a 'good' bill tracking or provide a 'good' budgeting tools but not both. I would strongly stick with checkmoney for the former. I have found checkmoney to be very useful, stable and fast. For the budgeting, there are not too many but you may try accounts and loans or budgetmaster.

[Johnson]

I agree! I like checkmoney for managing money and bill tracking. Very stable, clean and fast(est)

[anniebluesky]

I use Quik Budget and Pocket Money. They really work well together. For instance, if you make an entry in one app, the other recognizes it. I use Quik Budget for budgeting my money, and quick entries when I'm shopping. Pocket Money is more like my checkbook register, and it works with Quicken and MS Money.

[LanMan]

Originally posted by wellsjs
Exactly my experience as well! :eek: Somebody please develop your product to do seamless hotsync with Quicken on the desktop!!! You might shake/wake LandWare up!! :rolleyes:

I don't think that they can.  I believe that LandWare and Intuit are in contract with each other, so that no third party can gain access to Quickens conduit code.  I really do wish that LW would release more updates to PQ, such as Hires+, true budgeting, PDA reconciliation, and the list goes on.  Maybe there with be an update when POS6 is released.  Maybe... :mad:

[LanMan]

Originally posted by anniebluesky
I use Quik Budget and Pocket Money. They really work well together. For instance, if you make an entry in one app, the other recognizes it. I use Quik Budget for budgeting my money, and quick entries when I'm shopping. Pocket Money is more like my checkbook register, and it works with Quicken and MS Money.

I will have to check out that option.  I currently use Pocket Quicken, but I have become disillusioned with the less than timely updates from LandWare (see above post) and I am looking for another more flexible option. :rolleyes: