Comments on: Ways to Create a Budget and Track Your Spending http://www.providentplan.com/568/ways-to-create-a-budget-and-track-your-spending/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ways-to-create-a-budget-and-track-your-spending Personal Finance for Life in the Kingdom Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Paul Williams http://www.providentplan.com/568/ways-to-create-a-budget-and-track-your-spending/#comment-9454 Paul Williams Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:47:14 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=568#comment-9454 I agree, Robert. But like you pointed out, that's a problem with Quicken as well. How much is your credit union's fee for direct access? With the new banking regulations that are in place, it seems like banks aren't going to be quick to give customers what they want without a price. Of course, the smart ones will always be focused on customer service so maybe they'll force the others to give unfettered access. I can't imagine it really costs the bank that much to offer such a service. Tracking things manually can be a pain, but I still think it's worth the time because it makes you consciously think about your spending. For me, that's provided better results than just trying to stick to a budget. I have to think about whether it's really worth the money for the things I've bought and whether I want to keep paying for them. Thanks for your comment, Robert! I agree, Robert. But like you pointed out, that’s a problem with Quicken as well. How much is your credit union’s fee for direct access?

With the new banking regulations that are in place, it seems like banks aren’t going to be quick to give customers what they want without a price. Of course, the smart ones will always be focused on customer service so maybe they’ll force the others to give unfettered access. I can’t imagine it really costs the bank that much to offer such a service.

Tracking things manually can be a pain, but I still think it’s worth the time because it makes you consciously think about your spending. For me, that’s provided better results than just trying to stick to a budget. I have to think about whether it’s really worth the money for the things I’ve bought and whether I want to keep paying for them.

Thanks for your comment, Robert!

]]> By: Robert http://www.providentplan.com/568/ways-to-create-a-budget-and-track-your-spending/#comment-9451 Robert Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:38:25 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=568#comment-9451 Mint.com has some great tools and works wonderfully IF! your bank doesn't use any sort of varying input to log in, such as a captchka (spelling?) or security question. It may log in sometime, but not reliably. I have a checking, savings, credit card, and auto loan through my credit union. Mint was able to access this information the first couple times, but it has gotten progressively harder to the point where it wont connect at all. Well if I can't access these accounts, its no good to me. Quicken wont connect either so I'm left having to do it the manual way or pay an outragous monthly fee. Mint.com has some great tools and works wonderfully IF! your bank doesn’t use any sort of varying input to log in, such as a captchka (spelling?) or security question. It may log in sometime, but not reliably. I have a checking, savings, credit card, and auto loan through my credit union. Mint was able to access this information the first couple times, but it has gotten progressively harder to the point where it wont connect at all. Well if I can’t access these accounts, its no good to me. Quicken wont connect either so I’m left having to do it the manual way or pay an outragous monthly fee.

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