Comments on: PearBudget: An Effective Way to Dip Your Toes into Budgeting http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:32:47 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: luke http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-322107 luke Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:41:44 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-322107 Check out www.expensr.com if you want something like mint and wesabe, but easy, free, and useful Check out http://www.expensr.com if you want something like mint and wesabe, but easy, free, and useful

]]> By: Amphritrite http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-285027 Amphritrite Fri, 23 May 2008 20:45:24 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-285027 I love, love the site, but... ...it seems ridiculous to me to pay for budgeting software. It just does. I'll stick to the Download.com version of PearBudget via Google Docs, myself. I love the spreadsheet and can't imagine using anything else at the moment. I've modified it some to incorporate some of the Envelope Budget principles, but it works for me. And? Free! I love, love the site, but…

…it seems ridiculous to me to pay for budgeting software. It just does.

I’ll stick to the Download.com version of PearBudget via Google Docs, myself. I love the spreadsheet and can’t imagine using anything else at the moment. I’ve modified it some to incorporate some of the Envelope Budget principles, but it works for me.

And? Free!

]]> By: Danielle http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-283831 Danielle Thu, 22 May 2008 14:16:34 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-283831 Has anyone had any experience with wesabe.com? Has anyone had any experience with wesabe.com?

]]> By: MVP http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-283478 MVP Thu, 22 May 2008 03:56:48 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-283478 We started out doing our budget with pencil and paper, then graduated to using a very simple self-created Excel document. Now we use both the Excel document and the non-online version of Pear Budget - we started using it about 2 years ago. I I especially love how at the end of the year, you can track how much you spent through the year in each category. It's fascinating, and sometimes horrifying. One of the few drawbacks of PearBudget is it doesn't have a lot of flexibility (I guess unless you want to dissect the program) in its number of categories. For example, I wish it had more spaces for "variable" expenses. But it's very simple to use and it works for us. @ Sandy (Comment #21), I'm a fan of pencil and paper when first starting a budget, just to get the hang of it for a few months, but frankly it's really cumbersome. First, you sometimes have to write really small to fit the numbers and categories into the tiny little rectangles in those budget books. Second, adding all those columns up by hand is a real pain. Third, messy handwriting can sometimes be a problem, especially if you're doing the budget with another person. We started out doing our budget with pencil and paper, then graduated to using a very simple self-created Excel document. Now we use both the Excel document and the non-online version of Pear Budget – we started using it about 2 years ago. I I especially love how at the end of the year, you can track how much you spent through the year in each category. It’s fascinating, and sometimes horrifying.

One of the few drawbacks of PearBudget is it doesn’t have a lot of flexibility (I guess unless you want to dissect the program) in its number of categories. For example, I wish it had more spaces for “variable” expenses. But it’s very simple to use and it works for us.

@ Sandy (Comment #21), I’m a fan of pencil and paper when first starting a budget, just to get the hang of it for a few months, but frankly it’s really cumbersome. First, you sometimes have to write really small to fit the numbers and categories into the tiny little rectangles in those budget books. Second, adding all those columns up by hand is a real pain. Third, messy handwriting can sometimes be a problem, especially if you’re doing the budget with another person.

]]> By: Danielle http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-283071 Danielle Wed, 21 May 2008 19:49:49 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-283071 I signed up for mint.com, and while it was impressive, I was extremely disappointed that I couldn't customize my own categories. There isn't even a category for loans of any kind, which is a huge part of my budgeting. That was enough to make me not want to use it, at least until there are more category options or they are customizable. I signed up for mint.com, and while it was impressive, I was extremely disappointed that I couldn’t customize my own categories. There isn’t even a category for loans of any kind, which is a huge part of my budgeting. That was enough to make me not want to use it, at least until there are more category options or they are customizable.

]]> By: Aaron Patzer http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-282093 Aaron Patzer Wed, 21 May 2008 00:57:59 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-282093 Keep in mind, Mint.com is anonymous, signup (https://wwws.mint.com/login.event?task=S) never asks for your name, address, SSN, or anything personally identifying. Mint.com does know all about your finances. And we do use that information - to help you find a better rate on your credit card, more interest on your savings account, and lower prices on the things you buy most. In fact, the only "ads" you see on Mint.com are ones calculated to save you at least $50. However, we really don't know anything about you, so the risk of identity theft on Mint.com is much lower even than on an ecommerce site where you enter name, address, credit card number, etc. Aaron Patzer Founder & CEO, Mint.com Keep in mind, Mint.com is anonymous, signup (https://wwws.mint.com/login.event?task=S) never asks for your name, address, SSN, or anything personally identifying.

Mint.com does know all about your finances. And we do use that information – to help you find a better rate on your credit card, more interest on your savings account, and lower prices on the things you buy most. In fact, the only “ads” you see on Mint.com are ones calculated to save you at least $50.

However, we really don’t know anything about you, so the risk of identity theft on Mint.com is much lower even than on an ecommerce site where you enter name, address, credit card number, etc.

Aaron Patzer
Founder & CEO, Mint.com

]]> By: Sandy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-282030 Sandy Tue, 20 May 2008 23:20:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-282030 Does anyone use paper and pencil anymore? While I know it's not very modern and new, I used to use (especially in our early married years) a blue budget book that was about $3 at any office supply store. In it, I would write down all income and outflo on a daily basis. While I know that there are lots of programs like this on the internet, I'd be really leery of inputing all that info out there. My sense is that it's like the cash vs credit issue. Pulling out $25 to pay for something in cash can feel painful, but zipping my credit card thru the machine is really easy. I think it's kinda the same online financial maintainence. If I have to go to the "bother" of finding a pencil and writing down all my financial bits, it means a bit more. But I'm a bit older than most of your readers, I suspect. Does anyone use paper and pencil anymore?
While I know it’s not very modern and new, I used to use (especially in our early married years) a blue budget book that was about $3 at any office supply store. In it, I would write down all income and outflo on a daily basis.
While I know that there are lots of programs like this on the internet, I’d be really leery of inputing all that info out there.
My sense is that it’s like the cash vs credit issue. Pulling out $25 to pay for something in cash can feel painful, but zipping my credit card thru the machine is really easy. I think it’s kinda the same online financial maintainence. If I have to go to the “bother” of finding a pencil and writing down all my financial bits, it means a bit more.
But I’m a bit older than most of your readers, I suspect.

]]> By: Danielle http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-281869 Danielle Tue, 20 May 2008 20:48:16 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-281869 After reading this yesterday I decided to try the 30 day free trial of Pear Budget, and I love it so far. I've tried to use Quicken and Microsoft Money before, but found them both to be too complicated to deal with. I love that with Pear Budget I can check on it and update it from any computer, whether I'm at home or the office. After reading this yesterday I decided to try the 30 day free trial of Pear Budget, and I love it so far. I’ve tried to use Quicken and Microsoft Money before, but found them both to be too complicated to deal with. I love that with Pear Budget I can check on it and update it from any computer, whether I’m at home or the office.

]]> By: Leisureguy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-281452 Leisureguy Tue, 20 May 2008 14:16:27 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-281452 Interesting. I did a similar budget-building spreadsheet, but the one I did takes a slightly different approach and computes the amount of money you should spend weekly while putting aside money for other expenses, including the "implicit" spending you do simply by owning things that require replacement. It worked well for me, and it's available free: <a href="http://www.lulu.com/content/1581272" rel="nofollow"><b>Within Your Means</b></a>. It's an Excel spreadsheet that you just download and use. So far, more than 16,000 downloads. Interesting. I did a similar budget-building spreadsheet, but the one I did takes a slightly different approach and computes the amount of money you should spend weekly while putting aside money for other expenses, including the “implicit” spending you do simply by owning things that require replacement. It worked well for me, and it’s available free: Within Your Means. It’s an Excel spreadsheet that you just download and use. So far, more than 16,000 downloads.

]]> By: Prasanth http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-281332 Prasanth Tue, 20 May 2008 12:28:05 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-281332 After trying out many online budgeting/expense tracking applications, i settled on Clear Check book @ www.clearcheckbook.com - It is free, has great features (no online access to bank accounts and such - but then i consider that a plus). Check it out. After trying out many online budgeting/expense tracking applications, i settled on Clear Check book @ http://www.clearcheckbook.com – It is free, has great features (no online access to bank accounts and such – but then i consider that a plus). Check it out.

]]> By: Mark http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-281114 Mark Tue, 20 May 2008 07:59:40 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-281114 Re: spending on coffee: well, coffee has caffeine; I NEED that. Re: spending on coffee: well, coffee has caffeine; I NEED that.

]]> By: Tim http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280964 Tim Tue, 20 May 2008 04:22:14 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280964 I've taken the PearBudget spreadsheet and uploaded to Google docs, then it's accessible everywhere. I’ve taken the PearBudget spreadsheet and uploaded to Google docs, then it’s accessible everywhere.

]]> By: Dividend Pirate http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280919 Dividend Pirate Tue, 20 May 2008 03:05:33 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280919 You have a nice blog and I follow it regularly. I have mentioned your net worth articles in my blog at http://dividendpirate.com/2008/05/19/networth/ Thanks for all your hard work on the site. You have a nice blog and I follow it regularly. I have mentioned your net worth articles in my blog at
http://dividendpirate.com/2008/05/19/networth/

Thanks for all your hard work on the site.

]]> By: Karen the Aussie Reader http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280869 Karen the Aussie Reader Tue, 20 May 2008 01:56:11 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280869 I just started using the old pearbudget spreadsheet in excel, I think it's great for my purposes. It's funny I cringe at spending $3 a month for the online version but don't think anything of handing over $3 for a coffee every morning! Mind you, that is US$3 for pearbudget which ends up being AU$3.02 on today's exchange! Even more shocking. I just started using the old pearbudget spreadsheet in excel, I think it’s great for my purposes.

It’s funny I cringe at spending $3 a month for the online version but don’t think anything of handing over $3 for a coffee every morning!

Mind you, that is US$3 for pearbudget which ends up being AU$3.02 on today’s exchange! Even more shocking.

]]> By: Faculties http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280804 Faculties Tue, 20 May 2008 00:26:58 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280804 I hate this recurring-charges creep that goes on with so many things. All of them are "just" a few bucks a month, but they add up. $3 a month is $36 a year. You'd need $1200 stashed in the bank for a year, at current ING Direct rates of 3%, to earn $36 interest -- more if you factor taxes in. I'm sticking with "The Budget Kit," which I got unused on Half.com for $4. I hate this recurring-charges creep that goes on with so many things. All of them are “just” a few bucks a month, but they add up. $3 a month is $36 a year. You’d need $1200 stashed in the bank for a year, at current ING Direct rates of 3%, to earn $36 interest — more if you factor taxes in. I’m sticking with “The Budget Kit,” which I got unused on Half.com for $4.

]]> By: Sally Villarreal http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280777 Sally Villarreal Tue, 20 May 2008 00:07:17 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280777 Thank you so much for sharing this. It's exactly what I've been looking for! Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!

]]> By: StackingPennies http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280709 StackingPennies Mon, 19 May 2008 23:04:50 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280709 I use a home grown spreadsheet (actually google docs so it is accessable everywhere), but the idea is similar to pear budget. I'm one of those who wouldn't pay $3/mo for a budget. Sure it is a nominal fee, but... I don't know, i just can't do it! I use a home grown spreadsheet (actually google docs so it is accessable everywhere), but the idea is similar to pear budget.

I’m one of those who wouldn’t pay $3/mo for a budget. Sure it is a nominal fee, but… I don’t know, i just can’t do it!

]]> By: Leah Eggers http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280685 Leah Eggers Mon, 19 May 2008 22:33:59 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280685 I've been using the pearbudget spreadsheet for a few years now, and switched to the web version several months ago. It definitely helped me to start keeping everything in order and getting it together financially. I’ve been using the pearbudget spreadsheet for a few years now, and switched to the web version several months ago. It definitely helped me to start keeping everything in order and getting it together financially.

]]> By: Jim http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280673 Jim Mon, 19 May 2008 22:21:50 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280673 If GM can ever produce this for the European market, and then bring it to the US, I would think it would blow the Tesla Whitestar away. It is based on the Volt technology: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/09/10/meet-the-euro-volt-opel-flextreme-concept-has-ultra-low-emissio/ If GM can ever produce this for the European market, and then bring it to the US, I would think it would blow the Tesla Whitestar away. It is based on the Volt technology:

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/09/10/meet-the-euro-volt-opel-flextreme-concept-has-ultra-low-emissio/

]]> By: PJ http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-280663 PJ Mon, 19 May 2008 22:06:25 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/19/pearbudget-an-effective-way-to-dip-your-toes-into-budgeting/#comment-280663 I have been using YNAB (You Need a Budget) for 8 months and it is the first one that has managed to help me keep a budget. From the description, it sounds rather similar to PearBudget (I think I downloaded the excel version a while back), except you pay a one-time fee (around $20-$40, depending on the version). While I appreciate the freeares that you are able to download, I thought perhaps if I shelled out some money I'd actually stick to it (slippery, I know...). The truth is I have been at it for all these 8 months and would recommend anyone who's look for a budgeting aid/solution. While the initial payment might hold some back, do know that the people at ynab continue to update the software, and those who purchased it would get free upgrades when it is available. The website (www.ynab.com) would explain much better what the ynab philosophy is. I recommend that you give it a read. :) I have been using YNAB (You Need a Budget) for 8 months and it is the first one that has managed to help me keep a budget. From the description, it sounds rather similar to PearBudget (I think I downloaded the excel version a while back), except you pay a one-time fee (around $20-$40, depending on the version). While I appreciate the freeares that you are able to download, I thought perhaps if I shelled out some money I’d actually stick to it (slippery, I know…).

The truth is I have been at it for all these 8 months and would recommend anyone who’s look for a budgeting aid/solution. While the initial payment might hold some back, do know that the people at ynab continue to update the software, and those who purchased it would get free upgrades when it is available. The website (www.ynab.com) would explain much better what the ynab philosophy is. I recommend that you give it a read. :)

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