Mint.com and showing savings vs expenses

[Stache In Training]

I like mint.com. It's really helped us track our expenses.  The one problem is that it shows my "buy" at Vanguard as expenses... In fact there really isn't any (that I've found) where to put transactions as "savings" in mint.  So it's hard to see my savings rate, since everything is going in as an expense.  Is there any way that you guys have found to differentiate between regular expenses, and expenses such as a "buy-in" that is technically to be counted towards my savings rate?  I'd really like if it showed savings rate, or at least differentiated a bit better.  Or is that what personal capital (I think that's the program) is for?

[Empire Business]

I always put stuff like that in as the "Transfer" type.  There are other downsides to this, like it doesn't know you are saving and can't automagically calculate your savings rate on the dashboard, it just considers it as moving money around.  But at least it won't consider it as spending.  Your net worth will stay the same, until your Vanguard account goes up or down in value.  (At least, once it equalizes from any lag in how long the bank you originated the purchase from takes to post the transaction.)

[Stache In Training]

Hmm, so that's an OK workaround, but still not the best.

Anyone know if Personal Capital shows your savings rate? Or at least can tell the difference between spending and buying retirement fund shares? I re-read the MMM post, and though he starts out talking about savings rate, he doesn't actually mention if it shows it, and neither do the comments.

[ichangedmyname]

I change the tag on the transaction as Investment.

[Stache In Training]

It's currently set to Buy.  I can't seem to find it though, when I just checked real quick... nor could I find investment.  Did you create that category? Does investment show up as spending?

I guess I just need to do some math and subtract all my investments (extra mortgage, retirement and taxable buy-ins) from my spending, and there's my savings rate... just thought if mint or personal capital could do it for me, that'd be great.

[Abe]

the investment category randomly disappeared, I filed a bug report with them a few days ago. We'll see if they fix it.

[jordand1986]

One thing I have done is set up custom tags. In your account settings you can set mint budgets and trends to ignore the tag. However, you can search for the tag and get a pretty quick picture of your amount saved.