The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Investor Alley => Topic started by: Zette on November 13, 2013, 01:23:31 PM

Title: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: Zette on November 13, 2013, 01:23:31 PM
What calculators and investment tracking software have been the most useful to you in making your FIRE plan?

I'm new to the site, and just starting to contemplate what it would take to reach FIRE.
Title: Re: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: Stache In Training on November 13, 2013, 03:51:13 PM
This maybe isn't for FIRE calculating, but I think it's the most helpful tool: mint.com

Once you know exactly how much you are saving and spending, all you have to do is divide the two, find your savings rate, and then check out the 'shockingly simply math' mmm blog post.

I'm sure other people will give you the correct calculators for calculating your fire date, but without mint.com (or some kind of tracking) you won't be able to use the calculators.
Title: Re: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: Spork on November 13, 2013, 03:55:50 PM

I rolled my own.  It's an overly complicated batch of graphs and perl scripts that has grown to be a monster over time. 

For tracking software, I use gnucash (which is where my scripts read the data from).  It's free... probably not as pretty as the commercial offerings, but also probably also sticks to accounting rules more than they do.
Title: Re: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: Le0 on November 13, 2013, 04:02:35 PM

I rolled my own.  It's an overly complicated batch of graphs and perl scripts that has grown to be a monster over time. 

For tracking software, I use gnucash (which is where my scripts read the data from).  It's free... probably not as pretty as the commercial offerings, but also probably also sticks to accounting rules more than they do.

I think I have to agree with you. I moved from Mint to YNAB because while mint is 'automatic' it doesn't take into consideration that sometimes things I buy at groceries stores are for gifts etc. I found myself still poking and nudging things in Mint, so the graphs made sense and were correct.

If you learn to use things like GNUcash that's a great place to start. I like YNAB because its simple enough my family can use it and it has the mobile apps.
Title: Re: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: astadt on November 13, 2013, 07:25:33 PM
Ive really liked personalcapital.com

Its pretty dang good for streamlining our spending with our investments. Its got very appealing displays as well.
Title: Re: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: Caoineag on November 14, 2013, 07:40:35 AM
Mint.com is handy for the cheap and easy, but I use a spreadsheet with formulas for my long term goals and tracking.
Title: Re: Calculators and investment tracking software
Post by: arebelspy on November 14, 2013, 07:42:42 AM
Mint.com is handy for the cheap and easy, but I use a spreadsheet with formulas for my long term goals and tracking.

This exactly for me.