Software / App selection for personal finances

[CheerfulAdventurer]

Hello Mustachians,

No surprise that this has been asked several times, but all previous posts seem to be old.

I used to use AceMoney for keeping track of my finances for 7 years. As they don't really develop it following technology (e.g. smartphone app), I started to survey other software. Half a year into that (I've tried MoneyManager EX and GnuCash and I've read about dozens more of them), they all seem to be tailored and marketed to someone else, although I think my needs are not special.  I got kind of desperate. I've listed my needs and am looking forward if you can recommend any.

(I don't need automated data feed from online banking right now. Maybe some years later.)

Essential:

• Multiple accounts with different currencies (Mint fails here), with the option of setting current currency rates manually
• Plausible transfers between accounts
• Splitting transactions between categories and accounts
• Income and expense categories with at least 2 levels of hierarchy
• Works for Windows, Linux, Android (AceMoney fails here - AceMoney Receipts is not a full version for smartphone)
• Supports non-English European characters in text entries
• Summary reports, with the option to filter them for any of the
  
  • date intervals
  • accounts
  • (sub)categories
  • payment partners,
  with the feature to jump directly from report line to transaction tables (MoneyManager EX fails here)
• Exporting data into table format
• Proper data security
• No Google-like background analyses of user's life from data
• Developer is engaged in general development of technology (AceMoney fails here)
• Does not charge a regular fee

Preferred:

• Doesn't try to teach me Mustachian principles (YNAB and MoneyLover fail here)
• No overcomplicated system to learn (GnuCash fails here)
• Nice screen on each platform
• Does not consider the United States of America the centre of (or worse, all of) human life in this world
• Supports both offline (copying) and online (cloud) sync between devices
• Exporting into and importing from at least one commonly-used financial file format (e.g. QIF)
• Desktop version: Quick navigation with keys (no mouse) when entering data on a form
• Free software
• Individual setting of currency rate (or entering the sum in both currencies) when transferring between accounts with different currencies
• Web version (data access by browser)
• Multiple languages
• File attachment (e.g. photo of receipt) to transactions possible

Thank you in advance, ChfA

[triangle]

Based on your write up I believe you are more knowledgeable on this topic than 99% of the readers, since you have obviously done some good research, have thought about what you would like, and know the limitations of the software mentioned.

If I were in your place I might try GnuCash, as I suspect you could learn to deal with its complications. Personally I would be tempted to track things in a spreadsheet even though that would not be polished, and use that as an excuse to learn more about building spreadsheets (how to program them).

This part of my response if venturing off topic, but I think using a cash envelope (or its virtual equivalent such as your checking account) where there is a single point to measure your monthly income and monthly spending is a good budgeting constraint. That trying to track it in other ways such as through software does little to help one grow their money. That having a frugal attitude is more important than a fixed budget.

[dang1]

paper and pencil

[CheerfulAdventurer]

I might try GnuCash, as I suspect you could learn to deal with its complications.

That would be my next step now. I'm just waiting to see if some of you save me from it.: -)

Personally I would be tempted to track things in a spreadsheet even though that would not be polished, and use that as an excuse to learn more about building spreadsheets (how to program them).

I find that finances very soon "grow out" of the nature of spreadsheets. A sustainable way to run a self-programmed "product" from scratch would be a database rather than a spreadsheet. And then it's the same amount of work entering data, plus the programming work. :-)

That trying to track it in other ways such as through software does little to help one grow their money. That having a frugal attitude is more important than a fixed budget.

As an example, I value a healthy attitude to life (e.g. walking or cycling as means of transport, manually lifting and carrying loads to be moved, eating plants in season, deciding to be satisfied with my day early to have a good sleep and catch as many sunlight as possible, missing out on popular things like getting drunk) highly above food supplements, mandatory gym visits and health insurance plans to put constraints on an otherwise harmful/unbalanced way of living. But I still sign up for routine medical checks, some of them (e.g. blood test) the same again and again regularly, to have an image how I am doing and that my GP can observe trends.

Right now I am in a new country with a new currency (have only a rough idea of my living costs, based on other people's observations) and in a new profession. For about 1-3 years I need to see if this will be a viable way to support myself and build savings.

[CheerfulAdventurer]

paper and pencil

May I ask you how many accounts you have???

(I don't mean just bank accounts. Cash is an account in your budget, times the number of currencies you use. Vouchers are an account each. Cards issued by e.g. a public transport company, educational or recreational institution that keeps a balance for you are all accounts. Etc.)

[ePalmtrees]

I think your needs *are* special, you are asking for a lot. 99% of people don't need the multiple currency support for example, so it doesn't make sense for a company to build it into their software. Especially since you don't want a monthly charge or for them to use your data. I'm not sure why you think someone would build a free software for you that does all that. Perhaps you should try outsourcing it for yourself.

[tyler2016]

I use Gnucash.