Anyone use Quicken?

**DaddyMac** · 07-02-2009, 12:09 AM

I've used MS Money for about 12 years now and just read that they are discontinuing the product. I'm lost without it. Haven't kept a check register and that stuff in an equal time.

Looks like the only option is Quicken. I had a few coworkers who used it way back, but eventually ported over to Money.

Wondering is anyone is using it and had opinions? I see that IPhone has an app for it, but only with their online version - and I'm a little leery of that. Pluse I'm not sure it gets all the investments, retirement and day to day transactions - at least in a way that I find useful.

Can you buy the more robust desktop version, synch it online to get to the mobile apps?

TIA.

**benjay** · 07-02-2009, 12:40 AM

check out mint.com

**Psyclone** · 07-02-2009, 01:29 AM

I've used Quicken for years, but I am trying to ween myself off of it. I have used it extensively for investments, but the downloads from my brokerage firm to the program are not perfect and require too much handholding. As the brokerage firm improves their online tools, I am hoping to abandon Quicken entirely for my personal stuff. I just get too little in return for the time I have to put into it.

**mkadl** · 07-02-2009, 05:41 AM

I have checking accounts at 2 banks, 1 doesn't offer quicken downloads one charges for them. I enter everything from my receipts and categorize entries myself. My brokerage statements are also entered once a month manually. I am buy and hold, with dedicated, automatic investing. I would be lost without Quicken. You need 2008 version for Vista. Older versions are cheap on EBAY. I have 12 years of records, I guess it is just compulsive me.

**dmclone** · 07-02-2009, 05:50 AM

I've used Quicken for the last 10 years with no problems. The higher end versions will track you stocks, bonds, etc. It does everything I've needed it to do. I tried a free Money version a few years ago and couldn't get used to it since I've used quicken for so long.

**bos** · 07-02-2009, 06:51 AM

I tried the quicken free product online. Its pretty slick and you dont have to buy anything. I use money as well, so that sucks that its going away.

**simply1** · 07-02-2009, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by benjay

check out mint.com

I'll second that, it's been much easier for me to use than Quicken.

**kcbob79clone** · 07-02-2009, 07:01 AM

I too would be lost without Quicken and if you have use Money all these years you know the advantages of having years of financial info quickly available. I also found the downloads to be not worth the effort so I enter everything manually. I have a palm pilot and there is an app for it called PocketQuicken (Pocket Quicken). I enter items on the palm and at the next hotsync all the data is on the desktop. BTW PQ also works on windows mobile.

**dmclone** · 07-02-2009, 07:03 AM

I tried Mint but I felt very uncomfortable giving all my private info to a web site.

**Cyclonesrule91** · 07-02-2009, 07:15 AM

I've used Money since the mid 90's but last year when I updated I figured I would try Quicken once. I tried it for two months and went out and bought the newest version of Money. A lot of differences to get used to and I couldn't download transactions from the bank because they didn't support the file download quicken wanted. If you have been using Money for a long time you might have the same frustration I did.

**CycloneErik** · 07-02-2009, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by mkadl

I have checking accounts at 2 banks, 1 doesn't offer quicken downloads one charges for them. I enter everything from my receipts and categorize entries myself. My brokerage statements are also entered once a month manually. I am buy and hold, with dedicated, automatic investing. I would be lost without Quicken. You need 2008 version for Vista. Older versions are cheap on EBAY. I have 12 years of records, I guess it is just compulsive me.

I'm using 2005 on Vista, and I have no problems.

FWIW, I've used Quicken for years, though our financial setup isn't real fancy, and I probably need to do more work with it. It's been great for me.

**TykeClone** · 07-02-2009, 07:32 AM

Free Accounting Software | GnuCash

Worth a look as it's free to use.

**DaddyMac** · 07-02-2009, 07:32 AM

I tried a demo product of Quicken a while back. As stated earlier, it's just alot different, but I'm sure a good product in it's own right. At least I hope.

I found my answer else where. Wondering if I could get from desktop software to my IPhone. I REALLY want that mobile ability with desktop.

Doesn't look like it. But they're promising a new version in the fall, so we'll see what happens. You can get from your online Quicken to the IPhone, but I'm not comfortable working totally online like that. I setup the basics last night, and it's pretty slick. But there isn't near the level of customization that Money has, and I would think the desktop Quicken has.

And I hate being at the whim of an online service.

Thanks for the replies

**stvfarmboy** · 07-02-2009, 07:45 AM

I use an older version of Quicken that I got with a computer a few years ago. I want to say it is about 2004 or 2005. I don’t use many of the features of it but it does what I need it too. About all I use it for though is an electronic version of balancing my checkbook.

**cytech** · 07-02-2009, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

I've used MS Money for about 12 years now and just read that they are discontinuing the product. I'm lost without it. Haven't kept a check register and that stuff in an equal time.

Looks like the only option is Quicken. I had a few coworkers who used it way back, but eventually ported over to Money.

Wondering is anyone is using it and had opinions? I see that IPhone has an app for it, but only with their online version - and I'm a little leery of that. Pluse I'm not sure it gets all the investments, retirement and day to day transactions - at least in a way that I find useful.

Can you buy the more robust desktop version, synch it online to get to the mobile apps?

TIA.

Why not try out Microsoft accounting express the program they replaced money with. It is free and can be downloaded from their web site.