Microsoft Money 2006 Standard

This is good software 4 managing your money. It does what it is suppose to.

I have been working happily with MS Money on my Windows XP computer. I just bought a second Windows Vista computer & downloaded a new version of Money Essentials on it, so I can work with my Money files on the new computer. The new version of Money can not read the .mny files on the older version! So there is no way I can work with my own Money data on my computer (if I had bee a Quicken user, I could transfer the data).

Money has become a useless product 4 me - I give it an F.

I have tried almost every year 2 get into using Microsoft Money, I'm just a tech junkie really. I love using computers 2 do all sorts of things, Media Center, heck, even controlling the lights in my house. But managing my money?

I think many users will just be disappointed with the actual functionality of this software, is it missing something? I think so.

Fact is, you can do almost everything through the existing online banking with your current bank. I just seem 2 find issues with actually finding a use 4 MS Money.

It becomes even more difficult if certain bills change, or you have varying income. How do you plan a budget, etc... when your income changes week 2 week? It seems 2 become more of an annoyance than a useful tool.

But WHEN would MS Money be useful? If you have some steady income, or have some serious budgeting issues, if you cut your finances really close every month, this may help you budget yourself a little better. But really... who DOESNT know how much their bills are month after month?

So I was really hoping the online capabilities would make this thing great. But they don't. The software "offers" integration with my accounts, but 4 out of 5 of my institutions, will not bring up any information in MS Money, so yup, I get 2 login 2 my financial institution manually, then download the file into money, thus, making it pointless 2 use MS Money in the first place. And the 4 institutions that don't seem 2 work? Citicards, CapitalOne, Washington Mutual Cards, & Bank of America Credit card. NONE of them work, ALL are major carriers. The only thing that does work nicely, is my washington mutual bank accounts... great..... But again, whats the point if I can't manage ALL my accounts.

So again, if you have serious budgeting issues, & the patience 2 sit in front of the software & carefully budget everything, add everything in manually, & maybe even some investments you want 2 track, etc... Money might be usefull... But 4 me, I'm going 2 wait until they get their online kinks worked out... because 4 me, it's all about convenience, & this just aint convenient.

I use it 2 manage our savings & checking accounts. It gives you options 2 manage other accounts, but I just keep it simple. It works great.

I've been using either quicken or money since the late 80's. I started out with Quicken, but then one day my computer hard drive crashed. I thought I would be OK, since I always backed up my quicken 2 alternating floppies; however, Quicken could not recover my files from the floppy backups. I switched 2 MS Money in '95 & NEVER LOOKED BACK. I have been using MS 2006 4 several months (it was preinstalled on my Compaq laptop) & find only one annoyance; they seem 2 be keen on you putting your Money data on the web. Sorry, I don't trust MS security that much, but I do like MS Money 2006. I hear there are not enough improvements in the 2007 version 2 justify an upgrade. Also, if you have 2005, no real need 2 go 2 2006 either. I did trial a copy of Quicken last year just 2 see if they'd caught up with Money, but I was not impressed enough 2 switch.

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