Back in 2000 I decided that learning anything Economy related was not for me (boring, difficult, have I mentioned boring?). Fast forward 9 years and I was happily using a personal finance software, running my small web design company and reading anything I could about personal finance. That’s life for you.
The first ever PF software I decided to use was AceMoney. Tested it for few days, then bought a license for it.
It helped me track my spending for more than 5 years and showed me exactly where my money is ‘going‘.
At the beginning of 2015, I started testing another similar program (You Need A Budget), even few tablet apps that allow me to budget, but AceMoney has remained my favorite.
Here are some of my reasons to still use it:
AceMoney pros
It runs on my PC
Yes, I am one of those ‘weirdos’, who dislike running server-based apps with all their financial data. Yes, I do have a bank account and a paypal account, but I like to keep my budgeting private.
So, being able to install a PC software to do my expense tracking and everything else was clearly the only option for me.
It supports multiple currencies
In our household we track at least 3 different currencies: Romanian Leu (our country’s currency), Euro and USD. Not being able to use them all in a budget setting is my biggest pet peeve with YNAB, the reason why I chose to discontinue using it. Yes, I can create multiple budgets and no, I don’t have the time or willingness to complicate my life too much.
Multi-language
I usually have all my stuff in English, even if I am Romanian. There are tens of languages supported, so it’s easier for international users to manage their financial details.
It’s easy to use
My experience in ‘accounting’ is a huge zero, this is why I was looking for something easy to use. AceMoney was installed in seconds and everything there is so simply laid out and intuitive, that even someone who has no experience with expense tracking or budgeting can do a great job.
I can get a multi-currency net worth
Having all these currencies to work with, it’s pretty tricky to know how much we are ‘worth’. AceMoney makes it easy, since, based on its current exchange rates, it gives us the appropriate number. Of course, it might not be ‘perfect’ (because of said exchange rates), but it’s still an amazing tool to give us a view on how we’re doing.
Pay once and .. goodbye
I hate subscriptions, I hate hidden fees. AceMoney costs $39.99, money I actually paid even when I was almost broke – great investment. You can use a free version for 2 accounts (AceMoney Lite), which works just like the full version. I decided back then to purchase the full version after 2-3 days of tinkering with it. Fell in love, paid the price, never regretted.
AceMoney cons
It’s ugly
OK, you’ll laugh, but, since I am a graphic / web designer, I still go by looks, even when it comes to my software of choice. AceMoney looks like it was made for Windows XP. The good thing is you can customize some colors and fonts, which can make it look more appealing.
No mobile support
In the age of smartphones and tablets, AceMoney has a desktop only solution. You cannot sync between various devices, you cannot use it outside your computer environment.
I have to say that, after quite some time since using it (and also trying various other solutions), AceMoney is my personal finance software of choice. The best thing with it is that you can try it for free and then, if you like it, purchase the license.
What PF software do you use? Have you tried AceMoney?
