Responding to a direct challenge from fellow blogger, the lovely and talented Mrs. M, I completed a big finance project this weekend. Well OK it is never really compete, but my goal was to rest up my MS Money account. OK so I finished the project then accepted the already complete challenge, but she said it was OK, so there.
Never one to ignore the free gift of links from another, I said on her blog I would tell how/why the project came about.
Back in March my computer first went down. Something about a drive partition. It wiped out everything... Through Herculean efforts by this great resource I found locally for computer repair we were able to at least save my data, but no program data. So I had my last backup...from January. This was over 60 days old that was not really complete either.
Around this time (end of March) I was going through a burnt-out phase regarding finances due to a bonus that I still believe I was hosed out of as well as slower than expected growth opportunities at my current gig. In other words I was being a bit (re: a lot) pouty.
Luckily my Excel Master tracking sheet was fine and I survived by using this tool, which works good for basic tracking, but it wasn't designed, by me, for reports and spending pattern sort of duty. So, as I am want to do, I procrastinated. But, it has been in my short-term goals list to get up and going.
So this weekend I rebuilt the file from January complete to this Saturday (July 12th). To this I had to do the following:
- Get a new copy of the software, as my last copy was a digital download. Always get the disc backup for $5 more...well worth it!
- Get all of the bills together from the last 6 months (3.5" high stack!)
- Input all of the data
- Test the reports
- Bring in all of the new accounts (lie E*Trade) and do the same thing for them
- File all of the paperwork
I can once again use all of my favorite reports and "what-if" scenarios, but the main point is that I took one of the key opening steps:; Get organized!
My next project; Short, Medium and Long personal goals and tracking!
OK Mouseketeers, what's your next, or first, step in your plan!
