Was telling my mate he'd never retire at 30 unless he started planning early and saw this sheet was on sale
Decent sheet with lots of features like live networth tracking and savings goals
If you're a casual AusFinance user or a chad FIAustralia enjoyer you'll recognise this sheet
EDIT: Quick plug for FIAustralia, where hard hitting financial questions are answered, like this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/fiaustralia/comments/o89r51/should_…
Wow, this looks pretty solid. I'm grandfathered into the YNAB yearly cost of USD$45, but if i didnt have that, this would be awesome.
I don't think I'll ever switch to yearly for ynab and just keep using the version I own
I still use YNAB4…. I really wish I had the "goals" openings of nYNAB, and the program is so slow and clunky but it honestly changed my life.
Going to check this sheet out
Wow… out of interest have you retired at 30 frowny (or is that still your goal)?
Gave up the smashed avo to buy a scalped 3090 for Maplestory
Worthy sacrifice
Boy was that a rollercoaster!
This looks really good. Been using a simple Google sheet for a few years. I love the idea of real-time share tracking.
Does this have integration with bank accounts/cards? Or do you need to manually enter transactions?
Does this have integration with bank accounts/cards? Or do you need to manually enter transactions?
I had a look on their website and their FAQ and didn't see anything about bank integration. I could be wrong however.
No integration, but it's not like it will be changing daily, monthly updates sat most of you want to keep a close eye on things.
Thanks for the reply :)
I don't believe so. Bank integration is quite complex with so many institutions & differing login methods, 2FA, legal & compliance implications in different jurisdictions etc. Even paid personal finance webapps charging monthly subscriptions themselves rely on a third party specialist company who's primary purpose is to provide the login & data feeds to the various FIs.
I'd guess the real-time feature in the sheet is more to do with fetching the prices of ticker codes and then calculating the over position.
Still I think the sheet has a lot of work gone and well worth the $6
Ozbargain has not been good for me…maybe retire by 67 at this rate….
only if I live that long
By the time you're 67, you'll be able to power your robot body with the 1000s of Eneloops you've bought
Good news, this tool says I can retire by 35, if I plan to die by 36.
looks like the only guy who will retire at 30yo is the guy who's selling the XLS.
Given its a one off payment of $6 that includes all future updates I think his hourly rate for the work he puts in will be far below minimum wage.
Not if he did that for himself anyway.
looks like the only guy who will retire at 30yo is the guy who's selling the XLS
Really? Ask B.Gates, Jeff from Amazon and Mark … (sorry I forgot his surname)!
None of which retired at 30. What's your point.
That's the point.
I've been using this for about six months - it's not a budget program, but more of a tracker for your overall financial position.
I run a separate household budget (I'm trialling, and so far enjoying, Buckets) and once a month I update all my balances of bank and investment accounts in the CS Personal Finance sheet. It's been brilliant for seeing exactly where we are, where we've been, and where we're going with our finances.
Worth noting is that there's a free version with less features, so you can trial it for as long as you like and only upgrade if you want to, and that there's a proper localised Aussie sheet (I think the dev might even be Aussie, but I'm not 100% sure on that.)
Do you have to manually input your transactions each day for buckets? Or do you need to provide login details for it to pull the info?
Good question - I've never actually looked into it as I prefer to enter transactions manually (I find it keeps me more accountable, and doesn't take long).
I just had a look, and these are the options it offers.
They have a very friendly business model - basically the full version to try for as long as you like, and a one-time fee to pay for it if you choose, so it makes it easy to give it a go.
Basically the equivalent of Winrar? Or is there some limitations for the trial?
@NeggerOfDeals: Yes, just like that! The only difference is that each time you open it, it creates a budget line with a $50 goal for a license (you can simply delete it) which I think is a nice little reminder.
Awesome thanks!
I'm using https://www.tillerhq.com/ that basically transfer your bank transaction to a Google Spreadsheet and support custom categorisation rules. Definitely not as cheap as this but if this what you are after then give it a try.
I do a similar process as you. I use PocketSmith for the fine-grained transaction tracking, and then once a month I update a manual Excel sheet of that months rolled-up Income & Expense, and overall financial position.
The monthly Excel sheet is good for long term analysis of things like average monthly spending. Conditional formatting of cells can pick up how good or bad a month is compared to history.
I’ve the same strategy as well. Often see people complaining (Facebook) that pocketbook loses/changed categories. When you enter the roll up amounts in a higher level tracking sheet it doesn’t matter if categories are lost in the future.
Once he implements the same fields as YNAB (can't remember which is missing at the minute…. Memo l, payee or category), I'm in. Loved what I've tried of it
This one is popular in the /r/AusFinance community, but you may want to check out this other one if you like automation:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/j7aqsr/fully_au…
Also, there’s a support sub for this one:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CSPersonalFinance/comments/lekif5/g…
That's just concept images
I tried to use something like this from fiaustralia, it was a google sheets thing that seemed fantastic but i found the setup a little confusing and a pain entering historical data manually, you had to do certain things on a certain day at the end of the month which was not articulated clearly imo, it just didnt seem worth the stuffing about for me. Curious if this is easier though. I just dump my static savings/shares/super into an excel for a crude rough view once a month to see whats what.
EDIT: Actually this is the exact one i tried to start using but stopped. Maybe the instructions are clearer now.
Are there VBA codes in this? I would actually to get this sheet mainly to get better with my financial modelling skills. But if everything's protected, don't want to bother. Would appreciate some inputs from anyone who already has this.
Thanks.
It's quite easy to hack. I've done it before. Not this spreadsheet but others.
It would use Google App Script. With this spreadsheet, your purchasing access to their template which you then make a copy of. So you can see all the app script it's using and if a cell is protected it would show a pop up that advises against changing it but it will still let you.
Free version should give you what you're after, it's an old version.
There's quite a few quality free spreadsheets out there. This is a particularly good one I'm using after going through a few of them.
Thanks mate
How does this differ from Sharesight?
I see that there's options to purchase specific sheets for different countries, but anyone who's used it, do you know if it will do multiple countries? I have assets in Aus, the UK and the US.
Use self made Google Sheets which does a better job, often times these templates doesn't work for everyone, ends up spending more time to adjust them to one's own taste.
Recently I found Percento app (iOS) for a high-level quick overview of your asset (can dynamically pull stock price, currencies, etc.), liabilities and etc, nice quick graphic visualisation. Help you make informed decision based on current position.
I have been using this sheet since oct last year and I am thoroughly happy with it and would definitely recommend. I paid the $8 and still thought it was a steal for what it provides.
The developer of the sheet has their own subreddit and are quite active there. They take request for new features too. And I have already seen the sheet grow and become better iver time.
It also motivates me to save more each month as the numbers increase, but that could be just me. :)
Big +1 from me.
Exactly how I feel, it would take me days of screwing around in spreadsheets to get anywhere near part of the value of this sheet.
Have you tried the free sheets that other commenters are recommending? If so, any opinion on them?
Yes I have. That's what I started with. It was a great sheet in itself for being free but looking at all the other features available on the paid version and also to support the developer, I ended up buying the paid version within 2 weeks. :)
I would definitely recommend trying the free version first and see if you lime the interface etc to get a taste.
Surprised no one mentioned Pocketbook. It’s not a spreadsheet but it’s free and sync with most banks.
Count me in as a user! Works well for budgeting purposes. Although, I'm still a bit wary giving connectivity access to my main banking accounts. However, all burner accounts are connected and worked seamlessly.
I'm still a bit wary giving connectivity access to my main banking accounts
This is why I gave them up… I miss the automatic transaction pull, but wasn't comfortable with given them that much access, despite the promises on the website…
why not just do manual imports?
@happy aardvark: @happy aardvark: Seems like a good business case for a UIPath(RPA) bot with the free community account.
Agreed, pocketbook is definitely the best app to monitor daily spending and savings
Pocketbook is great for easily tracking where you spend cash. You can code 1 transaction as "groceries" and apply to all similar and future transactions instead of doing it each individual time.
pocketbook is good but I have found money brilliant much better in my situation, but more effort to tune but on a monthly budget cadence it gives great insight into how you are tracking to budget across many categories, and good insight into overall wealth including shares and super, and then even more of you go to the paid version (gave it a try but slipped back to the free). Money brilliant also had better covered age of the Aussie financial institutions for me as well (beyond the majors). There support has been really good as well…
Use share sight for free for 10 stock s
For the price of a coffee, can't go wrong!
If you drink $6 coffee, it may not be for you
The point is to generate enough wealth so one can drink $16/cup coffee on the reserve menu.
If he drinks $6 coffee, he definitely needs this.. he needs to see the pie chart for expenses - 55% Coffee, 45% Everything else
Unironically coffee is probably my biggest cost of living. If I stop drinking it my heart might just stop at this point
I drink a $4.50 coffee once a day, every day. Such a waste but it makes me so happy.
@Jayharley95: I'm more of a cold flavoured milk kind of guy because at $2. 25/L it can't be beat.. Coffee is nice though but only when it is like $1 $2 or at work aka free.
:)
This thread is just reminding me i should get somehow into the coffee business.
@Jayharley95: Good on ya mate. What’s the point of working and collecting wealth if you can’t allow yourself to spend $4.50 / day to drink a cup of coffee.
Specially when you saying it makes you so happy.
There is a free sheet at Asic Money smart anyways and free apps like Findr, you can link your bank accounts and they do exactly same but for free as part of Open Banking
might be completely ignorant in saying this but ive always not fully trusted Findr. I feel like they're always angling to aggressively monetise
Yeah this is a very good spreadsheet. Well worth the $8 asking price
nope.
support the dev or make your own.
There's always one that one dude lmfao
He's just being honest, most people here are always jumping to get 99% off and then whine when they have to wait for a refund lol
"I bought three second hand BMWs and Amazon blocked my refund" or something like that sheesh
Being an ozbargainer I can understand your sentiment. Maybe you'll be more inclined to use it if you spent the $6 on it, compared to other freebies that have been claimed but are often unused.
Stupid but mad crazy respect for trying lmfao.
Truth if I even knew what this whole thing is I probably would have done the same but my brain is not smart enough to do any investing.
Too much paperwork and reporting to the ATO etc I'll definitely mess it up and probably lose gains in fines and penalties.
I've seen this spreadsheet earlier this year, you can get this sort of stuff for free in those subreddits. Still a great spreadsheet, but $6? Nah.
I'd hate to put a dampener on the whole retire by 30 concept but living in Australia is very expensive and almost prohibitive of this being a reality for more than a few, unless they've got big support from family etc. I'd assume a lot of these people are still living with mum and dad and don't have a lot of real-world experience. I've just been looking at loans written for people with the assumption of a very basic, no-frills lifestyle and the banks calculate this to be around $1k per fortnight for singles and somewhere around $2-3k for people with a normal number of dependents before mortgage repayments. The median house in Melbourne is now over $1M, so you effectively need a deposit of around $200k to own a proper family home. It may still sound simple to some but by the time you've paid 3 insurances, 3 utility bills, $2-3k in council rates and repayments on loans and income tax, there isn't really a huge amount left, even if you're on a six figure salary. Kids can be expensive too - I hear that they end up costing somewhere between $500k to $1m each over time. Investments are great but you might find that you have to sell a lot of them to buy a home and you won't have the money you thought you would to keep investing large amounts going forward. A lot of younger people also might have a distorted view of how the share market performs on a longer term basis, as they're yet to experience a GFC-style event and times have been temporarily good. It is true that there are a few talented people who can do better, but generally the long term market average return sits at 7-9% before taxes and any other fees that people might be paying if not investing directly.
I'd also assume that people in this category have either already met their long-term partner, who is fully on-board with this life choice, or plan to live as a hermit. Relationships are not a one way street, so you might find that your eventual partner wants a less spartan lifestyle or they will divorce you and take 70% of everything you own. If you are "retired" at that point, you might find yourself in a situation where you are homeless and unemployed for a considerable period due to lack of current stills and employment history. Financial security means different things to different people but you really do need a sizeable cushion because life is unpredictable.
Feels like this conversation is rehashed every week on FIAus
The point isn't to retire at 30, the point is to have financial freedom, maximise tax efficiency and have the flexibility to do what you want. Things like this spreadsheet can help you get an understanding of what your one-off costs like council rates, insurances, etc. are so you know what your 6/12month runway has to look like, what your yearly cost of living is etc. to determine whether you're on track to financial freedom
A lot of the FIRE stuff is about saving aggressively early and letting the power of compound interest do its work long term.
Alternatively it's about pumping each other up to yolo on the most recent ASXbets stock of the week and put day trader on your linkedin
Memes aside, FIAus is a solid place to discuss these issues, it's not all doom and gloom, and it's definitely not /r/AntiWork
To most people financial freedom in this country is getting onto the negative gear ATO benefit.
You are right about financial freedom. Usually it disappears because people inflate their lifestyles. They no longer live on the $50k grad lifestyle. They make $100k and live a $150k lifestyle fueled by debt.
Only way for financial freedom is to get ahead early with investments that grow faster than inflation and left it grow over time.
That's why $110/week studio plus domino's, fish and chips and kebab lifestyle is the best.
I am absolutely feeling this, and I feel powerless trying to get ahead even though I'm trying to maximise my investment.
Increasing your earning capacity (leaving your job for another more better-paying one or aggressively negotiating for a higher salary, or finding a side gig) and increasing your savings is the key for almost all financial independence goals.
You could even throw your current situation on FIAus to see what the degenerates there think you can shave some fat (and still live decently)
It's possible if you open your mind and pick the right course (never do Arts for example) and work hard. There are certain minorities that you can look to for examples of how it's done. Also pick your partner wisely. Most people don't.
We are one of those families that could had retired if we wanted to by 30.
Thanks have purchased. For $6 well worth it just to keep trying to apply a financial growth mindset
Check this out. They are all free so let's use it.
The moneysmart budget planner spreadsheet is great, best one I've found. Comprehensive, easy to adjust, can easily adjust the budgeting timeframe and you don't have to manually figure out how much per fortnight that monthly/quarterly/annual bill comes to as it is smart enough to do it itself.
That said while this sheet does include a budget module (which is not very friendly if you budget fortnightly rather than monthly), it seems this sheet is aimed more at networth and savings tracking rather than planning a budget to the level of detail in the moneysmart one. Similar but different tasks.
Thanks. I have just purchased. How can I access to the Personal Finance Tracker Spread Sheet?
You will get a link in email
Thanks OP. Purchased!
Can anyone please recommend this kind of self serve sheet for property investment where we can manually input individual income, deduction, expenses, loan/mortgage and get suggestion if that property will be suitable for investment? Thanks.
Dying on the job with a huge HECS debt is still my retirement plan
Make sure to not leave any savings at all
Say no to Death Tax
Been using it for about 8 months. I'm heavily invested in property, stocks and etfs. This spreadsheet gives me a monthly snapshot of where I am and where I'm heading to.
its great, best 6 bucks you'll spend. Just make sure you're updating it at the start of every month (takes 10-15 mins)
I’ve got 2 rental properties and starting to dabble in cryptos, would you recommend for me? I already update a Google Sheet every week when payments come in…
Does anyone know how this stacks up to Sharesight? Was wondering if this sheet auto tracks dividends from each stock
I've never used this so can't compare, but if anyone is after a free envelope budgeting spreadsheet (similar to YNAB) I'd highly recommend Aspire Budgeting. Been using it for 1.5 years now.