Managing your money isn’t easy, so it’s no wonder that only 41% of Americans have a budget,. A budget is the most fundamental financial planning tool out there, and with one, you’ll have a better chance of reaching your short- and long-term financial goals. And if the “b word” makes you bristle, don’t worry: The best personal finance software can make it surprisingly painless.
What is Wine? Wine (originally an acronym for 'Wine Is Not an Emulator') is a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on several POSIX-compliant operating systems, such as Linux, macOS, & BSD.
“Online banking is a great tool to pay bills and reduce paper statements,” says Dan Crimmins, New Jersey-based financial coach at. “However, it cannot establish a budget or categorize your expenses. A financial tracking software gives you the ability to review how you are spending your money.” Several personal finance apps and websites can help you plan and keep track of your spending. No one service is best for everyone, though, so it’s important to compare several options to find the one that works best for you. To help, we’ve put together a list of the top three personal finance software options and how they can help you achieve your goals. Best Personal Finance Software: The Simple Dollar’s Top Picks. Mint: Comprehensive, free, and easy-to-navigate software; great for beginners.
You Need a Budget: Hardcore budgeting for people who want to know where every dollar is going. Albert: Does a lot of the legwork for you and provides you with timely and actionable advice. Mint has more than, and it’s easy to see why. For starters, the software is free to use, and it automatically syncs your financial accounts so you can budget and track your spending all in one place. Budgeting isn’t the only service Mint offers, though. You can also:. Monitor your Equifax credit score.
Stay on top of your bills. Track your investment accounts. Get alerts when you’re being charged fees or going over budget. View your home’s value (courtesy of Zillow) and track your overall net worth.
For budgeters, Mint’s most valuable feature is its automatic syncing. Just sign into your bank and credit card accounts through Mint’s platform, and you’ll get updates on each account every time you make a transaction.
When transactions come through, Mint will automatically categorize them based on their details. If the assigned category is wrong, you can update it and even split transactions into more than one category online or on the mobile app.
Based on your spending, Mint will also create a budget for you. But as with the transactions, you can customize your budget based on your needs and spending habits. If you want a bird’s eye view of your spending habits, Mint has a Trends feature that shows you how you’ve spent your money by category over a set period. You can also compare two periods to see how your current spending compares with spending in the past. While the service is free to use, Mint makes its money by recommending targeted financial products to its users.
Depending on your tolerance for such ads, it can be frustrating to feel bombarded with the unsolicited advice. “Most free financial softwares make money by providing product recommendations or having advertisements within the software or app,” says Dominique Broadway, CEO and personal finance expert at. Mint is a great option for:.
Beginners who are overwhelmed with the idea of budgeting. Hands-off budgeters who want everything in one place. People who don’t mind the ads. You Need a Budget, or YNAB for short, is an intensive budgeting software with the goal of giving every dollar a job.
The software is also designed to help users and live off of the previous month’s income. When you first sign up, YNAB provides you with some general budgeting categories to start with, like Rent/Mortgage, Electric, Groceries, and other essential expenses. You can add or change categories based on your spending habits. As you continue setting up your budget — either online or with the mobile app — you can add individual accounts and clarify whether each is a budget account or just an account you’re tracking, such as an investment account or auto loan.
While YNAB allows you to connect your financial accounts for automatic transaction importing, it doesn’t require it, allowing you to choose how hands-on you want to be. As you use YNAB over time, you’ll have access to a few reports to help you make better financial decisions:. Spending report: This gives you a snapshot of how much you’ve spent in each category over a set period. You can also view how your spending in each category has changed over time. Income and expenses report: With this report, you’ll get a detailed breakdown of every source of income, plus exactly how much you spent in each category by month. Net worth report: You’ll not only get to see what your current net worth is but also how it’s changed over time.
This is valuable because your net worth is a good measure of your overall financial health. If you have a specific financial goal you’re working toward, you can monitor your progress using YNAB’s goal tracking feature. Choose a target balance or a monthly funding goal, and the software will track your progress and give you some tips along the way. In addition to giving you a platform to budget, YNAB also offers free, live workshops to give you advice on budgeting, paying off debt, saving and more. Read more: The biggest drawback to YNAB is that it’s not free. When you first sign up, you’ll get a 34-day free trial.
But after that, you’ll pay $83.99 per year, which comes out to about $6.99 per month. YNAB is a great option for:. Experienced budgeters who want a more hands-on approach.
People who like to analyze their spending using reports. People who don’t mind paying for budgeting software. Albert If you prefer mobile over using your computer, both Mint and YNAB have mobile apps. But with, all you get is a mobile app. Like the other software we’ve listed, Albert allows you to connect your financial accounts when you first get started. From there, though, it does most of the work for you.
For starters, the app will automatically create a budget for you based on your spending, bills, and income. You’ll also get a personalized financial plan, which can help you spot ways to save more and meet other financial goals. If it spots something out of the ordinary, you’ll get an alert. If you opt in, Albert will automatically set aside a portion of your money into a savings account each week based on what it thinks you won’t miss. Albert even helps you negotiate your bills, which can save you money on ongoing monthly expenses like your phone, cable, security, or other bills.
If you want more personalized service, you can sign up for Albert Genius, which allows you to text the app’s human financial experts and get advice. There’s a fee for this service, but Albert allows you to choose how much to pay., most customers pay $6 per month or more for the Genius service, while the minimum cost to operate it is $4 per month. Albert is a great option for:.
People who want to make better financial decisions but don’t have the time or desire to do it all alone. Budgeters who want to automate every aspect of their financial lives. People who like the idea of getting personalized advice whenever they need it. How to Pick the Best Personal Finance Software For You The best personal finance software is easy to use and helps you improve your money management. But with so many options out there, no single app or website is best for everyone. As a result, it’s important for you to research these and other options and pick one that best serves your needs.
Specifically, ask yourself how hands-on you want to be with the process and what kinds of tools and resources you’d need to make better decisions and stick with the program. If you’re new to budgeting and feel overwhelmed by the process, it may be better to pick software that does a lot of the work for you. On the flip side, if you’re an experienced budgeter and enjoy getting into the weeds, choose an option that gives you more control. Whatever you choose, expect to put in a bit of time at the outset to get yourself up and running. “Investing time in the initial setup is crucial to having the system work for you,” says Crimmins. After you get started, you may think your work is done.
But the real challenge becomes checking in with your budget software regularly, even if the app does most of the work for you. “Once you’re all set up, make sure you actually look at the software,” Broadway explains. “Many people will take the time to set it up and never look at it again.” Most importantly, it’s crucial to understand that while the best personal finance software can help you make better decisions, it won’t, by itself, change your habits.
As you take advantage of the different tools and resources available to you, use them to help you develop better spending and savings habits — so that eventually, and sticking to a budget becomes second nature. It can take some time, but it’s time well spent. Related Articles:.
Advertising Disclosure: TheSimpleDollar.com has an advertising relationship with some of the offers included on this page. However, the rankings and listings of our reviews, tools and all other content are based on objective analysis. The Simple Dollar does not include all card/financial services companies or all card/financial services offers available in the marketplace. For more information and a complete list of our advertising partners, please check out our full.
TheSimpleDollar.com strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. The information in our reviews could be different from what you find when visiting a financial institution, service provider or a specific product's website. All products are presented without warranty.
Concise Beam Home Concise Beam Version 4 Concise Beam is an easy to use program for the design of precast concrete beams. Concise Beam will perform a load analysis and design checks in accordance with the latest edition of ACI 318, CSA A23.3 & S6, AS3600, or NZ3101.1. Key code parameters can be customized to simulate other design codes. The beam can be conventionally reinforced, partially or fully pretensioned. It can model any cross-sectional shape and will allow the cross-section to vary prismatically (step-wise) over the length of the beam. A graphical editor allows the user to describe any cross-section, including voids.
Concise Beam works in two-dimensions using beam theory (ACI B-region) but will also account for torsion along the beam. Concise Beam is NOT able to perform any analysis or design checks required for disturbed regions (ACI D-region) such as at sudden changes in section, large openings, notches, or dapped ends. The user can work in metric or U.S. Customary (Imperial) units, with a variety of individual units (i.e. Mm, cm, m), and switch back and forth at will. Libraries of industry standard cross-sections and materials are provided with Concise Beam. The standard libraries can be modified, extended and customized by the user.
News November 9, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.62a is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF NOVEMBER 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.62a is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Corrected section trim dialog. Restored revised uncracked concrete stress reports and graphs for non-prestressed beams.
Corrected changing library path when selecting materials. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for Concise Beam. If your evaluation period is over but you'd like to try this latest release before purchasing a license you can ask for a short extension to your evaluation period by contacting me. October 17, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.62 is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF OCTOBER 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release.
Version 4.62 is a major new release which includes the following significant changes;. Added check of effective width of cast-in-place pour.
Added third method for calculating shear strength of hollowcore fill. Added option to include wind load with live load in ACI span/deflection check. Beams can now be defined with a fractional number of strands and reinforcing bars. Added optional CPCI stress-strain curves for prestressed steel. Added new option for rebar definition. Added overall dimensions to cross-sections.
Added detail report for prestress losses. Added CSV export option for loading, reinforcing, and core fill. Added extent of warnings to design tables. Added option to reverse the sign of moment graphs. New library names. New file format. For the complete list of changes see the.
October 8, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61k is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF OCTOBER 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support.
You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61k is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Corrected analysis of partial length area loads. August 6, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61j is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF AUGUST 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE.
Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61j is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Corrected the generation of ledger beam sections. Corrected the amount of shear steel at the ends of prestressed beams for ACI codes. July 10, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61i is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF JULY 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE.
Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support.
You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61i is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Corrected inclusion of snow, ice, and rain loads in live load deflections. Corrected display of cracking results in the top of untopped beams. June 25, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61h is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF JUNE 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period.
If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61h is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Adjusted calculation of Vci for ACI and NZ codes. March 28, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61g is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF MARCH 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support.
You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61g is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. The cracking calculations have been extended to check cracking in the cast-in-place pour at the end of the beam where continuity is being simulated. Included a general review of the cracked properties calculations. Adjusted the calculation of the first flexural frequency.
February 25, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61f is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF FEBRUARY 2018 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period.
If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61f is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Adjusted longitudinal steel tension check for CSA A23.3 and S6. Some adjustments to the beam opening generator to avoid overlapping openings. Corrected problem entering the long/torsion stiffness parameter in the S6 Distribution Parameters dialog. January 28, 2018 - Concise Beam version 4.61e is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF DECEMBER 2017 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE.
Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support.
You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61e is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Added invertible prestress load factors at SLS for stress and deflection. December 28, 2017 - Concise Beam version 4.61d is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF DECEMBER 2017 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release.
Version 4.61d is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Added option (D4) to control how prestress camber is restrained or not when the beam is shored for it's own weight.
Corrected the shear depth used for horizontal shear for beams with only non-composite section resisting vertical shear. Corrected support rotations when using US units. Allow higher lock-off stress for strand. Corrected CIP Pour stresses with shoring. December 4, 2017 - Concise Beam version 4.61c is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF DECEMBER 2017 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE.
Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61c is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Corrected graph for concrete stress at bottom of cast-in-place pour. Corrected Warning C explanation for the Shear Design graph.
Turned off erection deflection for shored beams. Corrected the calculation of the tensile steel during lifting. Corrected display of graphs when opened by double-clicking on them.
Added new moving load files for LRFD and Standard AASHTO. November 22, 2017 - Concise Beam version 4.61b is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF NOVEMBER 2017 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period.
If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release.
Version 4.61b is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Adjusted check for rupture of strand. Reinstated load group reactions to Summary Report. This table will be reworked in the next version with an option to turn load group reactions on or off in the Summary Report.
November 10, 2017 - Concise Beam version 4.61a is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF NOVEMBER 2017 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period. If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61a is a maintenance release which includes the following changes;. Adjustments to the section generator. Added new libraries based on the CPCI Design Manual, 5th edition to replace the 4th edition libraries.
Correction to shoring calculation where the beam weight is also shored. Adjusted check for rupture of strand. Fix a problem starting program from an icon on 64-bit systems. October 27, 2017 - Concise Beam version 4.61 is now available for download YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE MUST BE CURRENT UP TO THE END OF OCTOBER 2017 AT THE EARLIEST TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS RELEASE. Users evaluating this new release will be able to use this version for the remainder of their 30 day evaluation period.
If your license has expire please contact me about how to bring your license up to date in order to use this latest release and to receive technical support. You do not need to install any previous versions of Concise Beam before installing this latest release. Version 4.61 is a major new release which includes the following significant changes;. Additional shoring options. Limits on travel of moving loads.
Generate sections from dimensional parameters. Trim width or height of existing sections. Warnings more visible. Option to only use non-composite section in shear.
MKS metric system. For the complete list of changes see the. © 2002-2018 Black Mint Software, Inc. All rights reserved. This site is maintained by Black Mint Software.