No more Microsoft Money? *thud* What the? Seriously? But … but … but … I’ve been using it for 15 years! How can they just dump me like that? I feel so abandoned! Now I have to start looking around for another program to use. Wah!
What’s interesting is that MS says there’s no real market for it anymore, yet there’s something like 2 dozen programs I have to browse through, so there IS some kind of market out there for managing money. And I hate Quicken. *ptooey* And I’m not the only one.
To make me feel even worse, they made this decision back in July. Of 2009. And stopped supporting it in January of this year. I am SO behind the times!
Plus, my husband sent me a bunch of links to programs that are similar to MS Outlook. I love Outlook. Remember the old days in computers, where when you bought a program, you could put it on every computer you owned? Microsoft won’t let people do that anymore, *ptooey* on them. But my new computer only comes with like a trial version of MS Office, and I don’t know how much it costs to buy the code to unlock the full version. More than I have, I’m sure.
Looks like it’s time to start shedding the MS skin I’ve grown so comfy in. My computer life came of age when MS was pretty much the only kid on the block and made all the rules. But as much as I love them, there are times to branch out a little, step out of the comfort zone. I simply can’t afford $500 for the full Office suite, much as I’d love it.
Maybe if I find those winning lottery numbers, I’ll give you a call. In the meantime, I’m really going to miss you Money, and Word, and Outlook. You’ve been my very good friends for eons in computer years. And I’m sorry I won’t get to know the new baby OneNote. Wow that looks so ME!
The "Ness" in DarcNess ;) 
You can get MS Office home and student edition for considerably less – $143 on Amazon. And it comes with a licence to install it on 3 computers.
What features do you require from a personal finance app? If you’re a quicken hater, my buddy swears by the software “You Need A Budget” (.com).
I’ve seen YNAB on several sites for people looking to replace MS Money! It gets good reviews. 🙂 I’m looking for a desktop program, not an Internet one, that also offers online bill paying. So far, I’ve got my eye on one called MoneyDance, but I’m not committed to anything yet. 🙂
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The Office key I just bought for 119 did not include Outlook. I’ve been using Windows Live Mail instead for quite a while. Funny, while you’re shedding MS, I’m getting in deeper. I just realized you can link accounts on hotmail so you don’t have to sign in to each account to check mail. Pretty cool. Also, I LOVE Windows 7, and I LOVE Word 2010.
For my few financial needs I use Mint.com.
I saw that and was bummed. I’ve found some great sites to check out. Heh, I used Outlook Express for over a decade until they discontinued it for their new Live stuff. Now I use that. I Love the new Windows and Word and Outlook too, they rock!
*update* Guess what? Darc did some research and found out that he might be able to put his work copy of MS Office on 2 computers! So far it’s looking good! I’m still going to research those other programs though, because it’s always good to have a back-up program, right? 🙂
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Okay, here’s what you do. Because hubby has some experience in authoring technical manuals for software, he can call himself an IT professional. Have him enroll in any Microsoft launch that comes to town. At those launches, full versions of software is given to all of those who attend. I got a full version of Office 2007 when Microsoft did the huge Vista launch a few years ago.
It was great. The event was a huge convention thingee. I got free food and drinks, free software, a snazzy new t-shirt (computer professionals convention = XL is the smallest t-shirt size available) and there were all kinds of giveaways. I tell you, the thing literally cost me nothing. Not one penny I spent. Sure, I’m on a Microsoft mailing list now, boo hoo. Free version of Office 2007. Full version! All the bells and whistles!
My cousin, who is a software developer, goes to every one of these things. He makes out like a freakin’ bandit!
Good place to make business contacts too.
THAT is an AWESOME idea! You can bet I’ll pass that along, if he doesn’t see it here himself. 😀 And the great part is, he really is an IT pro! Well, he was. He’s branching out now. 🙂
Thanks for that tip!
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Check out OpenOffice.org. It’s free software that is compatible with the MS office suite. I have used it myself at work, when I had to open docx and xlsx documents before we could afford an MS office upgrade. I’m not sure if they have a financial product in the suite, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
OOo is on my list! I’ve heard lots of people say that OOo is a really great alternative to Word and I think it’s time to check it out and learn how to use it, just in case. 🙂 Time for me to stop limiting myself.
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It was such a bad thing that Microsoft bundled their software and installed it on new computers for free. It’s much nicer that you have to buy all that stuff now. *eyeroll*
No doubt! I used to get MS stuff on my computers all the time! That’s how I got MS Money in the 1st place. And Outlook and Word, and Works. Wow, those were the days.
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