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Budget Links
Budget Links and other Resources
Searching for budgeting software can be challenging. Links below may help. (Also check ads on our pages; they often change.)
Personal Budgeting Software
Lists top free and paid budgets. Well illustrated with reviews. A good place to start.
Business Budgeting Software
professional and commercial accounting, forecasting, and project management budgeting.
Budgeting Advice (most sites give it, but usually to push a product or service. some are good, but use caution.)
sound budgeting principles and a free worksheet. Low key.
Finally, Use Effective Search Terms
There are many terms and phrases used in budget searches. Choose them carefully to narrow the results and save time. The term "budget" will rent a car, for example, but that's probably not what you're trying to do. The term's too broad to be effective. "Budget directories" often focus on business software. "Budget worksheets" can be anything from simple lists to sophisticated budgeting programs. You might compare your data to recommended percentages with a "budget calculator," work out a spending distribution with a "budget planner," or keep track of your actual transactions with a "budget tracker." "Budget spreadsheets" often offer several of these functions at once but emphasize tracking amounts over time. If you're looking for "personal budgets" or "free spreadsheet budgets", say so in your search phrase. Specify if you want "online budgets," "household" or "family budgets", etc. (And don't be intimidated that terms often yield millions of results, even for narrow searches. You won't have to review hundreds of pages of results for fear you're missing something.)
Our advice is, choose a good term you feel best describes what you want, then read the first few results and see if that's what you meant. If it's not, search again. If it is, read the first few pages of results (but not more than three pages unless you feel they're "on the money.").
Most search engines now let you get more specific in suggestion boxes as you type the search phrase itself, before you even complete it. This is sometimes very helpful, and has only been developed recently. But make sure it includes the phrase you had in mind. If it doesn't, complete your typing of the term before following its suggestions and perhaps getting sidetracked. Trust your instincts first.
Also, if you seem to be getting warm, go to the bottom of the search results page you're currently on, where related search phrases are often suggested. They may get you to just the sites you want. Search box below.
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