two very helpful excel spreadsheets

**MVS0122** · 12-30-2007, 09:04 AM

I downloaded these today (they are free) and have been playing around with my budget/expenses and thought maybe someone else would find these as helpful as I have!

Debt Reduction & Snowball Schedule http://www.vertex42.com/Calculators/...alculator.html I like this one because it does all the work for you! Just enter your debt and it uses Dave's formulas and puts them in snowball order and gives you the plan.

Loan Amortization Schedule http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplat...-schedule.html I know there are hundreds of these out there but I like this one because it has a summary box at the top where you can see immediately the impact of paying down your loan (you don't have to do the math yourself!)

It's very motivating to me to see how much I can save in the long run if I do something about it now.

**McD** · 12-30-2007, 09:12 AM

Thanks for sharing, fellow Iowan!

**MVS0122** · 12-30-2007, 09:18 AM

You are welcome! I am sitting here anxiously waiting for my husband to get up so I can show him my "plan"!

**shortcake** · 12-30-2007, 09:39 AM

Thanks these are awsome tools

**zenmama** · 12-30-2007, 10:35 AM

I just downloaded them. You're right they are very helpful. Thx

**Gabe** · 12-30-2007, 11:22 AM

And if you would like to use a program that is like excel and does not cost anything. Open office is a great alternative.
It is a complete Microsoft Office Suite alternative that is free.

http://www.openoffice.org/

**happydog** · 12-30-2007, 01:08 PM

I second Gabe's suggestion of OpenOffice. It's fabulous, and all opensource code, so it's free. We had to buy a new laptop this year for my DH's change in employment, and we couldn't afford to buy all the software from MS. I've fallen in love with OpenOffice! There are lots of free templates available for its spreadsheet program, too, for budgets, checking registers, calendars, etc.