I’ve been using Microsoft Money to manage my personal finances (such as they are) since about 1996. Today I upgraded to the last version that was produced for the UK by Microsoft: Microsoft Money 2005 (version 14.0.120.1105); in contrast the US edition went on until version 17.
I used the 16-bit Microsoft Money version 3.0 for Windows 3.1 for about seven years, until I upgraded to Windows XP in 2003. I then moved to Money 2004 and had all but given up hope that I could obtain the last localised UK edition (2005) until I discovered this afternoon that Microsoft now make it available for free download (see below for links).
Import RBS transactions
I’m a Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) customer and they still make all my statements available for download in Microsoft Money format (.ofx) which I can then import and track, which is really helpful.
Bills and deposits
I’ve set up in Money all my regular bills and deposits (e.g. mortgage payment, direct debits, salary) and so I can see what bills are still to go out, and when I’m next due to be paid. It really keeps me on top of all our accounts; we currently have about 11 accounts including credit cards and the boys’ Rainbow Savings accounts.
Categories
One of the most useful functions I find is the ability to categorise payments and deposits which is great for setting a budget, and tracking just exactly where our money has gone.
This month, for example, I can see that we’ve spent £242.34 on food, £253.76 on fuel (!!) and withdrawn a total of £150 from cash machines (including supermarket cashback facilities).
I found the reports a little buggy in Money 2004, in 2005 they are much improved.
Upgrade
The upgrade I found painless. I backed-up my Money 2004 (.mny) file, uninstalled Money 2004 and installed Money 2005 its the default location. On the first run I opened my existing Money file which 2005 ably and promptly upgraded and I was good to go.
The competition
Since Microsoft have halted development I have been tempted to move to another application but to be honest, this does what I need it to, and I can’t really justify the expense or hassle of moving to another, unfamiliar application.
I tried a demo of Accountz. I uninstalled it within a couple of hours. Personal taste: I just didn’t like it. It didn’t feel as polished an application as even Money 3.0. I’m probably doing it a huge disservice, but it just wasn’t for me.
The only other option, really, is Quicken which looks great and there seems to be a version for just about everybody. Obviously, RBS also offer downloads in Quicken format so it could be a viable option. The most basic versions, Quicken Starter Edition 2012 costs US $29.99 (approx. £19.41), next up is Quicken Deluxe 2012 which costs a very reasonable US $59.99 (approx. GPB £38.85) but that’s thirty-eight quid that I don’t have at the moment.
Conclusion
I’m happy with Microsoft Money, I’ve been using for years, I’m familiar with it, I trust it and it really keeps me on top of my finances.
You can download the localised US and UK versions here:
I am the treasurer for 2 local groups and have used Money (don’t know which version) and Quicken 1998 (!) for years. My old computer has reached its sell-by date and neither of these will move to Windows 7.
I know I can export my Quicken files into a .QIF format which will open under Money, although I haven’t done it, and I cannot think there will be any problem in Money 2005 reading my older-version files. So it looks like you are my answer!!
Can I run 2 separate systems so I can keep the 2 charities separate?
@William – you can have as many separate Money files as you like. You just open then from File > Open when you want to open a new one. I hope that makes sense, and isn’t too late in replying.
You can have as many files as you like in Microsoft Money, so you can keep different charities in separate files; or have one for home and one for work, etc.
I love Microsoft Money.
Hi. Your link to Money 2005 UK no longer works. Can you advise please?
Hi Gareth.
I’ve used MS Money 2002 successfully for nearly 10 years but in June 2012 it caused problems on my Vista machine and somehow I found the link to download Money 2005 UK – QFE2 (I think that version anyway) and it worked beautifully. Stupidly at the time I must have ‘run’ instead of ‘saved to downloads’ a copy because I can’t find a workable link so I’m assuming Microsoft have taken it down. It’s just that I have (stupidly) upgraded to Windows 8 and need to reinstall Money but the US sunset version just won’t recognise my *mbf and *mny file backups and an export/import provides ridiculous results. I suppose what i’m saying is do you have a CD copy of the UK version (or workable link) you could let me have? I’d be very willing to provide a donation to your Church and I don’t believe you’d be contravening any copy rites as the download was originally provided free by MS. I know I’m clutching at straws here but MS Money has always been my favourite programme and I’m lost without it to manage my finances.
try this: http://money.mvps.org/downloads/patches.aspx#Money2005
click on: •QFE#2 for UK Money 2005 (1105/QFE patch)
Hi
I stubbled across this post and was amazed that I would be able to get a copy of Money 2005 (UK version) but it looks like Microsoft have removed it as the link no longer works. Would it be possible to get a copy from yourself, if you need me to I could send you a blank cd or USB stick with a self addressed envelope if you could help it would be really appreciated.
Regards
Paul
Your link to the uk version doesn’t seem to be working – is the fault at my end?
Cheers
try this: http://money.mvps.org/downloads/patches.aspx#Money2005
click on: •QFE#2 for UK Money 2005 (1105/QFE patch)
http://money.mvps.org/downloads/files/2005/Money2005-UK-QFE2.exe
Dear Anthony, thank you for the link. You actually posted it just as I was uploading the EXE file to my webserver to link to here, so it was very timely.
(Apologies for the delay in replying to these requests, we’ve had various health issues as a family over the last six months or so. All on the mend now.)
No problem. Even works with Windows 8.
Dear Anthony
Thank you. I have used MS Money for more than ten years and, previously, have been able to transfer it from 3.1 to XP to Vista to Windows 7 but, this time, I was unable to get it to work in Windows 8 until I found your link.
Thank you.
Barry
Thanks, you’ve just saved my life for the next few weeks ! The MS links don’t seem to be working so get the EXE from you was a godsend.
@Will – you are welcome.
Gareth, I have just downloaded your ” Download Microsoft Money 2005 for free”. This is after my ancient copy of Quicken finally gave up the ghost.
The opening page arrived of with music but a password is required. Can you help please. Very many thanks. Gerald
Hi Gerald, oh, I don’t know — was this once it had installed and you were running the application, or during installation? Was it trying to open a Microsoft Money data file? That’s when it asks for a password for me.
Dear Gareth, I believe you’ve heard already about the problems of converting files from MS Money 99 to MS Money Plus sunset.
I found this tip I should install first MS Money 2005 and convert my data file, after this I should be able to install MS Money Plus sunset and work with my old files.
Tip found at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913108
The problem is that I have tried this, but MS 2005 did not open my file. At the link above, they also say you could try MS Money version 2004 as a “workaround”, but I cannot find this version to download it. Do you have any suggestion how I can migrate to MS Money Plus Sunset being able to open my old MS Money 99 files? Really appreciate any help..thanks Ana.
The password is in your money file (from your previous version) that the software is trying to open, not in the software itself. Hope this helps.
Yesterday, I decided to have yet another try at fixing my Money 2005 laptop problems (ongoing since 2009 and unsolved although have been using Money since 1997). Saw your blog (via Google) and literally decided to give the “potting shed” a twirl.
Read your comments, downloaded, found a French patch (available since Sept 2012 apparently) executed… then got cold feet and closed down my computer! Five hours later, I connected my external hard drive with the latest backup of Money from my Netbook, clicked on Money and held my breath. I’m still alive, breathing and it worked!!!!!!! Total Recall!
To say thank you doesn’t seem sufficient and no superlative can convey how much I appreciate your help, so to (mis)quote Bertie Wooster “Gareth, how can I repay you? Ask of me up to half my kingdom…..”. Hope all your family health issues are now behind you. Thanks.
Dear Anna, you are very welcome. I appreciate how important Microsoft Money still is to many people. I’m only too glad to be able to help.
Thank you so much for this, I have recently changed my pc (Windows 8) and have managed to get most functions that I had on my old pc but really missed being able to use M. Money. I can now keep track of my finances and be familiar with the programme. Happy, happy!!
Brilliant!!! – just happened to drop on this site today and download the program for money 2005. I have been using microsft money since I bought my first computer back in 1997. I have tried other software packages but nothing does the job like MS money. I have delayed transfering all my data onto a new Solid state hard drive that I recently bough until I was sure I could get Money 2005 back up running on my laptop first. I have spent days trying to get this to work when my PC has crashed or been in for a repair. Now I have an easy workable solution.
Many Thanks
What joy!!
Downloaded UK version and it works fine. I have had my old laptop wrapped in cotton wool with all internet access barred, just to preserve my old money programs, as I could not bear to lose them.
Glad to help, Nigel.
Thank you for the information supplied on this blog, it has been very helpful in changing my files from Money99 to 2005, however I am having one issue with 2005 which I cannot seem to fix. The budgets work on calendar year and I cannot seem to change to financial year. Does anyone know of a fix for this, or a work around, as if I cannot get this altered it doesn’t look like 2005 will work for me and I haven’t been able to transfer my data into any later versions of money, it keeps telling me I cannot open the file because it has been created in a different version on Money. Any assistance would be appreciated.
That’s an interesting question, Cherie. For which, unfortunately, I don’t have an answer. I see in Settings > Tax Settings that you can enter the start date of the tax year, but there isn’t anything to determine the fiscal year, and like you I can’t see a way to set a budget based on that calendar — I guess this is revealing Microsoft Money’s focus on personal rather than business finance.
I’m having no luck getting this download to work – I’ve tried using the .exe download suggested by Anthony (& the other link for the patch), both of which were downloaded successfully, & Money appears on my list of programmes to uninstall. But I can’t get it to run…. I keep going round in circles where Money tells me it is installing, I click finish & it tells me that Money is ready – yet it never is. I’m not particularly computer literate so assume I must be missing something obvious here!
My lovely, shiny new notebook runs on Windows 8, & sadly doesn’t have a disk drive for me to install my ancient Money disc….
Thanks in advance & hope.