Peter G. Aitken – Manage Your Money and Investments with Microsoft Excel

• Compare mutual fund options.

• Manage mortgages, loans, and escrow accounts.

• Balance checking accounts and manage credit card debt.

• Track your net worth.

Discover new ways to make money-saving decisions and manage your finances with Manage Your Money and Investments with Excel.

Table of contents

1. Copyright
   1. Dedication
2. About the Author
3. Acknowledgments
4. We Want to Hear from You!
5. Introduction
   1. Why Excel?
   2. Who This Book Is For
   3. More Information and Updates
6. I. Understanding the Basics of Financial Calculations
   1. 1. Taking Control of Your Finances
      1. Facing the Problem
      2. Setting Goals
      3. What Excel Can Do for You
         1. Why Excel and Not Quicken or Money?
         2. Excel Versions
      4. Using the Worksheet Templates
         1. Template Conventions
      5. About Percentages
   2. 2. Using Excel to Work with Money
      1. Excel Basics
         1. Getting Around
         2. Selecting Cells
         3. Entering and Editing Data
         4. Formatting the Worksheet
      2. Formulas in Excel
         1. Excel Functions
      3. Excel and Money
         1. Cash Flow
         2. Formatting Money and Percentage Values
      4. Charting Your Course
   3. 3. Working with Basic Financial Calculations
      1. Calculating Loan Payments
      2. Calculating Principal Payments
      3. Working with Future Value
      4. Using the Present Value Function
      5. Calculating Interest Rate
   4. 4. Tracking Your Net Worth
      1. What Is Net Worth?
         1. Assets to Include
         2. Liabilities to Include
      2. The Net Worth Calculator
      3. Interpreting Your Net Worth
      4. Keeping Track over Time
7. II. Taking Control of Your Bank and Credit Card Accounts
   1. 5. Managing Your Money with a Budget
      1. What Is a Budget?
      2. Budget Fundamentals
      3. The Home Budget Calculator
         1. The Overview
         2. Transactions
         3. Paychecks
         4. Entering Transactions
         5. Getting Started with Your Budget
      4. Living with a Budget
         1. Analyze Your Spending
         2. Live Within Your Means
      5. Balancing Your Budget
         1. Watch Impulse Buying
         2. Look for Sales
         3. Learn to Cook
   2. 6. Being Smart with Your Checking Accounts
      1. How Checking Accounts Work
         1. Types of Checking Accounts
         2. Other Checking Account Fees
         3. Understanding Debit Cards
         4. Be Smart with ATM Cards
         5. Cheap Checks
         6. Other Account Services
      2. How to Get a Free Checking Account
      3. The Checkbook Register Application
         1. How the Checkbook Register Workbook Works
         2. Getting Started with the Register
         3. Entering Transactions
         4. Sorting Transactions
         5. Editing Transactions
         6. Keeping Headings in View
         7. Reconciling Your Register
   3. 7. Getting the Most From Your Credit Cards
      1. How Credit Cards Work
         1. Credit Card Interest Rates
         2. Credit Card Fees
         3. Credit Card Advantages
         4. What About Debit Cards?
         5. Hooray for the Grace Period
         6. Reward Cards
      2. Using Your Credit Cards Wisely
         1. Never Charge Anything You Cannot Pay Off
         2. Use the Grace Period
         3. Get a Rewards Card
         4. Be Careful to Make Payments on Time
         5. Mind Your Credit Limit
      3. How Much Will It Really Cost?
         1. The Real Cost Calculator
      4. Why Carrying a Balance Is to Be Avoided
      5. Paying Off Your Balance
      6. The Payoff Calculator
      7. Using a Credit Card for Cash Advances
         1. Understanding Cash Advances
         2. The Cash Advance Cost Calculator
8. III. Financing Your Home and Car
   1. 8. Understanding Mortgages—And Getting the One That’s Best for You
      1. The Many Benefits of Home Ownership
      2. Types of Mortgages
         1. Traditional Fixed Rate Mortgages
         2. Adjustable Rate Mortgages
         3. Balloon Mortgages
         4. Hybrid Mortgages
      3. Your Mortgage Payment
      4. Other Mortgage Costs
         1. Origination Fee
         2. Points
         3. Private Mortgage Insurance
      5. The Tax Benefits of Home Ownership
      6. Understanding Mortgage Amortization
      7. How Much Can I Borrow?
         1. The Maximum Mortgage Calculator
      8. The Mortgage Detail Calculator
   2. 9. Considering Home Equity Loans
      1. What Is a Home Equity Loan?
      2. How They Work
      3. How Much Can I Borrow?
      4. Home Equity Loan Cautions
      5. Home Equity Calculations
   3. 10. Refinancing Your Mortgage
      1. Why Refinance?
      2. Costs of Refinancing
      3. Making a Decision
      4. The Mortgage Refinance Breakeven Calculator
         1. How to Use the Calculator
   4. 11. Understanding Escrow Accounts
      1. Escrow Is for Taxes and Insurance
      2. Canceling Your Escrow Account
      3. The Escrow Cancellation Calculator
   5. 12. Renting Versus Buying Your Home—Making the Right Choice
      1. Why Buy a Home?
      2. Financial Factors of Home Ownership
         1. The Down Payment
         2. Closing Costs
         3. Ownership Costs
      3. The Rent Versus Buy Calculator
   6. 13. Your New Car—Lease or Buy?
      1. Do You Really Need a New Car?
      2. Understanding Auto Leases
         1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing
      3. Types of Leases
      4. Lease Conditions
      5. Lease Payment Calculator
      6. The Lease or Buy Calculator
9. IV. Managing Your Investments
   1. 14. Learning the Fundamentals of Investing
      1. Investment Vehicles
         1. Stocks
         2. Bonds
         3. Mutual Funds
            1. Types of Mutual Funds
            2. Mutual Fund Investment Strategies
            3. Mutual Funds Fees
         4. Exchange Traded Funds
         5. Treasury Bills
         6. Savings Accounts
         7. Certificates of Deposit
         8. Money Market Accounts
      2. Risk Versus Return
      3. Your Investment Timeframe
      4. Choosing a Brokerage Account
      5. Dividend Reinvestment Plans
   2. 15. Tracking Your Investments
      1. Why Track Investments?
      2. The Investment Portfolio Workbook
         1. The Holdings Worksheet
         2. The Query Worksheet
         3. Using the Investment Portfolio Template
   3. 16. Comparing Mutual Funds
      1. Choosing Mutual Funds
      2. The Mutual Fund Comparator
   4. 17. Planning for College or Retirement
      1. Long-term Planning
         1. Accounting for Inflation
         2. The Inflation Effects Calculator
         3. Predicting Your Needs
         4. Not Over-Saving
      2. Saving for College
         1. The College Cost Calculator
         2. The College Savings Calculator
      3. Saving for Retirement
         1. What About Social Security?
         2. How Much Retirement Income Will You Need?
         3. How Much Do You Need to Save?
         4. Annuities
         5. The Retirement Planner Workbook
10. Appendices
    1. A. Workbook Reference
       1. Chapter 4: Net Worth Calculator
       2. Chapter 5: Budget Workbook
          1. The Budget Menu
          2. The Transactions Worksheet
          3. The Transaction Entry Form
          4. Entering Paychecks
          5. The Overview Worksheet
       3. Chapter 6: Checkbook Register Workbook
          1. The Register Menu
          2. Entering Transactions
          3. Sorting the Transactions
          4. Calculating the Totals
       4. Chapter 7: Real Cost Calculator
       5. Chapter 7: Payoff Calculator
       6. Chapter 7: Cash Advance Cost Calculator
       7. Chapter 8: Mortgage Payment Calculator
       8. Chapter 8: Mortgage Points Comparator
       9. Chapter 8: Mortgage Tax Savings Calculator
       10. Chapter 8: Maximum Mortgage Calculator
       11. Chapter 8: Mortgage Detail Calculator
       12. Chapter 9: Home Equity Line of Credit Calculator
       13. Chapter 10: Mortgage Refinance Breakeven Calculator
       14. Chapter 11: Escrow Cancellation Calculator
       15. Chapter 12: Rent Versus Buy Calculator
           1. The Input Worksheet
           2. The Output Worksheet
              1. The Buying Section
              2. The Renting Section
              3. The Hidden Columns
           3. The Chart Worksheet
       16. Chapter 13: Lease Payment Calculator
       17. Chapter 13: Lease or Buy Calculator
       18. Chapter 15: Investment Portfolio Workbook
       19. Chapter 16: Mutual Fund Comparator
       20. Chapter 17: Inflation Effects Calculator
       21. Chapter 17: College Cost Calculator
       22. Chapter 17: College Savings Calculator
       23. Chapter 17: Retirement Planner Workbook
    2. B. Glossary of Financial Terms