White Papers

How to Export Your Microsoft Money File and Actually Keep Your History

A step-by-step guide to getting your data out of Microsoft Money: why you can't just open a .mny file elsewhere, how to export every account to QIF, what survives the trip, and what to check afterwards.

Mint Is Gone — Where Millions of Users Went Next

Mint was the default budgeting app for 20 million people until Intuit shut it down in 2024. Here's what actually happened, why a free app with millions of users couldn't survive, and where those users went.

QIF vs OFX vs CSV: What These Bank File Formats Actually Mean

QIF, OFX and CSV all hold bank transactions, but they behave very differently. Here's what is inside each one, where each goes wrong, and which to pick when you're moving your finances to a new app.

Quicken's Subscription Trap: Why Longtime Users Are Finally Leaving

Quicken outlived Microsoft Money and survived Mint's collapse. So why are twenty-year customers publicly giving up on it in 2026? The price history and reliability complaints behind the exodus.

Still Tracking Money in Excel? Here's When a Spreadsheet Stops Being Enough

A spreadsheet is a great way to start tracking your money, and a poor way to keep doing it. Seven signs your Excel budget has outgrown itself, and what to move to when it has.

What Happened to Microsoft Money — And the Best Alternative in 2026

Microsoft Money was discontinued over a decade ago, leaving millions of users without a home for their finances. Here's the full story, and how ThriftyOwl.money picks up where it left off.

YNAB Alternatives for People Who Just Want a Budget, Not a Philosophy

YNAB has a devoted following and a real methodology behind it — plus a $109/year price tag and a few hours a week of upkeep. Here's what it actually asks of you, and where to go if you just want your spending tracked.