[GNC] two lines for every entry

[Adrien Monteleone]

Spreadsheets work, as does pen and paper. There are some simplified apps out there to do basic expense tracking. (your card company might even offer as part of their web portal to your account)

GnuCash can do that, but it is really designed to track everything, not just one side of one account. (you can use it that way of course, but life can be a bit frustrating at first)

Best of luck. We’re here if you decide to stay.

Regards,
Adrien

> On Apr 11, 2019, at 2:57 AM, ToddAndMargo via gnucash-user <gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
> 
> On 4/11/19 12:43 AM, Adrien Monteleone wrote:
>> Sorry to break it to you. You have to care, to enter the transaction.
>> EACH AND EVERY transaction has two entries or splits.
>> A payment will have one split to the card account and the other to whatever asset you used to make that payment.
>> Accounting isn’t adding things up. (well, not simply anyway)
>> It is tracking*where*  money is coming from and*where*  it is going to.
>> You have to track both parts, not just one side.
> 
> I get it.  Just telling it I made a payment will not suffice.
> I has to know where it came from.
> 
>> If you made a cash payment one month, enter that as:
>> Dr. Liabilities:Credit Card:VISA-1234
>> Cr. Assets:Current Assets:Cash
>> If you later made a payment by check:
>> Dr. Liabilities:Credit Card:VISA-1234
>> Cr. Assets:Current Assets:Checking
>> Not all payments have to be from the same place, but you do have to say where they came from. That’s how it works.
>> Regards,
>> Adrien
> 
> Hi Adrian,
> 
> You know, I actually am starting to follow.
> 
> And I am now pretty much aware that I am trying to
> use a super computer where my fingers would suffice.
> 
> I think at this point, I should probably switch to a
> spreadsheet.  I am not doing "bookkeeping".  I am
> just tracking purchases and payments.
> 
> I also tested HomeBank and KMyMoney.  Home Bank crashed
> setting up and account, so it got removed.    KMyMoney,
> what can I say, it is just weird.  It is just about
> to get removed too.
> 
> Rube Goldberg is laughing at me.
> 
> Thank you for all the help,
> -T
>