I have used Quicken, well let's just say, since DOS. That is like BC in computer time. I upgraded to the Windows version in due time, and I didn't think Quicken could get much better. It is, and that is an understatement.

Last March, as my luck would have it (a change for the better), I won a copy of Quicken 98 Deluxe at the Florida Association of Computer Users Group (FACUG) Convention. That Deluxe version of Quicken was actually more and better than I expected. My new Quicken 99 Deluxe just has more features. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

A very "in" thing in today's world is doing your investing via the Internet. Quicken 99 provides a complete investment tracking feature. I plan to use the One Step Update to download all of my financial data, as well as stock quotes, right over the Internet and into Quicken. Since I am prone to forget, I need to store my passwords and PIN numbers. PIN Vault will hold all of my passwords and PIN numbers using state-of-the-art encryption.

I have thoroughly enjoyed using Quicken 99 Deluxe for my personal accounting and recommend this software package to anybody who is interested in tracking as little as just their checkbook entries or as much as keeping track of every aspect of their financial life as I do. Quicken 99 Deluxe has 60 reports and graphs available. I like to run reports and file them so I have a record to use for future purposes.

Also as treasurer of this group, I have been using Quicken 99 Deluxe to keep track of our finances. I am able to run an itemized category report each month and thus give the Board of Directors a report of where we have been, what we have done, and where we are going financially speaking.

As for my own accounting endeavors, I keep track of everything. I remember watching my brother using a little black book where he wrote down everything he spent. He was trying to see where his money was going and how to spend more wisely. It must be in the genes, as I track everything, as I said before. If I write a check to pay for my groceries, it is always for a larger amount than the total amount of the groceries. The excess is tracked in my Cash account. That is where splitting the amounts to different account categories comes into play--part goes to groceries and part goes to cash. Now I can see how much I actually spend for groceries. I track my checking account, savings account, credit card accounts, money market account, other intangible accounts as well as my real estate, my car (s), etc. If I own it and it changes in value, I track it.

Quicken 99 makes all those tasks so easy. My eye doctor, Dr. Anderson, recommended Quicken to me. He was telling me how easy it was to reconcile the bank statement. In fact he was actually reconciling his bank statement with his Quicken entries as we were talking on the telephone. I am the person who would spend all Saturday afternoon balancing my checkbook to the penny. I still do that, but it takes only seconds now, and I can do something else at the same time. When Quicken tells me that I jive with the beginning and ending balances, then I have the choice to run the reconciliation report, or not.

Also I don't keep track of my check writing in the manual check register anymore. I do use checks that make a carbon copy and when I sit down at the computer, I try to record any checks I have written that day. If I have forgotten to enter a transaction, I can edit in the middle of the reconciliation.

Another Quicken 99 feature is their improved online banking and bill payment. I do not use this feature, as my financial institution does not offer that. You have the choice of printing your checks or manually writing them. I don't have to use the check writing feature very often, as I have most of my bills paid by electronic transfer, automatically drafting my account. When my bill comes in I immediately enter the transaction in the checking register and date the transaction on the day my bank will be drafted. Now Quicken offers a Quick Entry 99 icon. I click on the new icon, then I can quickly enter one or more transaction(s). Most of my transactions have been memorized by Quicken so with a speedy edit it is a done deal. I can forget about it. No pile of receipts sitting on top of my computer waiting for me to muster up a block of time to enter them. Later when I do bring up the whole package, I am prompted to add the quick entries at that time. I might just break my habit of procrastinating. Not only will I be more financially sound, I will be a better person.

When I pull up the full Quicken Deluxe 99 package, I see the Quicken Home Page, a display of my accounts with the current value for each. The bottom line is I can see my net worth at a glance. I click on my checking account link that takes me to the register to enter new transactions. If the CD is in place there is a Quicken Audio that talks to me telling me what I am do at this point. This feature is great for the novice, or if you are lonely, you can listen to a very nice woman's voice.

To help with your taxes, Quicken has provided two features, the Tax Activity Center and the Free TurboTax Online, both new to Quicken 99 Deluxe. When you categorize your transactions especially if it is tax deductible, Quicken automatically tracks it for your tax purposes, giving you a summary of your current tax status. When you are ready to file your income taxes, run the report for the Quicken tax data, then go online and use the free online service or load it into your tax preparing software and most of your entries are automatically done. u