Imagine that from January to May you are in Switzerland, then again in September. That from June to August you counted in Ringgit (Malaysia). Then in October, a trip to Mexico (Pesos) allows you to see family members again. Add to this, the receipts of your different stop at Singapore (Singapore Dollars), Frankfurt and Madrid (Euro) airports… How can you keep a clear view of your spending in these circumstances?

Since I share my life between two countries and travel several months a year, I regularly juggle with 6 different currencies every year or more. So I looked for a way to efficiently handle a single accounting with multiple currencies. For that I use:

  1. The accounting software « Banana Comptabilité »
  2. A chart of accounts adapted to my needs
  3. A scanner mouse
  4. The Apps « Hello Expense » for Android Smartphone

The software «Banana Comptabilité»

It is a Swiss product that has been in existence since 1989. I still use version 4 on Windows 7, although they released version 8 for CHF 129.00 (12.2.2017).

This software is ideal for SMEs, professional offices, private individuals, associations, condominiums, parishes and many others. So if you want AN accounting tool that is simple, flexible and reliable to manage your business, I can only recommend it.

What I love with Banana ( www.banana.ch)
  • It is easy to use, complete, adaptable even during the year, multi-currency and reliable.
  • It allows you to have a general and realistic vision of your financial situation, in accordance with your criteria.
  • With him, there is no longer any need to reinvent the wheel when drafting the next budget.
  • You can create your own chart of accounts or use one of the existing templates.
  • This software is very complete and leaves a great freedom of action.
  • Its investment cost is reasonable compared to what it offers.

An adapted chart of accounts

I wanted to have a global view of my annual budget and the details of the cost of living, depending on whether I live in Switzerland, Malaysia or elsewhere in the world.

I have therefore created an accounting plan with expenses divided into 4 sectors (country 1, country 2, travel and common to all), as well as a cash account per each foreign currency.

As a Swiss citizen, I kept the Swiss franc as my reference currency.

A scanner mouse

Since I discovered the scanner mouse 2 in 1, I can no longer do without it. It allows me to scan all the important receipts and documents I wish to keep as I go along. Besides, I wrote an article on this subject (Your Scanner Mouse always ready to work) if you want to know more about it.

An Apps « Hello Expense »

I also use an Android application: « Hello Expense », in order to keep track of my expenses during my travels.

I have set it so that it is compatible with my chart of accounts. This allows me to input the necessary data as I go along, and then export it to Excel (.xls) when the time comes. The Excel format allows me then to extract easily the data and entered into the Banana accounting system with the copy and paste function.

Other accounting software still to be tested

Here are a few more free software I found on the web, but haven’t tested yet:

  • Grisbi: personal or association accounting software, multi-account, multi-currency…
  • MyBank: day-to-day tracking of expenses
  • Comptabilité personnelle: Managed your bank accounts and family budget

1st publishing on the 12.02.2014  (Photo: TheDigitalWay / Pixabay.com)