Quicken Starter Edition
Quicken 2008 Starter Edition replaces Quicken Basic and provides basic tools for managing financial accounts. While anyone needing very basic financial software can use Quicken 2008 Starter Edition, it was developed with young adults and those who are new to using personal finance software in mind. Quicken 2008 Starter Edition will not open data files from other Quicken versions, so current Quicken users cannot downgrade to Starter Edition.Quicken 2008 Performance
When I first used Quicken 2008 after installing it, my screen flickered quite a bit. Closing Quicken 2008 and reopening it solved this issue and I have had no problem since. I like how Quicken 2008 is easier to navigate than previous versions and opens faster than Quicken 2007 and so far, I have found Quicken 2008 to be more stable than Quicken 2007.Because I do not monitor account balances daily, I work with the Quicken 2008 account bar collapsed to open more real estate on my screen to see expanded reporting. For example, the mutual funds rating data in the Investments center shows two addition columns of data with the account bar closed, which is a nice improvement.
Should You Buy Quicken 2008?
In accordance with Quicken's sunset policy, Quicken 2005 users will need to update to Quicken 2008 by April, 2008. Quicken Basic users must upgrade to Quicken Deluxe because their data files are not compatible with Quicken 2008 Starter Edition. Quicken has a special offer for those upgrading from Quicken Basic to Quicken Deluxe 2008 or higher: a $30 mail in rebate, good until April 30, 2008. You will need to send in a photo copy of your software CD or floppy disk, or a screen shot of About Quicken (click Help, About Quicken).While I am all for getting the most for your money by not upgrading financial software before it is necessary, the major overhauls of the Quicken home page and financial calendar in Quicken 2007 combined with the new Quicken 2008 features provide enough benefits that Quicken 2006 users should consider upgrading to Quicken 2008 now rather than waiting they must upgrade in 2009. An option for tax preparation software users is to wait until January, when TurboTax often comes bundled with Quicken at a special price.
While Quicken 2007 users do not really need to upgrade this year, I can see where some will be tempted by the time-saving and budgeting enhancements in Quicken 2008 and the Billminder Gadget for systems running Windows Vista. Check Quicken 2008 system requirements to be sure the software will run smoothly on your computer, and those running Mac OS X or Leopard should see Quicken 2008 for Mac in coming months.
Quicken 2008 Versions and Price Comparisons
Before you buy Quicken 2008, learn more about Quicken 2008 versions and features and use the price comparison links below for the version you choose. Check out special Quicken upgrade pricing from Intuit as well to get the best deal on Quicken 2008.Compare prices for Quicken:
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