But after a couple weeks, I found myself spending more time organizing the tool than actually building anything.
Totally get this. I’ve tried every shiny new app out there, and honestly, half the time I’m just fighting with the software instead of getting real work done. There’s something about having a stack of receipts and notes right in front of you—feels more “real” somehow. That said, I’ve had banks push back on handwritten stuff before, so I end up snapping photos of everything anyway. It’s a weird hybrid system, but it keeps me sane. Digital tools are great until they aren’t.
Honestly, I’ve had the same struggle. I’ll spend an hour color-coding spreadsheets and then realize I haven’t actually logged any payments. There’s a weird satisfaction in just scribbling notes on the back of a blueprint, but then I’m scrambling when the lender wants “proper documentation.” Tried a few apps, but they always seem to overcomplicate things. At this point, I’m half digital, half analog—whatever gets the job done without driving me nuts.
Title: Keeping track of your construction loan payments without losing your mind
I get what you mean about the apps—some of them feel like they’re built for accountants, not builders. Have you found anything that actually integrates with your bank or lender? I keep running into double entry issues and it’s driving me nuts. Or do you just stick to spreadsheets and hope for the best when it’s time to reconcile?
Honestly, I’ve tried a few of those “integrated” apps and they always seem to miss something or make things more complicated. I end up back in Excel every time. It’s not glamorous, but at least I know where everything is… most of the time. Double entry drives me crazy too—feels like I’m doing twice the work for half the clarity.
I end up back in Excel every time. It’s not glamorous, but at least I know where everything is… most of the time.
- Right there with you. I’ve tried a handful of those “all-in-one” platforms and they just end up making me chase my tail. Too many tabs, too many features I’ll never use.
- Excel isn’t pretty, but at least it’s predictable. I can see every number and formula, no guessing where something went.
- Double entry is a dealbreaker for me too. If I have to log the same payment in two places, something’s gone wrong with the system.
- Only thing that gets me about Excel is when I forget to update a cell or miss a receipt—then it’s a mess trying to reconcile later.
Ever tried just snapping pics of receipts and dumping them in a folder with your spreadsheet? Not perfect, but it’s saved me from hunting through drawers more than once. Curious if anyone’s found a way to automate even part of this without making it more complicated than it needs to be?
