I had a great solution for this drop into my lap.

I bought a Palm z22 handheld for $100, to keep track of my college coursework, etc. It had contacts and a scheduler and games, and I could read ebooks. An included piece of software is called MobileDB, and it has allowed me to create a great database to keep track.

I built a database (easy) that included spaces for part name, cost, supplier, and the date installed. I have a long list now, and with a few clicks (in theory) can generate a report to myself about the total costs, or where I get most of my supplies, or which month I did the most work in. Very cool.

Ari