<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000950131-01-001014
<TYPE>SC 13G/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<FILING-DATE>20010214
<SUBJECT-COMPANY>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ACE CASH EXPRESS INC/TX
<CIK>0000849116
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6099
<IRS-NUMBER>752142963
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>TX
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0630
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>SC 13G/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>005-53599
<FILM-NUMBER>1540021
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1231 GREENWAY DR STE 800
<CITY>IRVING
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75038
<PHONE>2145505000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1231 GREENWAY DR #800
<CITY>IRVING
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75038
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</SUBJECT-COMPANY>
<FILED-BY>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT LP
<CIK>0000908733
<ASSIGNED-SIC>0000
<IRS-NUMBER>363820584
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>SC 13G/A
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>227 W MONROE STREET
<STREET2>SUITE 3000
<CITY>CHICAGO
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60606
<PHONE>3126349230
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>227 W MONROE ST
<STREET2>STE 3000
<CITY>CHICAGO
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60606
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT  LP
<DATE-CHANGED>19960619
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</FILED-BY>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>SC 13G/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>0001.txt
<DESCRIPTION>AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO SCHEDULE 13G
<TEXT>

<PAGE>

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                (Amendment 2)*

                            ACE CASH EXPRESS, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Name of Issuer)

                                 Common Stock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    4403101
                    ---------------------------------------
                                (CUSIP Number)

                           December 31, 2000
             ----------------------------------------------------
            (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
                                   is filed:

                               [X]  Rule 13d-1(b)
                               [_]  Rule 13d-1(c)
                               [_]  Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

                              Page 1 of 10 pages
<PAGE>

-------------------------------               ----------------------------------
  CUSIP No. 4403101                   13G        Page 2 of 10 Pages
-------------------------------               ----------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
 1    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

      Liberty Wanger Asset Management, L.P. 36-3820584
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
 2                                                              (a) [_]

      Not Applicable                                            (b) [_]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4
      Delaware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5
     NUMBER OF            None
      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6
                          651,000
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7
    REPORTING             None
       PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8
                          651,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9
      651,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10
      Not Applicable                                                [_]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11
      6.5%
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
      IA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>

--------------------------                    ---------------------------------
  CUSIP No. 4403101                   13G        Page 3 of 10 Pages
-------------------------------               ---------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
 1    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

      WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
 2                                                              (a) [_]

      Not Applicable                                            (b) [_]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4
      Delaware
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5
     NUMBER OF            None
      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6
                          651,000
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7
    REPORTING             None

      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8
                          651,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9
      651,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
10
      Not Applicable                                                [_]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11
      6.5%
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
      CO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>

--------------------------                    ---------------------------------
  CUSIP No. 4403101                   13G        Page  4 of 10 Pages
-------------------------------               ---------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
 1    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

      Liberty Acorn Trust

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
 2                                                              (a) [_]

      Not Applicable                                            (b) [_]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4
      Massachusetts

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5
     NUMBER OF            None
      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6
                          636,000
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7
    REPORTING             None
      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8
                          636,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9
      636,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10
      Not Applicable                                                [_]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11
      6.4%
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
      IV
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>

Item 1(a)  Name of Issuer:

                Ace Cash Express, Inc.

Item 1(b)  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                1231 Greenway Drive, Suite 800
                Irving, TX 75038

Item 2(a)  Name of Person Filing:

                Liberty Wanger Asset Management, L.P. ("WAM")
                WAM Acquisition GP, Inc., the general partner of WAM
                 ("WAM GP")
                Liberty Acorn Trust ("Acorn")

Item 2(b)  Address of Principal Business Office:

                WAM, WAM GP and Acorn are all located at:

                227 West Monroe Street, Suite 3000
                Chicago, Illinois  60606

Item 2(c)  Citizenship:

                WAM is a Delaware limited partnership; WAM GP is a Delaware
                corporation; and Acorn is a Massachusetts business trust.

Item 2(d)  Title of Class of Securities:

                Common Stock

Item 2(e)  CUSIP Number:

                4403101

Item 3     Type of Person:

                (d)  Acorn is an Investment Company under section 8 of the
                     Investment Company Act.

                (e)  WAM is an Investment Adviser registered under section 203
                     of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; WAM GP is the
                     General Partner of the Investment Adviser.

                              Page 5 of 10 pages
<PAGE>

Item 4  Ownership (at December 31, 2000):

             (a)  Amount owned "beneficially" within the meaning of rule 13d-3:

                  651,000

             (b)  Percent of class:

                  6.5% (based on 9,977,288 shares outstanding as of November 10,
                  2000)

             (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:

                     (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: none

                    (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 651,000

                   (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                         none

                    (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct disposition of:
                         651,000

Item 5  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

             Not Applicable

Item 6  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:

             The shares reported herein have been acquired on behalf of
             discretionary clients of WAM, including Acorn. Persons other than
             WAM and WAM GP are entitled to receive all dividends from, and
             proceeds from the sale of, those shares. Acorn is the only such
             person known to be entitled to all dividends from, and all proceeds
             from the sale of, shares reported herein to the extent of more than
             5% of the class.

Item 7  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
        Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company:

             Not Applicable

Item 8  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

             Not Applicable

Item 9  Notice of Dissolution of Group:

             Not Applicable

                              Page 6 of 10 Pages
<PAGE>

Item 10  Certification:

                By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
         and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held
         in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not
         held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing
         the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and
         are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
         having that purpose or effect.

                              Page 7 of 10 Pages
<PAGE>

                                   Signature
                                   ---------

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Date:  February 14, 2001

               The undersigned corporation, on the date above written, agrees
               and consents to the joint filing on its behalf of this Schedule
               13G in connection with its beneficial ownership of the security
               reported herein.

                                 WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.
                                  for itself and as general partner of
                                  LIBERTY WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.

                                 By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
                                     ----------------------------------------
                                         Bruce H. Lauer
                                         Senior Vice President and Secretary


               The undersigned corporation, on the date above written, agrees
               and consents to the joint filing on its behalf of this Schedule
               13G in connection with its beneficial ownership of the security
               reported herein.

                                 LIBERTY ACORN TRUST

                                 By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
                                     ----------------------------------------
                                         Bruce H. Lauer
                                         Vice President, Treasurer and
                                         Assistant Secretary

                              Page 8 of 10 Pages
<PAGE>

                                 Exhibit Index
                                 -------------

Exhibit 1     Joint Filing Agreement dated as of February 14, 2001 by and among
              Liberty Wanger Asset Management, L.P., WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.,
              and Liberty Acorn Trust.

                              Page 9 of 10 Pages
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT 1

                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

     The undersigned hereby agree to the joint filing of the Schedule 13G to
which this Agreement is attached.

               Dated:  February 14, 2001

                                 WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.
                                  for itself and as general partner of
                                  LIBERTY WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.

                                 By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                         Bruce H. Lauer
                                         Senior Vice President and Secretary


                                 LIBERTY ACORN TRUST

                                 By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
                                     ----------------------------------------
                                          Bruce H. Lauer
                                          Vice President, Treasurer and
                                          Assistant Secretary

                              Page 10 of 10 Pages
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
