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You Need a Budget (YNAB)--Fans come over here!

KristinTech

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Has anyone used this budgeting software? I got out of the habit years ago for whatever reason, but we had tremendous success when the kids were very little and we were trying to get finances organized. We had just begun to start college funds, save seriously for retirement, etc.

Our focus now is saving more aggressively for college, retirement, bigger vacations... (jewelry?!)... so I'm committing to re-starting this weekend. I'm pretty excited about it. :)

I know we can shave a ton off of our grocery budget and little mindless spending here and there. But we just added a teen driver to our auto insurance, oof. :loopy:

Anyway, @HappyNewLife .... @liaerfbv ... others? Share your success stories! I'd love to share the love with others.

www.youneedabudget.com
 

KristinTech

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Curious—does anyone here:

“Spend a ridiculous amount on fill-in-the-blank hobby that no one understands?“

Haha! That made me laugh. :)
 

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liaerfbv

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Longtime YNAB user and lover, yes. DH and I started using in 2014 I think? It completely changed our finances and how we spent money. It's not a set it and forget type of budgeting software, which personally works best for me so I'm actively involved. I cannot recommend it enough.
 

Wewechew

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I downloaded it two days ago and I love it I’m already starting to view my money differently.
 

KristinTech

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Longtime YNAB user and lover, yes. DH and I started using in 2014 I think? It completely changed our finances and how we spent money. It's not a set it and forget type of budgeting software, which personally works best for me so I'm actively involved. I cannot recommend it enough.

I also like the active involvement features of the software. It kept me really into it before. I think we used it 2011-2012. I found an old post here of mine in 2013, so I know I was an experienced user (and believer!) by then. It’s fun to get back into it this weekend. We’ve got big saving goals, and I am excited to assign jobs to all those dollars. :)
 

Wewechew

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@KristinTech I have some big financial goals I would like to hit by December 2020. Maybe we can help hold each other accountable, at least in regards to jewelry purchases :lol:
 

KristinTech

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I downloaded it two days ago and I love it I’m already starting to view my money differently.

Well, we are starting together, then! It’s super user-friendly. I have a continuing Ed work trip this coming week, and it comes at a bad time (I only do this trip once every couple of years), but I’ll sort it out in those columns.

Keep me updated about how you’re doing! I’m going to take the grocery class this afternoon (3:00 CST). I seriously think I can take off $300-400 on our grocery bill a month. It’s gotten out of control. And that would go a long way toward saving for a CBI pendant!
 

Wewechew

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It made me a lot more excited about budgeting my own life than I ever thought possible :lol-2:
 

HappyNewLife

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Has anyone used this budgeting software? I got out of the habit years ago for whatever reason, but we had tremendous success when the kids were very little and we were trying to get finances organized. We had just begun to start college funds, save seriously for retirement, etc.

Our focus now is saving more aggressively for college, retirement, bigger vacations... (jewelry?!)... so I'm committing to re-starting this weekend. I'm pretty excited about it. :)

I know we can shave a ton off of our grocery budget and little mindless spending here and there. But we just added a teen driver to our auto insurance, oof. :loopy:

Anyway, @HappyNewLife .... @liaerfbv ... others? Share your success stories! I'd love to share the love with others.

www.youneedabudget.com

I'm unbelievably late to the party. But here's my story. In Feb of 2019, I was 43yo and had about $5k in savings and $800 in checking. The savings wasn't even anything I saved, it was a gift from my SO. And it has started out at $7k and was dwindling with every frivolous purchase I made. I finally decided to try YNAB, but didn't see how it could help me STOP SPENDING. I was addicted to shopping. I immersed myself in the free workshops, extended my trial to 4 months (free, just email customer service) and gave it my all. And it clicked. Fast forward to today and my net worth is up $17,000. Just from using YNAB!
 

Wewechew

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I'm unbelievably late to the party. But here's my story. In Feb of 2019, I was 43yo and had about $5k in savings and $800 in checking. The savings wasn't even anything I saved, it was a gift from my SO. And it has started out at $7k and was dwindling with every frivolous purchase I made. I finally decided to try YNAB, but didn't see how it could help me STOP SPENDING. I was addicted to shopping. I immersed myself in the free workshops, extended my trial to 4 months (free, just email customer service) and gave it my all. And it clicked. Fast forward to today and my net worth is up $17,000. Just from using YNAB!

That is awesome! Do you still use it?
 

KristinTech

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I'm still tracking through YNAB! I picked a really crazy time of year to start this. :lol-2: But I'm committed--we all are. The kids are on board, too! I am laughing about being "YNAB broke," though. It's a "thing!"
 

sledge

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Apr 23, 2018
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Been using YNAB for quite awhile. Bought a license, when it was a one & done fee instead of the monthly pay service. Even had some conversations with Jesse, the YNAB founder/owner, about tweaks, fixes, etc back in those days.

I'm still running the Classic version on my Android and home PC's, but will eventually need to switch over to the monthly subscription I guess. At least I get an option to run the Classic version. Those on iOS are just SOL.

FYI....here is the Android APK if you need/want.


What really peaked my inner nerd was the API support for the new version of YNAB. Way cool. :geek2:


For me, running a custom brew budget Excel workbook in combo with YNAB was a good solution. On a finance forum, me and another guy developed it and distributed to a small mass there. I have no idea if others still use it as I haven't participated in that forum in awhile.

If you find YNAB interesting, you may also like Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU). While FPU had some principles I discovered way before participating in the program, I find some of the methods of cash envelopes, etc to be outdated. So blending some of the FPU & YNAB stuff together has worked well for me.
 

KristinTech

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Been using YNAB for quite awhile. Bought a license, when it was a one & done fee instead of the monthly pay service. Even had some conversations with Jesse, the YNAB founder/owner, about tweaks, fixes, etc back in those days.

I'm still running the Classic version on my Android and home PC's, but will eventually need to switch over to the monthly subscription I guess. At least I get an option to run the Classic version. Those on iOS are just SOL.

FYI....here is the Android APK if you need/want.


What really peaked my inner nerd was the API support for the new version of YNAB. Way cool. :geek2:


For me, running a custom brew budget Excel workbook in combo with YNAB was a good solution. On a finance forum, me and another guy developed it and distributed to a small mass there. I have no idea if others still use it as I haven't participated in that forum in awhile.

If you find YNAB interesting, you may also like Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU). While FPU had some principles I discovered way before participating in the program, I find some of the methods of cash envelopes, etc to be outdated. So blending some of the FPU & YNAB stuff together has worked well for me.

I actually discovered Dave Ramsey first. I read his book in 2000 when we were first married, and we paid down debt and started a savings plan. I agree about the mixture of both approaches. I liked Dave a lot better in his book—I don’t care for his tv/radio show.
 

KristinTech

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End of month housekeeping! I did a Fresh Start in January. I’m reconciling every day or two, and I know where every penny is going! Payday today, yahoo. I’m not sure what to expect when I wake up tomorrow and the month clicks over. I didn’t have goals assigned before this month with the Fresh Start, so will see. I’ve budgeted for the next week.

@Wewechew How are you doing with the program?

We were able to slide a good chunk of money over to savings for our Hawaii spring break. Looking forward to see what February brings!
 

Wewechew

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@KristinTech I'm plugging along! I log into the app almost daily to track where everything is going and make adjustments where necessary. I'm still impressed with how quickly using the app has completely transformed my view on my money.

My husband and I are awful about getting take out instead of cooking, and I've actually had to tell my him on more than one occasion that I "can't afford" to eat out (we have his, hers, and joint accounts). It's amazing how much money I'm NOT spending just by budgeting every dollar.
 

Austina

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I’ve got an accountant, he does our budget, and he can tell you to the last penny how much we’ve spent, how much we’ve got in savings, and he’s even got spreadsheets done to forecast our expenditure until he’s 91 :lol:
 

KLE

Shiny_Rock
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Dec 8, 2019
Messages
103
I have been using YNAB religiously for almost 18 months! I love it and I recommend it all the time. I feel such a sense of calm when I know everything is in order and am actually budgeting our money a month or two ahead!
 

Wewechew

Ideal_Rock
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I have been using YNAB religiously for almost 18 months! I love it and I recommend it all the time. I feel such a sense of calm when I know everything is in order and am actually budgeting our money a month or two ahead!
Yes! I have been more calm about my money since I started using it.
 

sledge

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Just thought I'd pop back into this thread, and provide a few updates.

1. We switched over to the "new" online version of YNAB and did a fresh start.

2. I'm using it even more religiously than before.

3. Discovered a cool browser add-in called Toolkit for YNAB. It's free and available for Chrome & Firefox. Let's you tweak some stuff YNAB is lacking. Adds a few unique features. Also adds some additional report metrics. A must add if you're the nerd, lol.

4. Although I had heard of DR previously, the wife hadn't. She encouraged me to do FPU with her. Of course I was happy to do so. We are in the midst of it now but it's cool to see the unity between us (not that it was bad before) and also her transformation and growth. She's never been great at budgeting and recognized it. When dating, she was very forthcoming and I had set her up a budget and was her accountability partner then too (upon her request, lol).

All this has reignited a fire. While we have very little consumer debt, we have a pile of student loans. I'm slaying the crap out of them and the more I do it the more fierce I wish to be. Who knew? Lol.

As such we have sucked the fat out of the budget and doing side hustles, etc to boost income so we can decapitate this student loan monster.
 

KristinTech

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I’m still an avid YNAB user! Who else? :)

I was told on 3/16/20 that I couldn’t work anymore.... then in early May, teletherapy was finally approved and it has been a slow process back up to my former income. I’m very thankful that things have been moving in the right direction!

anwyay, I’ve been faithful with YNAB, and I am pleased to say that I’m back to building my “slush fund” as we call it around here!

@Jsand check out this software... I have my CBI three-stone currently being watered on my “Wish Farm.” :)
 

snotty_pie

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I wasn't ever able to wrap my brain around the YNAB process and software. I use a combination of Mint.com to track backwards looking spend (make sure that my husband and I don't have any surprises as the month progresses) and then forecast in an Excel spreadsheet that shows a cash flow statement and balance sheet (using rows for Virtual Savings for things like jewelry and vacation savings) for the upcoming month.
 

KristinTech

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I wasn't ever able to wrap my brain around the YNAB process and software. I use a combination of Mint.com to track backwards looking spend (make sure that my husband and I don't have any surprises as the month progresses) and then forecast in an Excel spreadsheet that shows a cash flow statement and balance sheet (using rows for Virtual Savings for things like jewelry and vacation savings) for the upcoming month.

You know what is funny—I’m part of a large YNAB Fans page on Facebook, and I remember a post last year about a high school math teacher who said that she just didn’t like the software— didn’t “get it”— didn’t see the appeal. I am totally NOT a numbers person, but my husband is a software engineer. Total numbers nerd! He calls YNAB “just a sandbox” as he sort of rolls his eyes. :) But now that he sees that it appeals to me, and it’s working so well for our family, he’s a believer. Even if he doesn’t like it to use himself! He’s also an excel guy, and I don’t know how to make sense of that!
 

bling_dream19

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I tried it too but never got it if you know what I mean. I have variable income and totally didn't understand how to make it work. I'd like to try it again! Glad to hear its helped you!
 

snotty_pie

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You know what is funny—I’m part of a large YNAB Fans page on Facebook, and I remember a post last year about a high school math teacher who said that she just didn’t like the software— didn’t “get it”— didn’t see the appeal. I am totally NOT a numbers person, but my husband is a software engineer. Total numbers nerd! He calls YNAB “just a sandbox” as he sort of rolls his eyes. :) But now that he sees that it appeals to me, and it’s working so well for our family, he’s a believer. Even if he doesn’t like it to use himself! He’s also an excel guy, and I don’t know how to make sense of that!

Haha I am in the software engineering world to (pointy haired manager) so maybe something about it doesn't make sense to us software types. My sister loves it though, and it has helped her visualize her money and has motivated her to take care of her debt. So kudos to the product managers to make something that works for so many people who aren't normally numbers/money people!
 

KLE

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Dec 8, 2019
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I used Mint for a while and YNAB is definitely a learning curve. Once I got the hang of it I saw that it was leaps and bounds over Mint and even an Excel spreadsheet. I am the numbers person in our house and I've never felt better about keeping track of things.

I think the most eye opening thing for me was learning what the "credit card float" was and getting rid of it. Even though we had money in savings, the money that was in our rotation was on that "float" and so even when we paid the credit card off every month, in reality we were using this month's income to pay last month's expenses. It took a month or two or three to get ahead, but now any pay that comes in in July, for instance, goes into August's budget only, August into September's budget, etc.

I'm a firm believer! The only thing that irks me is the authorization process to sync with USAA sucks right now and it doesn't look like they're fixing it.
 

KristinTech

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@YadaYadaYada Do the free trial of this software! If you’re willing to dive into Dave Ramsey, this aligns with most of his philosophy in those beginning steps. There’s even a FB group for fans of both “brands.”

You can also google “Nick True YNAB” for some tutorials. It’s kinda fun, and also kinda awesome to have saved a ton of money during a pandemic. I’d be pretty stressed right now without it! I took a major hit in March when things shut down, and I’m only now building back up to my previous income levels. Anyway, take some time to explore it and ask any questions if you have them!
 

YadaYadaYada

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Thank you @KristinTech, we will definitely look into that. We are just at the beginning of the journey!

We are refinancing to a 15 year mortgage so that's a good first step.
 

YadaYadaYada

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Downloaded the app last night and well, I can certainly see the appeal. Our budget today has all of our bills paid for the month minus weekly groceries and gas. That still leaves four paychecks for those expenses plus money to allocate to other future goals. I'm a believer so far!
 

KristinTech

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Oooh, exciting! You should start watering your Wish Farm. :) Things will roll over tomorrow — you’ll get used to a new month and how it works as time goes on. You’ll be astounded at how well the program works if you stick with it. I have a category called “slush fund” that funds my jewelry hobby.
 
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