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Original poster

Does anyone use YNAB (You Need A Budget) and fancy a support/chat thread?

523 replies

lougle · 22/08/2013 08:16

I've just got the trial version and I'm hooked, if not slightly overwhelmed. I'm currently in 'why is it asking me to budget so much money' mode.

I'm hoping that I'll really take off with it because it sounds quite life-transforming.

OP posts:
GreenMouse · 28/01/2014 13:04

I know Kahleesi, I get ridiculously excited about transactions in my account, I've never checked my online banking as often as since I started using YNAB Grin

I'm doing an online course tonight!

IAmNotAPrincessIAmAKahleesi · 28/01/2014 13:33

I'm so glad it's not just me greenmouse Grin

What course are you doing tonight? I'm signed up for making your budget work and if I can stay awake dealing with different pay cycles, I'm doing the credit card one on Thursday. I'm actually really looking forward to them, the getting started one was great

GreenMouse · 28/01/2014 14:05

I think it's the getting started one I'm doing today.

Original poster
lougle · 28/01/2014 17:20

If you can't stay awake, you can view the videos online, without attending the class at the class time:

Different Pay Cycles Class Recording

Making your budget work Class Recording

Getting Started with YNAB Class Recording

OP posts:
BabCNesbitt · 28/01/2014 18:54

Slow replies - Living, we've been doing it since September, but the things that DH has forgotten to add have just accummulated, so the gap between what's on YNAB and our account is getting bigger and bigger.

Crowler, the amount is the same each month, but when it comes out differs, because DH has to send a cheque. Paying by cheque is still the norm here in the US, but he keeps saying he's going to try and set up automatic payments. It hasn't happened yet...

The thing is that it was DH who got YNAB in the first place and watched all the tutorials online with enthusiasm! I've tried (with various degrees of emphasis!) to get him to update more effectively, and he always sheepishly agrees to do it, but then... sigh

Original poster
lougle · 28/01/2014 20:15

BabCNesbitt, the thing with YNAB is that it shouldn't actually matter when it comes out. As long as you budget for it when you have enough funds for it to be paid, then budget for everything else before you spend it, that money can just sit in the budget for as long as it needs to, until it's paid, just like it does when you're saving up for a yearly expense, say.

For instance, I ordered our Christmas meat at the beginning of December last year. I was a bit jittery about miscalculating in some way, so although I wasn't going to have to pay for the meat until December 24th, I budgeted for it straight after ordering.

The alternative, is to just put the transaction in (uncleared) around the sort of time the cheque is sent, but adjust the date once you see the withdrawal on the account.

OP posts:
evertonmint · 29/01/2014 09:38

The idea of allocating it but then leaving it sitting in the budget until it is needed is absolutely right, but this only works if you use YNAB as your default for checking you have enough money for a particular expenditure. If you still use your current account balance to check you have enough you won't remember the committed money and might end up spending money that's been allocated to something else. The hardest bit of this with DH is getting him to forgo checking the current account balance as he's so used to doing that! He hasn't quite got his head around YNAB being king yet :)

Original poster
lougle · 29/01/2014 10:13

Oh I never look at my account balance to see if I can spend That is not the YNAB way!

OP posts:
NoelOfLorst · 29/01/2014 13:31

Hello hello

I've been very quiet for a few weeks but I'm still here- still reading and picking up all of your tips. Thanks Thanks

I'm actually really getting to grips with this now (after a couple of false starts) and I've turned into a right sad sack. I hate spending any money, but if I have to, I can't wait to enter it via the app Grin

And I find myself firing up the PC every night, just to sit looking at it all Blush

NotAsTired · 29/01/2014 19:10

And I find myself firing up the PC every night, just to sit looking at it all

Heehee. Me too. Grin

Original poster
lougle · 29/01/2014 19:14

It's contagious, that's for sure Grin

OP posts:
Crowler · 29/01/2014 21:40

I have trawled my bank statements picking up yearly expenditures, and have arrived at a figure for them.

I've tracked my expenditures for Jan and have a clear view on where I've over/underspent.

Is everyone ready for February???

Original poster
lougle · 29/01/2014 22:35

Well done, crowler!

We get income each Friday, so we won't be February ready until then :)

OP posts:
Crowler · 01/02/2014 10:08

Lougle, can I delete January? Thanks :-)

evertonmint · 01/02/2014 10:58

Oooh no, don't delete Jan - if you've overspent it carries the overspend forward against your Feb ATB, and if you're making savings for non-monthly expenditure then Jan stays in your rolling total. Plus it's quite handy to see your spend on flexible budgets like groceries, social, clothes etc over a few months so you can see if your budget is too high or low.

Crowler · 01/02/2014 11:43

January was weird because it was mid-month, and nothing made sense. So I wanted to delete everything and start with 0s, without deleting the February budget I made.

Living · 01/02/2014 12:01

Did budget this morning. Want to cry now. A very healthy bank balance but struggling to have enough for the food budget!

Ah well, I suppose it's better to know :)

Original poster
lougle · 01/02/2014 12:53

Don't delete your precious work Grin.

You'll be able to track over the year.

If you delete everything from January, Crowler, you'll need to delete all the tranactions from January too. Then it will affect your Feb budget.

Living, poor you. Are you trying to achieve too much too soon?

OP posts:
NoelOfLorst · 01/02/2014 12:58

Had a mad moment this morning entering a few transactions and wondering why they weren't showing....yes I was looking at January Blush

DH looking at me like this >> Hmm

And we're seriously thinking of changing his daft windows phone for something that he can get the YNAB app on...how's that for money saving Grin

Mmmango · 01/02/2014 13:36

hello!
I have great news for anyone still on the free trial... www.macupdate.com/ has a 1/2 price sale on for the next 4 days. You have to sign up for a free macupdate account, and when you buy you get a serial number that you can use to "activate" the software. Works for either mac or pc.

Living · 01/02/2014 14:14

Possibly Lougle but want.to try. Should have some expenses coming in in the next week or so which should smooth it out.

School fees are killing us (expats, no choice) but thats mainly because we left it too late to start saving.

Original poster
lougle · 01/02/2014 14:18

Remember rule 3: roll with the punches.

If you can't budget for food, you've gone too far Smile

OP posts:
Living · 01/02/2014 16:00

I can budget for food it's just tight! Compared to what a lot of people on here have to spend its a lot.

Original poster
lougle · 01/02/2014 16:04

Ah ok, well it's all relative, isn't it?

OP posts:
Crowler · 01/02/2014 16:05

Thank you mango I just bought it!