It really is hard at first because you're getting hit with everything at once.
The first month you essentially have twice the credit card bill because you've paid off the month before but you're also keeping money aside this month to pay it off. That's a huge chunk out of your budget if you use it for everyday spending.
Then all your future costs or true expenses are front loaded because they occur throughout the year so you have less than a year to save up for most of them.
If you're trying to get a month ahead that can be a bit daunting as well. Plus just having the reality of your finances spelled out really doesn't help.
And many of us are living outside our means, that's why we end up in credit card or overdraft debt without really knowing why.
It does get easier though. I'm back in oh crap land because although I budgeted for the shortfall in maternity and paternity pay, I didn't think to account for a delay in it paying out but thanks to covid, we've had a delay on the birth certificate and that has a knock on effect on everything else. I didn't remember this happening last time with DS2 but actually it did. We had a whole nightmare at that time financially and took out a loan and I'd always wondered all this time WTF we spent that money on because by the time we started ynab it was all gone, but now I realise it was likely just 3/4 months living expenses.
We will be fine because I'm expecting something to come through before we are bankrupt but having done a bit of a protection we really can't be spending anything other than food and petrol until something turns up!