YNAB Users?

OU812

Can't find anywhere more suitable to put this...


Any YNAB users on boards? Decided to use it to see if it could make a difference after seeing users rave about it on reddit. Just wondering if there were any boardsies using it?

howamidifferent

I've been using it since March 2015. Best piece of software I've ever found.
Only wish I had it 10 years ago.

OU812

I've been struggling with it recently (not a great start). Have gone back to working off excel.

But likewise, Wish I knew about it years ago !

howamidifferent

They've moved to a web platform now with the latest release which I don't like so I'm sticking with YNAB4. It does have a little learning curve but all of the online classes are available for free and make it all very simple. I played with the 34 day trial of YNAB4 for 3 days before I paid up for the product. It's saved my bacon multiple times over the past 10 months already. Well worth sticking with, do the classes, repeat if needs be but stick with it. YNAB4 is still for sale by the way for $60 if you don't want to try the new web based version. Give it a go. Nothing to lose. 34 day free trial of both versions.

petethedrummer

Been using the classic version to track spending for the last few months. Now I must use it to reduce spending!

howamidifferent

petethedrummer wrote: »

Been using the classic version to track spending for the last few months. Now I must use it to reduce spending!

Stick with it. It works!

petethedrummer

howamidifferent wrote: »

Stick with it. It works!

Yeah I've been really looking into it over the last week. I have the knack now. Not that it's difficult but I was misinterpreting some of the concepts.

What do you not like about the new web edition? I signed up for the trial but haven't migrated yet.

howamidifferent

petethedrummer wrote: »

Yeah I've been really looking into it over the last week. I have the knack now. Not that it's difficult but I was misinterpreting some of the concepts.

What do you not like about the new web edition? I signed up for the trial but haven't migrated yet.

This post from the YNAB forum pretty much sums up all thats wrong with the new product. It's one of hundreds all expressing the same opinion. Plus its bug riddled which is also documented in multiple threads on the forums, and their release notes here.

petethedrummer

Fair enough, I'll hold off.

bren2002

Just signed up for this yesterday. I think I get the concepts and I think I've set up something that I can work with.

I don't have many problems with the cloud version. Software always has bugs and the cloud is easiest to deploy to.

howamidifferent

If you are using the web version then you will find this extension hugely beneficial as it adds a host of additional options to the software for free and it's completely open source and community supported.

bren2002

Thanks for the extension. I don't have a critical mass yet in ynab to really get value from it but that will come over time.

Does anyone want to share goals for the year in ynab?

I've no real debt, except the mortgage. But I'd like to save for some home improvements, update the car in a few years and start planning really long term - kids to college and retirement etc.

OU812

After starting with the bed of intentions, I've abandoned it. I have my own "envelope" system which works for me & when I started using unable I was spending too much time entering figures & micro accounting

Books4you

I've been using Ynab 4 since February last year. Changed over to nYnab in January and loving every minute of it. I like the others wish i had found this 10 years ago. I'm still as addicted now as i was a year ago.

The amount of money I have saved by using it is something else and truly hard to believe. I honestly went from a few hundred then lower every month to a few thousand by the end of 2015. You really have to embrace the concepts of Ynab to really get the benefit from it. I remember at the start I couldn't figure out not entering in all my wages for the month! I was like how does that work, how do i know i have enough etc!

But once you follow the rules and build up your buffer, i was able to save mine up by Oct last year, it gives you a freedom knowing you aren't relying on your wages every Friday. I try and tell as many people as I can about Ynab. Best thing I ever bought in my Life!

I honestly think you should stick with it OU812. I found out about ynab on reddit too and thank god for that. Currently debt free and loving it!

keane2097

Started using YNAB last November and even after just a short few months it's been incredibly positive for me. 7 thumbs up.

Still using classic personally, and don't intend to change over any time soon although I'm keeping an eye on the progress of nYNAB.

OU812

Books4you wrote: »

I honestly think you should stick with it OU812. I found out about ynab on reddit too and thank god for that. Currently debt free and loving it!

Will take a look at it again. I've been using the envelope system (with a fairly tight budget) for ages now & it was working out ok. I just can't get used to entering stuff all the time. The budget barely varies & it seems to be working ok.

howamidifferent

OU812 wrote: »

Will take a look at it again. I've been using the envelope system (with a fairly tight budget) for ages now & it was working out ok. I just can't get used to entering stuff all the time. The budget barely varies & it seems to be working ok.

The Android app makes it so easy for me. I enter transactions on the go.
Adjust the budget almost daily if I need to to and I do reconcile every morning. Takes only a few seconds to do. Knowing where every penny I have is, and what it's earmarked for is something that brings an amazing clarity to your financial situation. And with awareness comes prudence.

Books4you

OU812 wrote: »

Will take a look at it again. I've been using the envelope system (with a fairly tight budget) for ages now & it was working out ok. I just can't get used to entering stuff all the time. The budget barely varies & it seems to be working ok.

The android app really does make it easy when it comes to entering your transactions. I enter in most of my transactions before I leave the shop. Then for bills that you have the same every month, rent, broadband etc, set up scheduled transactions and that way they will automatically happen every month for you and all you have to do is approve them. And i reconcile daily. Only takes a few minutes.

I'm forever over on the ynab forum too. They have yearly, monthly and daily challenges and there is also a wealth of information over there to help you along the way if you get stuck. This year I joined the 2016: Official Savings Challenge. There is a spreadsheet that everyone that joins up enters in how much they have saved for the month. It keeps me motivated to stay on track with savings - although it's amazing how much some people save in a month! :-)

Best of luck with it!

Oh and I was an envelope person myself, used to have one for everything. Now i look at my categories on the app and to me that is my envelope. €11.99 in the Netflix envelope, €20 in Vodafone.

Brian201888

What banks if any here connect to it?

OU812

Eoghan_2 wrote: »

What banks if any here connect to it?

Banks here don't connect to anything

howamidifferent

For anyone interested in a web offering, google everypocket.
It seems to be based on YNAB4 but is currently in development still. But any signups at the minute are free for life its says as its a means to gather feedback and identify bugs etc...

Edited to add it also has a companion Android app.

Brian201888

OU812 wrote: »

Banks here don't connect to anything

So you manually enter every transaction into YNAB?

Books4you

Yes you have to put them in manually but takes like 20 seconds when your in a shop on the app on your phone. Enter amount, payee and enter. Done! Or just keep receipts at the back of your wallet or whatever and put them in when home. Much easier to do on the go though so you don't forget or lose receipts. Any bills that you have frequently you set them up as scheduled transactions for once a month or fortnightly etc.

It is more based for American and Canadian banks and can't see that changing. I think I would still enter manually though and a lot of people do even if they have the option. It makes you more in control of your finances and that is exactly what Ynab is all about.

Books4you

howamidifferent wrote: »

For anyone interested in a web offering, google everypocket.
It seems to be based on YNAB4 but is currently in development still. But any signups at the minute are free for life its says as its a means to gather feedback and identify bugs etc...

Edited to add it also has a companion Android app.

Thanks for that. I will take a look even though I love Ynab as you might have guessed! I'll play around with it to see what it's like.

bren2002

Good post on everypocket. Its hard to tell from their website but am I right in thinking it's a more traditional budgeting tool like mint? The key feature of ynab for me is the give every dollar a job and age your money concepts.

I'm using ynab for a few weeks now and I can already see some interesting things on our spending. But I can also see how it needs an investment in time to get the best results from it. I think once you can stop going month to month and start living of last month's earnings that's when it really takes off.

howamidifferent

bren2002 wrote: »

Good post on everypocket. Its hard to tell from their website but am I right in thinking it's a more traditional budgeting tool like mint? The key feature of ynab for me is the give every dollar a job and age your money concepts.

I'm using ynab for a few weeks now and I can already see some interesting things on our spending. But I can also see how it needs an investment in time to get the best results from it. I think once you can stop going month to month and start living of last month's earnings that's when it really takes off.

Everypocket isn't mint like. Its very YNAB4 like even down to the look of the product. Definetely YNAB influenced. Also a zero sum based envelope budgeting system. Shows great promise...

bren2002

Fair enough, you've clearly been closer to it than I was able to looking on my phone. I'll have to keep an eye on it.
Is it not cloud based then if its like ynab4?

Merowig

http://lifehacker.com/5828438/five-best-desktop-personal-finance-tools

Budgetsimple and PersonalCapital are looking good

petethedrummer

Books4you wrote: »

I think I would still enter manually though and a lot of people do even if they have the option. It makes you more in control of your finances and that is exactly what Ynab is all about.

Yeah for me YNAB is about properly knowing where my money is going. I think automating it would take away some of my new spending self-awareness.

Not my real name

I'm a ynab user for over 3 years now and its honestly changed my life. I'm still on ynab4, haven't changed over yet, not for any particular reason, this one is working for me fine.

It helped me clear two credit cards, 2 overdrafts and a credit union loan within the first year. I Just love the fact that I never get a shock when a big bill comes in as its always covered. Christmas, holidays, birthdays are never a panic anymore, but then again we dont go overboard either.

I'm never managed to get fully buffered, except for my mortgage catagory.

I will say I found the first year difficult, especially the first few months as big bills like car/house insurance etc where due so I had to put bigger amounts in each catagory to make sure it was covered. Once it was was paid then I could divide by 12 and have it covered for the next year.

Would recommend it to everyone!

lcwill

Love YNAB. Been using it with my wife for about 2 years and it has had a huge effect on our spending - it actually makes me feel a little sick to think how much money I probably wasted in the years before I started using it.

I don't use it the way you are supposed to though. I worked out my own system which suits me better and is mainly just for tracking expenses so I know how much I spend month by month and where I am spending too much.

Still using the classic version too.