YNAB robber needs help to execute the plan

Spikeygran

I really dont get this YNAB thing?  I get that it works for some people but to me its just spending out an extra £100 a year which would really annoy me.  Am I missing something?

I suppose it must help identify the problem areas?

Wanna_Bee_Free

@Spikeygran yes, it is expensive. I guess I paid the money each year without thinking about it or telling myself it will work if I stick to it and then use it for another year. 

If someone were good with spreadsheets they could do 80% of it for free. I find spreadsheets look boring and work-like and I don't have access to them at home so would have to pay more for them too. How do you budget? I haven't used pen and paper but always a computer. 

It is really clever at telling you how much you need to fund each category. It tells you exactly what you are spending, you can search on a particular payee or look at reports by a set of categories and different time periods. You can set all sorts of targets and make it quick and easy to decide your budget. 

My problem has always been kidding myself about overspending. One of YNABs old rules is roll with the punches - basically when things change it's ok to change your budget. But I used to interpret that as I want to do this fun thing today so I'll take from car insurance as I can make it up next month. Then tomorrow steal from somewhere else. I am very impatient and would move money around, rename categories and pratt around with the app. But if you spend too much and don't plan your budget well it all falls apart.  Then wonder why I couldn't pay the longer term bills. Then sulk, stop using YNAB and blame the app. That's why 
I decided I needed to post on here. I am pre-retirement and need to learn how to stick to a budget. 

Blackcats

You are doing really well.  I am still grappling with the technicalities of YNAB as well as my robbing Peter to pay Paul tendencies.  It certainly helps me to stop trying to spend the same money more than once.  Perhaps you need a family crisis pot?  Maybe £100 that can cover train fares, unavoidable food/drink spends?  These things happen and they aren't in your control but you might feel better knowing you can fund your support to your family.  

I'm my dad's carer but I live 5 minutes drive from him so travel costs are not an issue.  I have a third party authority debit card for his account so I can pay directly for any of his needs/wants.  I found it too awkward to ask him to reimburse me, not because he wouldn't want to or because he doesn't have the money but just because it made me cringe to ask.  This way is much easier for both of us I think.

going back a couple of pages in your diary I was happy to see you mention reading My Naughty Little Sister books.  I loved those stories when I was little and I really wanted a little sister, preferably a naughty one!  I also read them with my children when they were young.  I also liked the Mary Kate books and Milly Molly Mandy.

Wanna_Bee_Free

@Blackcats thanks for your kind words. I loved My Naughty Little Sister and Molly Molly Mandy stories very much.  My little sister wasn't naughty, I wanted a naughty one instead! Your family crisis pot makes sense but every week I have a new category I would like to fund so for now I won't. I was saving in a presents category to cover treating my dad with anything through the year. Beer & books mainly, the important things in life. So I took the emergency money from there as in my head it was a gift to them. 

 Just in the last 5 weeks I've started saving for Tech Replacement, Passport, Festival and my big Feb weekend away. I think it will get easier once I stop robbing categories all the time. It's not cash flow at the moment as I am finally putting money away for longer term costs without robbing them. 

Thank you for mentioning the third party authority debit card, it is cringey to ask for it back so that makes a lot of sense. I was less than 10 minutes walk away 3 years ago by renting a place but had to accept reality so moved back home to London sfter 12 months rental. We are still paying for some of that expensive period now It was great to be close but I did feel very much at their beck and call all the time. At least I get some days to myself at home now. 

Yesterday was NSD 3. My spending money is still intact £24.22. All spending from their proper budgetted categories. No robbing. It'll never catch on I tell you!

While I am thinking about it My 'too tight' categories at the moment are Christmas, Presents, Birthday (for me to treat myself) and Other Travel. Will revisit in October. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

I've done a few surveys and got over the minimum withdrawal amount. Yesterday I did an ebay listing that will go live later this month. I am waiting in for an ebayer who made a 99p purchase. 

I need to pack some food and snacks and the chicken cup a soups I bought to take with me to family tomorrow so I am not/less tempted to buy nice things. Then I'll be back home on Tuesday and can recover. It seems a bit far away to risk not taking any means of payment; over an hour's drive. I did that for the day on Thursday. I guess in a real emergency I'd be regretting it though. 

Yesterday was NSD 4. My spending money is still intact £24.22. I am hoping for another one today. No reason it won't happen that I can see at the moment. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

I realised I had overfunded two categories a little - YNAB and my weekly hobby so I moved the extra £25 to Christmas as I know I am low on that one.

Saturday and Yesterday were two more NSDs (5 & 6). Today was MOT day plus £5 in number plate bulbs which I am very happy with.

I have been planning ahead and looked into options for the train but the short version is the flexi tickets are still not that great a deal and I don't think I will do the journey often enough to justify a season ticket. At least I already bought a Network card which has already more than paid for itself. Not sure I will be able to use it on peak trains though.

I guess the fact I am thinking about all this stuff in advance is great progress anyway. Not like me at all!

Wanna_Bee_Free

Looked at Recent Moves, felt guilty and realised I could just undo all my recent moves so I have. I'll take care of the overfunded categories when I do next month's budget instead. OH gave me money for the pizza he said he'd buy so I am pleased I asked for it repeatedly. Normally I feel guilty as he is funding me but my budget doesn't have room for pizza this month!

Wanna_Bee_Free

Today was another NSD. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

Yesterday was another NSD, I think that makes 8 so far this month.

I have got YNAB up to date and found out they've made lots of changes with a Home screen you can't get rid of or reorder. I'm starting to wonder if I should export my data into a spreadsheet and try using that. Or an old fashioned cash book perhaps... I often threat to go from phones back to carrier pigeons but my OH finds it hilarious because the longest I lasted without a phone was less than a week and that was years ago. 

I have a bank account that has some savings pots but can't remember how many it has. I really like all the pretty colours and emojis I've got in YNAB but now I'm sulking about the changes.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Bank account has 5 savings pots. Given all my effort on making YNAB work better for me I think I need to just keep on keeping on and rethink this time next year