2025 YNAB Getting Started Guide - Start To Finish

[@mappedoutmoney]

YNAB Checklists, Routines, and More: nick.ck.page/ynab Timestamps: 0:00 - Why YNAB Worked For Us 1:00 - 1) Start A New Budget 1:45 - 2) Add Checking Accounts 4:07 - 3) Add Savings Accounts 8:04 - 4) Add Credit Cards 9:07 - 5) Add Wallet Account 9:47 - Check Starting Balances 12:12 - 6a) Create Category Groups 14:17 - Ready To Assign 15:03 - Budget Structures 18:13 - 6b) Create Categories 32:52 - 7) Setup Targets 46:12 - Bi-weekly Bills & Payments 48:47 - 8) Compare Underfunded 52:17 - Income Cycle vs Monthly 54:09 - 9) Assign Your Money 57:47 - Three Columns 1:05:03 - Yellow Category 1:06:37 - Credit Cards In YNAB 1:17:17 - Why You Can’t Budget Future Money 1:20:47 - Negative Red (Cover Overspending) 1:23:03 - Yellow Positive & Negatives 1:26:47 - Daily Routine 1:33:17 - Payday Routine 1:35:47 - Monthly Routine 1:40:37 - YNAB Isn’t Enough

[@lw1405]

I have been on YNAB for 6+ years but I am thrilled to see this new video. Your videos really helped me get the hang of it, especially credit cards and targets!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Hey thanks! I appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the updated video!

[@michduran1]

I used YNAB for about 1.5 years and got myself out of debt. I messed up my budget some how, stopped using YNAB for over 2 years and racked up debt again.🤦🏻‍♀️ I wanted to get myself back in control with YNAB, starting in 2025. I did a “refresh” (such an awesome feature!), watched like 8-10 hours of YNAB KZbin videos, but they never explained the whole picture, or actual transactions, or what the symbols mean! Then I found this video, and I feel so much better! I understand the different target options, the different yellow colors, etc.! Thank you Nick for such a simple, but thorough training! ❤🙏🏼

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks for watching! I'm so glad you found the video and found it helpful : )

[@alphadogg5682]

Nick makes better videos explaining YNAB than YNAB does. They should be sending Nick cheques!

[@mappedoutmoney]

haha, thanks! I'm glad the videos have been helpful for you.

[@myramacalalad4375]

I agree with you!😊

[@bwhalbroox]

yep, 100%!!

[@wt2752]

Thanks for the new guide! I do miss the zingers from the original, like "You're only going to budget the money that you currently have available, and unfortunately, you may not have a lot of money currently available."

[@alexm2024-1]

🎉 was just about to revisit the previous getting started video. Yay! Talk about perfect timing, thanks Nick!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Glad to hear it was right on time!

[@stop08it]

YNAB feeling like a cheat code for finances is no joke! Totally agreed. Thank you for updating this!!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Of course! Glad to do it. And glad that resonated with you!

[@justaslyguy]

This video is incredible. I’ve been using YNAB for a long time and I still learned new things. This is going to help so many people!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Hey thanks, so glad it helped!

[@tomekathomas2487]

OMG - you have the best timing @Nick! I am actually actively doing a fresh start and was watching your old videos that are still awesome BUT this is just amazing ❤🎉 THANK YOU for this wonderful holiday gift!!!

[@mappedoutmoney]

So glad to hear it! Thanks for watching.

[@pietrosmusi8546]

I don’t like fresh start I see it as a way to recover if you do massive damage and don’t know how to fix it. It messes up the statistics since it dies not include past transactions

[@victorialemieux4474]

This video is chef's kiss. Thank you, and happy new year!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Hey thanks! Glad you liked it

[@roadmapmoney]

Hands down the absolute BEST resource for everything YNAB -- all in one video! Nick, this is incredible, thank you for this!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Hey thanks man! Appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. Hope you're doing well!

[@kendra.heffelfinger]

Oh, I’ve been looking forward to this video for a long time!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks Kendra! I always appreciate your support.

[@euphoriaagain]

Thanks so much for your guide. I was struggling to get the hang of the mindset-shift that YNAB requires, but your envelope analogy just really drove it home for me. Cheers!

[@mappedoutmoney]

So glad this helped!

[@zainoba3488]

This is a GREAT and INFORMATIVE video. I never really understood YNAB especially the CC portion. Thank you for breaking it down. Can't wait to watch the rest of your videos.

[@pozzarefds]

Perfect timing, I am just getting started and signed up. Thanks Brother! I have been dodging this for too long.

[@mappedoutmoney]

So glad to hear! Happy New year, thanks for watching.

[@TheProfitRise]

Wow, this was an incredibly detailed and comprehensive guide! It's so clear how much thought and experience went into breaking down YNAB setup and routines step by step. The analogies, like the envelopes for budgeting, really helped solidify the concepts. I especially appreciated the insights on targets and how to adapt the system to individual needs. This video is a game-changer for anyone looking to gain control over their finances. Thanks for sharing your expertise, Nick!

[@emilysmith4510]

Thank you. This is the first time setting up ynab has made sense for me. Hoping I can stick with a budget this year. Have a big debt snowball to pay down.

[@ryanheffron5420]

Thanks for the comprehensive setup video. It's super helpful because it's so detailed, and very recent.

[@mappedoutmoney]

So glad it helped!

[@JamesPeacock]

Setting this up as I ring in the new year. Thanks!

[@mappedoutmoney]

That's my kinda new year right there!

[@jenniferdegirolomo5559]

This was amazing!!! All set and ready for 2025. Thank you!

[@mappedoutmoney]

Wonderful! So glad it helped Jennifer!

[@vitiligoboi]

Love this update! I just consolidated my accounts as I'm trusting YNAB more. I did notice though at the start of the video around 3:27 you have a loop.

[@mappedoutmoney]

Oh bummer. Thanks for the heads up there! Glad to hear you’re consolidating things and trusting YNAB more and more.

[@gemmaadams2544]

This video is fab!! Thanks Nick. I have recently just started YNAB and loved the idea but found it a little overwhelming. This video helped heaps!! 🙂

[@mistygood7202]

Thank you, we really needed a new start in YNAB for 2025!

[@maxgaffney2263]

Thanks Nick this was a super helpful video. Felt like you were reading my mind through each step of the way, liked and subscribed.

[@shadowandbosco]

This video has been so helpful - I've lost track how many times I've started and stopped using YNAB - this tutorial has been so helpful I think I can stick with it this time. I also agree, YNAB should let Nick include his template with the other ones they have. I've used most of his suggested groups and categories when I reset mine - I think other people would find his template very useful

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks so much! I'm really glad this tutorial has been helpful for you. I really appreciate you watching :)

[@julieb6680]

This is a great video. Thank you so much for doing this. I have saved this video so that I can refer back to it as I work through YNAB during the year.

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks so glad it was helpful for you!

[@joedarago6160]

Great video Nick! You do so well explaining things. May 2025 be an awesome year for you guys.

[@iteration110]

Nick, this is an absolutely BRILLIANT tutorial. Thank you SO much for this excellent content. Excited to keep learning from you.

[@kenguttman263]

This was amazing content, thank you! Going to give YNAB a try.

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@SuperSamsungman]

Thanks a lot, i'm excited to use this. Even though i'm saving pretty good atm, I didn't know where my money was going before this. Really looking forward to being more conscious about my money and spending where it matters.

[@gojiradodo]

This is an awesome breakdown, 10/10 content

[@mappedoutmoney]

Hey thanks! So glad it helped.

[@SarahSpring-id4nu]

Awesome content! Thank you!

[@bradleylipson]

Would love to see an updated advanced video with more tips and tricks! Or even a mock of how you have your accounts & tracking accounts set up. Need a deep dive!! lol

[@yaz8756]

Amazing tutorial. Well done 😸

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks!

[@mirandawalker6600]

YNAB never fully clicked with me until I did "unlinked" ⛓️‍💥 ✨️

[@mappedoutmoney]

Totally get that! I used it unlinked for 3 years before I ever linked them.

[@CharleneCTX]

@@mappedoutmoney I started with YNAB4 in 2015 and have never linked accounts. When I see all the posts in the subreddit from people with linking issues, I'm glad I prefer manual entry.

[@annjames8211]

As always, great teaching! I know what I'll be doing today😊

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks Ann!

[@jroysdon]

Weekly is a great option for those that want to do things on a bi-weekly cycle. The problem is YNAB doesn't have an "every 2 weeks" option. Say I want to fund my IRA $269.30 after each bi-weekly payday, but I cannot do that cycle. Instead, I set aside $134.65 per week which equates to the $269.30 I'm really shooting for. I do this for all of my bills that are not due monthly. This helps remove or lessen the "3rd paycheck" twice a year as I'm already funding the majority of my sinking fund/"true expense" categories based on 52 weeks with half of the amount per (26) pay periods, and not 24.

[@dcsss]

Can you use the Custom frequency/cadence option?

[@anniemilakovic7683]

Did you watch the video? He addresses this and gives his recommendation of adjusting your mindset to monthly, or using scheduled transactions every other week.

[@adammcallister5047]

Possible solutions to to bi-weekly pay cycles: 1. budget based on 2 paychecks per month (resulting in 2 bonus paychecks per year), or 2. (preferred) get one month ahead and budget based on total expected annual income divided by 12 months --- this method gives you a budget that more accurately reflects you expected income... and being one month ahead mitigates the bi-weekly irregularities I have a different question though... How do you recommend budgeting around say, once-per-year income (e.g., tax return, predictable bonus, etc.)? Or do you at all?

[@MB-tz7by]

Amazing video Nick, such a great starter video esp for new YANB'ers. I was so confused and your tips for beginners like not worrying about savings and other stuff are great. Quick question - if we have leftover over money after month is funded do you recommend we just put it into "Next Month Money" or start actually budgeting/assigning out for next month?

[@filb]

Not sure if it applies to US banks, but I have read through forums that linking your bank account for a Canadian voids all waranty from the banks if Plaid or MX gets hacked and my funds get stolen, is it true or is that just fear mongering. What do US banks do if something like this would happen? Thank you for the video btw.

[@acf3727]

Direct import is a great option if you’re concerned about safety, and I think it’s almost just as easy.

[@Mykie222]

Thank you so much for this guide and the checklists. I haven't used YNAB in years and I decided to start again in order to become more financially confident this year and get rid of my CC debt. While I love certain aspects of YNAB, one thing keeps tripping me up. I have a question. How do you move money between linked accounts and NOT let it affect the budget in YNAB? Here's my scenario: I set up my YNAB and my Bank Accounts where each category has its own bank account. I have a main bank account that collects all incoming money and then I disperse accordingly. I would budget the money on YNAB and then move the money accordingly in my accounts. However, when I have to reconcile the transfers between accounts it messes up the budget and I get confused. Also I try to just adjust the bank accounts manually to reflect the current balance but when the transfers/transactions come in, it inflates how much actual money I have available to me.

[@lukeredden1171]

Hey Nick! Just found your account a few weeks ago after getting YNAB. Going through your Life Vision Template has been transformational! I was wondering if you have read RDPD? Thanks for making these videos :))

[@mappedoutmoney]

Awesome! So glad to hear that the life vision template has been helpful for you. And yes, I have read that book although it’s been over a decade since then!

[@mrsjsellers]

New subscriber here! Still watching - but I just wanted to say that it is so encouraging that you have a category for tithes/offerings and charitable giving. This video is incredibly helpful as I was on the fence about trying YNAB. It seemed daunting - but your video is making it so incredibly easy to understand. :)

[@mappedoutmoney]

Hey thanks! I'm glad that resonated with you, and happy to hear the video was helpful overall! Appreciate you taking the time to comment.

[@yayaglass]

I, like you, own my own business. Should I have a separate personal & business YNAB? I remember a long ago vid of yours where you talk about how to pay yourself from your business, etc. Does that vid still apply? 😂 I see that this vid is for those who work for someone else, though you do show briefly income to your business. I think what I need is another primer on how to use YNAB for self-employed people, with regard to planning for taxes, business vs. Personal expenses, etc. If the old vid still applies, I'll review that. What if you own 2 very different businesses? My husband has a business with a ton of transactions and which is our primary income at the moment. I'm just starting my own online business that I'm planning to build to a primary income size this year. Should I keep the two separate? Sounds like I need to hire you to help, right? Lol. Thank you for these transformative vids! 😊

[@JimBackull]

Okay, so this is how I manage it. I am self-employed/own a business and have set up two budgets in YNAB, one personal and one for the business. Every time I get paid or receive money on my business bank account, I use the Profit First methodology to divide the income into five categories: Operating Expenses, Owner´s Pay, Taxes, Profit and VAT. I'm not sure how it works where you live, but in Finland we collect VAT (tax) on top of our pricing which we later pay to the tax administration (minus the VAT included in our expenses). I have figured out the percentage of income that should be allocated to each category and when the income has been split into these categories I simply move the amounts of everything except Operating Expenses to a corresponding YNAB category. The remaining amount (Operating Expenses) I move back into Ready to Assign and then I start assigning it to each expense category in my budget. When I pay for something that includes VAT i split the transaction so the cost is assigned to the correct category and the VAT-amount is assigned to my VAT category (so in theory my VAT category should always include at least a sufficient amount for my next VAT payment, usually a bit extra. It's not always super easy to know if I can pay myself enough salary depending on cash flow, but generally I'm confident that I'm on the right track if there is money allocated for Owner's pay (my salary) and all of the expense categories also have sufficient amounts allocated. With time you can adjust your percentages for every Profit First category or allocate the extras to a buffer category. Hope this helps! I'm sure Nick has some more sofisticated insights into this, but this is how I do it currently.

[@yayaglass]

@JimBackull Thank you so much, Jim. Yes, Profit First was what I was referring to. I appreciate your time!

[@jroysdon]

I just wish the targets could allow for an internal sub-category of due dates/amounts. E.g. for my automobiles registration renewals, I'd like to be able to just have one "Auto DMV" category, and set the 3 dates and different amounts my 3 annual DMV renewals are due and have YNAB give me the best escrow amount to set aside per month to not "over save" but always have enough available to pay any given registration. At this point I just manually add the 3 DMV renewals and then divide by 52 and set aside that amount per week. But then when I get the new DMV renewal notice, and inevitably the taxes go up, I now have to open my spreadsheet, update that amount and see the new monthly target amount to tell YNAB. My point is that YNAB should allow me to eliminate having to set up separate spreadsheets. I could create 3 different DMV categories, one for each auto. But then I also need to do this for 3x auto-insurance categories, and 3x smog check categories... in truth, I just have one single "Auto Ins/DMV/Smog" which uses a spreadsheet to total all of these up and gives me a weekly target (but that's a bit more complicated, as insurance is due every 6, DMV every 12, smog every 24 months).

[@mirandawalker6600]

1:28:58 ☕️ & YNAB❤

[@mappedoutmoney]

Thanks!

[@MrWebon]

I would love to see a video on how to take control again of YNAB. In my case, I started great and the first 2 years of using it were amazing, but then I had a lot of problems in life (family with diseases, deaths, change of jobs and moving to multiple places, etc) and I completely stopped logging all my financial movements but as problems grew, gladly my income did too so I want to have more control of it. i had programmed all my recurrent payments and stuff but I now its a mess. i don’t want to lose all the logs I made before to see how it compares to my actual life… but I haven’t touched YNAB in 2 years. What would be the fastest way to reutilize my account without starting from scratch?

[@mappedoutmoney]

Great question, and I could probably do an update on this. But I do have this video that will help you understand the three steps that need to get done to get caught back up. I'd give this a watch: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4XLc5V6pq19nJosi=3-clx6WWlUM3-q1P You can also utilize the fresh start feature (which is exactly what i would do if it's been two years). But either way, that video will help.

[@MrWebon]

@@mappedoutmoney As always, thanks for your help.

[@codecraigtube]

Which video has the latest info for reconciliation?

[@JohnsDeb]

I had YNAB for several years & couldn’t stay on track so I ended up canceling my subscription with YNAB.

[@bpashea]

So I've been a YNAB user since 2014. I'm still using the old app version and never moved to the new version. The old desktop app and phone app don't sync for me anymore so I've been doing everything manually adding transactions from my back account. I want to move to the new version, and I was wondering if I should start fresh or move my historical data? Thank you for doing this video. It was very helpful.

[@brandigarcia9823]

If you are putting the categories into envelopes, how do you log that? For instance, saving for a car repair. I cant leave that in my account.

[@majes.]

Hey Nick! Am I good to follow this tutorial if I don’t have a desktop and only my YNAB app?

[@BudgetingToday]

Wonderful talk. Do you have any fund for, "True Emergencies"? LOL, not aiming at the play on your name, but it would double fit in your case. * urgent * nescessary * unpredictable

[@apoorvadhanala4899]

This is super helpful, thank you so much!! How do you suggest approaching it if I pay my credit card bills on the 17th and 22nd of the month - for my targets, do I put by last day of month or by when they technically have to be paid off aka the cc bill due dates?

[@zul7724]

Do you know if I can link Spanish banks accounts? Thank you for your work, this video is awesome

[@MargaretCarnett]

We pay many of our bills via credit card and then pay the credit card off monthly. How does this work when setting up my categories?

[@mappedoutmoney]

I do too! We use a Credit Card for everything. I do cover in detail how to use credit cards later in the video. I also have a dedicated Credit Card video you'll want to watch here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHrbYX2fl8hjgtksi=FMFVHYzlPOT7KBkx

[@chrisb321]

How would you do property tax that is due in two payments at irregular intervals? Lets say $5000 is due May 1st and $5000 is due Sept 1st

[@ericjohnson3936]

When transactions are still pending, do you assign them to their respective category or wait for them to post?

[@mappedoutmoney]

I do put them in often times, but you need to be careful. Don't enter anything where the amount will change - like a restaurant where you tip, or haircuts with tips, ubers, and certain online orders. If the amount that it shows when pending is different than when it posts, YNAB won't "match" the transactions and link them together. Then you'll end up with a duplicate you need to find a delete.

[@ericjohnson3936]

@@mappedoutmoney makes total sense. Thank you!

[@nsanenthembrane]

Yaaaaaay! Does anyone know-if I get confused about credit cards can I just create a section called budget for cc and not worry about actually working w ynab cc category?

[@mappedoutmoney]

I would really try not to do this! It will cause you some major issues when it comes to reporting and reconciling down the road. That is, if you're actively charging to a card. If you're not using credit cards, but just paying them down, you can just have a category for the CC and treat it like a bill. But if you want to add your CC account into YNAB, I would really work with the system, here's a dedicated video on this topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHrbYX2fl8hjgtksi=FMFVHYzlPOT7KBkx

[@Kenneth-zt3hi]

Hi - I did a Fresh Start for 2025 and in reconciling and adding entries, i accidentally deleted the "Starting Balance" - Category Not Needed entry. I cannot find where to do that. I was going to duplicate the entry and then move it, but duplicate creates an Inflow Category. Any help would be appreciated FYI - this was for my Checking Account so it would be a positive # I add. Not sure if that makes a difference - thx

[@lyndal7747]

I have been using YNAB for a few years and just opened a new YNAB account. The default budget looks nothing like this! It has three category's. Bills, Needs and Wants .I can not find this default budget! Any idea what that is about?

[@mappedoutmoney]

If you just signed up for a brand new YNAB, you’re like inside their onboarding tutorial and will be locked in until you complete it. Just follow their prompts to add an account, add a target, and assign some money. Then you’ll unlock everything and be able to fully manipulate and delete categories and make your own like I do here. Hope that helps!

[@wesjeshurun]

👑👑👑

[@mappedoutmoney]

💪💪💪 appreciate you

[@ccvccv5600]

❤ . . .

[@mappedoutmoney]

Appreciate you!