Our Top 3 Favorite Things to Do in YNAB

[@YNABofficial]

Hi, YNABers! This episode was filmed _back in the day_ (😂) before the app updates. If you missed those or want to find out more about what's new in your budget, check out Hannah's most recent video on our channel page. Let the Budget Nerds know what's your favorite (or weirdest!) thing you do in your budget. 😀 I, like Ernie, enjoy a good gazing-lovingly-at-my-budget session. 🥰 - Ashley

[@josephbaumann292]

I’m always opening my budget just to look at it. At least once every day.

[@YNABofficial]

It's like enjoying a fine piece of art. Feeds the soul. 😅 ~BenB

[@conureron3792]

Me too. I feel I’m obsessed now!

[@Fayelin449]

Same lol

[@iliaconrad219]

Haha, same!

[@sherrimciver8859]

Calms me down :)

[@mmoore8564]

100% I love just scrolling through and looking at my budget. Its a beautiful thing.

[@YNABofficial]

It really is. Especially with the updated look. I think it makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable! ~Ernie

[@mayhelenaplumb7002]

19:44 Not Ben & Ernie calling me out as I binge my way through the Budget Nerds backlog while doing tedious low-brain work tasks.... 😅

[@YNABofficial]

I understand the binging. I also did it when I started YNAB 10 years ago! ~Ernie

[@cricks81]

I was checking my budget for no reason when the notification for this video popped up.

[@YNABofficial]

🤣 🤣 🤣 ~Ernie

[@drummyboop]

Like Ernie, Looking at my category amounts. Can relate 100% !!!

[@kardrynka]

Are you kidding me, staring at my budget and just admiring it and thinking about my budget is my favorite thing to do xd

[@lovebertierose]

Hahahaha! Daily - I check my budget daily and the Age of Money days! Makes my heart smile.

[@GenZFinance]

this video topic is my jam! my current list (with an * that this could change at literally any moment): 1) looking at the reports (all of them)! so pretty and also a helpful way to decide if my spending is aligning with my goals/values and view my progress towards those goals (net worth increases!) 2) moving money around at the end of the month. I roll with the punches to cover overspending throughout the month but at the end when im wrapping up a month I get to decide what money I want to roll forward into the next month for certain categories and what I want to do with any extra/left over. I love getting to make those active decisions and move money to a more important goal or upcoming bigger expense. 3) adding and reading notes in the monthly notes section and for specific categories. I could spend HOURS putting in details or ideas here. Honorable mention: picking emojis and overall just crafting a aesthetically pleasing category name/line that is both fun for me to look at and functional for my budget and spending :)

[@paulgrimes818]

"Permission to spend" has been a huge budget benefit for me!

[@Ann-Marielivingonabudget]

Yes, I could stare at my budget for hours. Beautiful. Calming. Gives a sense of peace.

[@laurengrady3757]

1. Reconciling my accounts. SO satisfying to see those numbers match up. 2. Reports! Especially the pie charts because it gives me a clear visual of how much I’m spending on certain categories vs others. 3. Budgeting money towards my goals. I’m working hard to pay off student loan debt, and when I put money into that category, it feels really good.

[@CodrutaChira]

I'm new to ynab so the first time the money get in I"panic buget them" - have a false sence of relief :-)) then I calm down and assing them more intentional basesd on the priorities of the month and that is so satisfing to me :-)) because I took the time to really think about where the money need to go.

[@chel2425]

You, most certainly, are not alone! I just love to open YNAB and peruse my budget. It makes me happy.

[@whitneywitty9889]

I stare at my budget on my phone but I much prefer to stare at it on the computer. I’m still new to YNAB, Juli makes month 3, so I like to rearrange my categories to see how I can make it work better for me as I learn month to month.

[@conureron3792]

Ernie has got me to focus on that monthly rollover and reconciling the accounts.

[@TaraL-oj6kj]

You are not alone Ernie. Definitely multiple times a day I am scrolling through and amazed at all the things that are funded already. My financial confidence has definitely grown exponentially since YNAB ❤️

[@bwfidler]

Ernie, I just noticed your "Chipotle" and "Printer Ink" categories when you were discussing browsing your categories. I laughed out loud, that's awesome.

[@Mustela8098]

I do too Ernie!! You are DEFINITELY not alone.

[@YNABofficial]

I'm so glad I shared this with the YNAB community! ~Ernie

[@jordanwilliams9300]

I especially enjoyed this one! I experienced that very same thing when I recently purchased my new refrigerator. Because I embraced my true expenses of appliance replacement when I bought my home 3 years ago, I had zero stress about spending my money for a quality refrigerator. It's an amazing feeling!

[@amyelynch1]

First of, if it’s my 5th Budget Nerds video in a row, that’s between me and KZbin. 😂 Second, Ben, I’m totally with you. When I save money for things (or even just put them on my wishlist) I often find that I don’t really and truly want them. Impulse shopping is unbelievably expensive apparently. I never realized how much I didn’t actually and truly want the things I buy. My favorite things to do: 1. Use past reports (from previous budgets) and/or monthly averages to set targets. 2. My EOM budget meeting (I’m pretty similar to Ernie here, although I do add a note under the month tab thing to reflect on that month financially and note any big gains or losses. Kind of like a diary.) 3. Rehashing categories and category groups.

[@YNABofficial]

Love it, Amy! Saving up for things gives us a natural waiting period. So much better than financing something only to realize later you didn't really want it! Love your list of favorite things! 😊 ~BenB

[@nicob4599]

You guys are great! Thank you so much for all these videos. Watching them has continued to be very helpful.

[@cjmiller5972]

I love reviewing my categories and do it multiple times a day. Especially my monthly bills. Recently I got a month a head and I love looking at my next month's money category. I used to have so much anxiety about money, and now looking at my money feels GOOD.

[@xmochix604]

I create new categories to see if they work for me. So I delete or keep as I go.

[@wewantben]

Ernie, you are not alone! I pretty much only use the web app to look at my budgets. And I enjoy the end of the month roll over as well!

[@YNABofficial]

So glad we're in this together! ~Ernie

[@reneelance8688]

An Ernie quote that REALLY hits home for me: " You're grounded in actual cash. And there's just something about that. Right? " So, so, so, so, SO right!!!!!!!

[@52536626]

I never close my desktop budget, it’s open all the time hehe.

[@YNABofficial]

Oh man I did the same for a long time! :D ~BenB

[@Gsuswpt]

I look at my budget so often it’s ridiculous! Sometimes I’m looking to see if anything needs to change, if I can change anything, and if any categories aren’t ready for a big expense.

[@SereneVannoy]

Ernie, I totally do this! Especially since YNAB helped me get debt-free (except student loans) -- it's so satisfying to have enough money. Not mountains of money, but enough!

[@hildagarcia4555]

Same for me Earnie. I scroll through the app at least once a day - probably more.😂

[@britneeg]

That -$5,000 in printer ink 😂😂😂

[@YNABofficial]

I knew someone would notice right away! 😂 ~BenB

[@NettieFIRE]

@@YNABofficial And 😆🤓 ... Tree Roots Removal😬. Nice touch 👌🏻

[@YNABofficial]

I did not know that or the tree roots was coming. Nice touch, Ben! ~Ernie

[@tfrizz2050]

I too like opening my budget to just look at it. 🙃

[@christinemitchell6210]

Top 3 in order… 1. Scrolling and staring at my budget as if it were a social media update… I wonder what’s been going on with my friend Groceries?? Looks like my friend took a trip to Vons. I hope the ice cream sandwiches are yummy…😂 2. Reorganizing everything to meet new monthly goals. A Fresh Start is like the best day ever!! 💸 3. Being under budget in a category and moving the money into a long term savings goal. Money Found!!!! 🤑 Love you guys! Happy Budgeting Everyone!!

[@YNABofficial]

Thanks for watching Christine! And I like the social media approach. There probably isn't a whole lot of keeping up with the Joneses when you're looking in the mirror, so to speak! ~Ernie

[@trickstur5994]

That moment you've had several episodes of Budget Nerds on in a row, and they tell you to go take a break. Point taken :P.

[@katrinahohbein1486]

On like my 6th episode in a row, you can't make me stop nerding out over budgeting lol

[@YNABofficial]

You are not alone! 😉 ~Ernie

[@hannekeisdahl]

Dear budget nerds.. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!😂😂 Ernie - I scroll up and down my budget just looking at the numbers every single day! And I love it!🙈 My favorite thing is definately assigning the money from my monthly paycheck - or even better - assigning some unexpected income to any category I desire🤩🥳

[@YNABofficial]

Wow, so many of us who just stare at the numbers. I love it! ~Ernie

[@rachelstallings5460]

I still subtract and add dollars by default vs use the move money feature because it's my default behavior since I'm a recent convert (less than a year) from YNAB4.

[@stanislavasrbova7017]

I love the situation when I realise some big "true expense" is coming in a few weeks/months time and need to budget for it... and I go to YNAB and find out, that I already HAVE entered this future expense as a new category and the money is already available to spend there. And I see that my brain considered it done and totally forgot about it, because the money is taken care of, no worries :)

[@52536626]

I like reconciling my accounts several times a week

[@nuriawicksman2003]

I do that too!

[@Fayelin449]

That moment when you get your weekly report and can see exactly how long you have been staring at your budget app🙈.

[@YNABofficial]

Oh my, never thought of it from that angle! ~Ernie

[@NettieFIRE]

I'm gonna try explain to my husband that ..... *I'm not addicted to my phone.... I'm addicted to YNAB 🤪*

[@YNABofficial]

And addicted to YNAB just means doing everything possible to achieve your financial goals! 🤪 ~Ernie

[@dawnkoplitz1825]

I love looking to see how far ahead I’m budgeted. It’s a feeling of security to know just how long I could pay my bills if I didn’t have any money coming in. I’m close to 3 months ahead. 😃

[@YNABofficial]

Love it, Dawn! ~BenB

[@conureron3792]

I like looking at my net worth graph, maybe 3 times a day….obsession.

[@Baoran]

My favourite thing is to whenever I get money when I assign the money to categories.

[@YNABofficial]

I've been assigning money to categories for 11 years now, and it never gets old! ~Ernie

[@marlaedington6471]

I don’t have my retirement accounts in my budget. Should I? Like 401k, deferred comp? Or state sponsored Pension?

[@YNABofficial]

Only add those accounts to YNAB if you want to track the balance. If that sounds like too much work or like you don't need to know that information, keep them out. ~Ernie

[@thedivaofddmandt9495]

You are not alone.

[@NettieFIRE]

hmm ... like a comfy blanket 🤗💕

[@BluWolfNight]

Staring is a thing. Matching is a thing. "Look at all the pretty colors...ding ding ding!"

[@Shello58]

LOL I'm LITERALLY doing that right now as you're saying it...well b4 I started typing and after...😁🤳

[@YNABofficial]

Maybe we need some sort of support group for us budget starers! ~Ernie

[@Shello58]

@@YNABofficial IDK...It's not a BAD thing...it's actually a beautiful thing. ....Basking in the glory...

[@teaisfortania]

Oh man, just got called out by Ben for binging Budget Nerds 😂

[@YNABofficial]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about and fully support you and everyone else who binge the YNAB channels 🤣 ~Ernie

[@YNABofficial]

Yeah, this was almost three years ago and I don't know what I was on about. Please binge away! 😆 ~BenB

[@conureron3792]

I have found that too, Ben, started saving for something…then decided I no longer wanted it. In the past, I would have bought the item or service on a credit card: go into debt and not need it after 3-5 months.

[@kellymhanson]

So true. I was saving up for a custom designed wedding band to go with my engagement ring and $1800 later, realized I'm perfectly happy with having the engagement ring stand alone.

[@CodrutaChira]

I do that too Ernie :-))

[@YNABofficial]

Oh, good-I'm not alone! ~Ernie

[@iyeshaluker23]

You aren’t alone

[@YNABofficial]

Uffdah, already feeling better about myself :) ~Ernie

[@Samantha-vg5vx]

i feel attacked :D this is like my 12th episode of budget nerds in a row and they over here calling me out.

[@conureron3792]

Lol : get to see the extra production of creating the thumbnail! Ha!

[@Gpchv25]

Does watching Budget Nerds count as one of my favourite things to do in YNAB? :)

[@vickistaudenmyer1444]

You're not alone, Ernie! I love to just gaze at my budget. Better than my navel, Right?

[@KAFNOR]

Once again, an epiphany. When Ernie says, while looking at his category balances: “That’s money that’s actually in my bank account right now.” Duh. I've separated very specific things from their general category because I don't want to forget to fund them. I have an automatic transfer of the monthly set-aside amount for future (real) expenses into a savings account, so will now put a note there detailing what I'm saving for within each category. After all, the money will be there. Thanks, guys!

[@chrissmithaz]

Ernie said something about “releasing his dollars to be budgeted”. How does that work?

[@chrissmithaz]

BTW Ernie, I’m glad you stare at your budget too… so satisfying. Actual control over my dollars.

[@chrissmithaz]

Oh, and thanks YNAB for changing my life! Haha.

[@amyelynch1]

Some people don’t like to budget in the next month, so they create a category called “Next Month’s Expense” (or something along those lines) and then when the month rolls over, they send that money to “To Be Assigned” and assign it in the next month. I believe that’s what Ernie is referring to.

[@chrissmithaz]

@@amyelynch1 Thank you for the explanation. I love how flexible the app is to allow different budgeting layouts. I have usually assigned dollars to future months. I might play around with this approach, see how I like it.

[@amyelynch1]

@@chrissmithaz I know, the flexibility is amazing. It also makes the app easy to use for a long time because I can so easily change it as my needs change. I’ve been playing around with a “next month” category as well. I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet.

[@ellabouyer6484]

JUST WONDERING WHY DOESN'T THE APP OR YOU GUYS SUGGEST FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO USE PROJECTED NUMBERS RATHER THAN REAL NUMBERS...IVE FOUND THAT WHEN USING REAL NUMBERS IT DOESN'T ALLOW THE ABILITY TO ACCOUNT OR ADJUST FOR INFLATION AMONGST THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUOUSLY CHANGE YOUR BUDGET RATHER THAN JUST USING IT AS A REFERENCE OR GUIDE...

[@chrissmithaz]

Using only the dollars you have is part of rule one, “give every dollar a job”. If I give jobs to dollars we don’t have, it gives me a false impression of how much money I have and I wind up over spending or over drafting. Ben did a video a few days ago explaining the new update that does a really good job explaining why we don’t project dollars from the future.

[@ellabouyer6484]

OKAY THANKS BUT DOESN’T THIS MAKES BUDGETING A BIT MORE DIFFICULT..I UNDERSTAND THE METHOD OF USING REAL NUMBERS BUT USING PROJECTED NUMBERS IN REAL TIME ALLOWS YOU MORE FREEDOM WITH ANALYZING HOW THE MARKET ACTUALLY WORKS REGARDING INFLATION THROUGHOUT YOUR BUDGET… QUESTION: HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU BUDGET PER YEAR…I LOVE BUDGETING IT’S AMAZING BUT WHY BUDGET MORE THAN REQUIRED IF IT’S NOT NECESSARY WOULDN’T YOU RATHER SPEND MORE TIME ENJOYING THE FREEDOM OF THE BUDGET RATHER THAN BUDGETING IN ITSELF…HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE AN INDIVIDUAL TO SECURE 3 MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENSES USING REAL NUMBERS RATHER THAN PROJECTED NUMBERS…ONLY ASKED DUE TO THE TRUE DEFINITION OF BUDGET WHICH IS AN ESTIMATE OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR A SET PERIOD OF TIME WHICH WOULD BY DEFINITION BE THE OPPOSITE OF ITS TRUE PURPOSE OR MEANING

[@YNABofficial]

Hi Ella! 👋 We actually use a different definition of "budget" at YNAB. A lot of people think of a budget as a plan based on how much income you EXPECT to have, but we believe the best kind of budget is based on the money you ACTUALLY have right now. Using real numbers, as Chris said, gives me the confidence that if I have $300 in my Groceries category, I actually have $300 set aside for Groceries right now. It sounds to me like you want to make sure that you have a plan for the next three months. We recommend using the app's target feature to create a plan. By creating a target for each category, you can tell YNAB exactly how much money you WANT to have for each category every month, without accidentally tricking yourself into thinking you have more money than what's actually sitting in your bank account. (It also makes interacting with your budget MUCH faster!) If you'd like to learn more about how to do that, you can check out this video, where I walk you through the process (and more of the mindset behind it): kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXe7en2ZrttghsU - Ben M

[@ellabouyer6484]

@@YNABofficial I do apologize if I seemed unclear but I found that it’s easier to use a combination of both although I use projected numbers throughout my budget to avoid a possible financial collapse those numbers are than converted into real numbers throughout my account therefore allowing my budget or my dollars to keep up with our best inflation in the market which in turn allows me the ability to budget once a year rather that daily weekly it monthly therefore further allowing my mind to understand the market through the lens of a budget also I have 6 main categories that acts as a holding stock for hundreds and thousands of individual investments made throughout the calendar year thanks for all your help…budgeting rules

[@grandspartan1176]

Is it bad I reconcile weekly? 😂

[@NettieFIRE]

Who would have thought, the new tik-tok is actually YNAB😮 ps - I had to look up the spelling. No wonder *tick-tock* didn't look correct; I'm from the 'hickory dickory dock' generation😉.

[@melissad7855]

Yeah, the old lingo threw me for a sec...

[@YNABofficial]

Sorry about that! 🙈 ~BenB