Getting Started with YNAB in 2025

[@n2523]

I've been using YNAB for years and absolutely love it. I wanted to watch this video as a refresher as I update my budget (based on historical spending patterns) - and I learned some new things! Thank you!

[@vitiligoboi]

One of the biggest things for me is that because it's a "give every dollar a job", it doesn't matter what the job is just setting my leftover funds in a "month ahead" category or "sitting pretty" is giving the money a job. It's a mental shift around "yes i have money, but it's going to go towards something. I'm just not sure what that is yet so it'll sit here for now till I figure out what i need it to do for me".

[@nurseallie]

Just downloaded YNAB yesterday so this video is very helpful, thank you

[@Lotsamotion]

Ernie is back at it again with some heat!! I just dropped my explanation for YNAB

[@deborahwager5883]

Ack! Don't forget to change the goal for that category where the bill went up! But really, very nice intro. Thanks for posting this!

[@YNABofficial]

Good catch! ~Ernie

[@cathietaggart4307]

You should have started by showing how to load up our accounts then get into the targets 😊. Yes, I obviously figured that out but there may be some who would like this additional step.

[@YNABofficial]

Hi Cathie! We actually encourage users to set up their categories and targets first before adding any money to their accounts! This is because we want to build the plan first before assigning any dollars out, to help avoid users assigning more dollars out to the plan before the plan is fully established. We've found it helps new users better learn the YNAB method before diving in right away dropping dollars in categories! 🌻 Hannah

[@jennieathome]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@sergegoujon8022]

Guys, it's 2025, please start making 4K videos! Please!!! Current ones are so blurry on 4K screen...

[@surronburgandy340]

I have some bills that are bi-weekly, how would I set that up as a target?

[@YNABofficial]

Here's what I do-multiple the biweekly amount by 26 and then divide that by 12. Then you can use the Monthly Set Aside Another option. ~Ernie

[@john-colorado5789]

Once again I have to make a complaint. Much like Hannah Ernie is espousing the "advantages" of the targets and letting you see visually that you are on track. However, the Target are not really flexible enough to do a good job. Things that occur on non-standard weekly schedules can't be targeted directly. You have to do things like figure out the annual cost and then divide that out to something that matches the target capability. If the allowed a Custom "repeats every" target with a week setting that you could adjust i.e. every 5 weeks, every 8 weeks for hair appointments or dog grooming appoints...things that are consistent but not on a week/month/year. Then the targets would be perfect setups.

[@YNABofficial]

You're absolutely right-Targets will not address every possibly frequency you could need money by. But they should cover most of them! For the few non-standards folks have, I always go with Monthly-->Set Aside Another. I think that combo has the fewest possibilities for error. ~Ernie

[@EJV-Florida]

You could add up how much you spend annually on such things and divide by 12 giving you an approximate monthly contribution. Or make it an annual amount and fund it a year ahead etc.

[@SilviaVinagre]

Thank you for the amazing explanation. It's possible to assign for example 400 to the groceries, but somehow during the month we spent more, I want to know how much did I spent in groceries more, but I also want to know I was my budget in the beginning. In the example that you gave about the internet you putted more money in there and the assigned amount for the internet went up to 95. But I would like to have a column that showed me the initial budget so I can analyse and say if it makes sense to increase the next month that category or if I need to controle and be sure that I don't spend that much. Thanks for your help.

[@YNABofficial]

I use Targets to set the initial amount I assign. For example, the target amount in the internet category was $80 so that's what I initially assigned. Then I had to assign $15 more because the bill went up. Moving forward, I can then compare my Target amounts to the amounts I'm actually spending to see if I'm being realistic or not. Hope that helps! ~Ernie

[@carlavst6999]

Super useful

[@TheMysticWolfPS3]

How do you account for transactions that have a fee?

[@YNABofficial]

You could great a FEES category if you want and split the transaction between that category and the actual spending category. ~Ernie

[@TuNguyn]

Support for australian banks pls

[@lovesgoodstories2551]

Hahahahahahahahahaha You are dreaming there. Its only recently done it for Europe which is a much bigger market then we will ever be. Plus our banking regulations are so stringent its not worth it. I'm just hoping for a tiered pricing structure so we can pay less for an unlinked option at this point in time.

[@tammyjorrak1371]

Is there just an app version of this video? I’m an idiot and need just the app version 😢 I get confused easily with numbers

[@YNABofficial]

Try this one! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap25p2anqJ6dh9Usi=kTWLD__2gVgBV86p ~Ernie

[@macklanemedia]

Would you suggest having 2 different accounts to keep business and personal funds separate? I can keep track but then get confused when Im looking at the money ready to assign bc I don't know how much is in each account after assigning.

[@macklanemedia]

I separated into categories using "Personal/Business Labels"

[@YNABofficial]

Having two separate accounts would make things cleaner. I would also recommend having two separate budgets-one personal, one business. And both can be under the same YNAB subscription! ~Ernie

[@ojbm123111]

How do you get the words below that say "$100 more needed by the 31st"? Mine only says "$100 more needed".

[@YNABofficial]

It's based on how you set up the Target. In this case, I used the Monthly frequency and the "end of month" date. ~Ernie

[@ojbm123111]

@@YNABofficial That's what I've done as well..... I have a MacBook and I'm using Safari, is that the problem? I can see it on my iPhone app though.....

[@marianashleyco]

That's happened to me. I realized that the category name was too long to show the rest.

[@NevrNewd]

Shouldn’t this be getting started in 2025?

[@francieteer6141]

The philosophy of YNAB is to use the money you have today, not on future paychecks, thus, starting now in December makes sense.

[@beckiemoon1246]

You can start anytime

[@beckiemoon1246]

When I looked at the categories, I thought to myself you are a property owner …you have a mortgage ….so you should have a category set aside for taxes (county taxes, state taxes, school taxes) every year those come up three different times during the year and you have to have the money set aside for them. Another category for income tax.

[@beckiemoon1246]

Unless they are included in your mortgage.

[@beckiemoon1246]

You quickly went over how the “underfunded total” should be less/equal than the monthly income total. I set up an excel sheet with my income and my monthly targets to make sure they equal each other. If you start on the 1st and have the steady income needed to fund all categories it is much easier. So I put all my income in the category Month Ahead and on the first fund all my categories.

[@PACMPR]

You do realize this is a sample budget for training purposes, right? And like he said in the very beginning, there will always be changes and updates. That’s what make a budget flexible.

[@cindybeck9372]

Very helpful! Thank you!