YouNeedABudget.com

[Shellie]

http://www.youneedabudget.com/

I've been researching ALL my options on not only tracking spending but changing the way we plan/budget and I went with this one. It was $40 for the Pro version and OMG....it is worth. its. weight. in. gold. Seriously, loving it!

I made two versions of our budget, one where I imported bank transactions back to 11/01 just to look at past spending (this is a grim picture LOL) and another where I just started from 02/01 and we'll be able to budget while we move forward.

Just had to recommend it. Not affiliated in any way--it's just taken such a huge burden off of me!

[sabrinat]

I've been trying to decide if I need a "system" like this. I've checked out mvelopes too. Thanks for this post

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by sabrinat

I've been trying to decide if I need a "system" like this. I've checked out mvelopes too. Thanks for this post

as have i. i am torn between paper budgeting and getting technological help

[kristakm]

Thanks for the link! This software looks pretty interesting. You said that you imported your info.. where did you import from?
I've been using quicken for years to track my spending, pay my bills, etc. and I'd love to use it for budgeting but if just doesn't do it for me no matter how much I tweak it (it's nowhere near as flexible or visual as I'd like). After using the YNAB software, do you think it would be easy to use quicken as I do now and periodically (weekly, monthly?) import new info into YNAB to have it more visually available or should I just suck it up and get used to quicken?
Thanks for your input!!
Krista

[Shellie]

I was able to export my bank account data from online banking and import it into YNAB. Any banking that's compatible with Quicken or Money will work--the program can accept several different formats. I only had to manually assign categories, which was quick and easy. I even made a second instance with importing my data from 11/1/07 through 1/31/08 so dh could look at past spending in detail. Then the instance I'm working from only goes back to 2/1/2008--a fresh start.

I really went back and forth between getting this or Quicken or MS Money but finally had to acknowledge that when I used Quicken or Money in the past, it STILL didn't help me budget and plan spending, which is what I really needed! This has a budget section where it helps you automatically make a zero-based budget. You also have the option of using the current month's standard income the following month, essentially creating a one month's buffer for your expenses (you don't have to do it this way from the beginning... most people need time to build the buffer). It also recommends the emergency fund theory and budgeting for expenses that happen yearly, every six months, etc. so you never have to pull from savings or a credit card to pay something like car tags.

I'm so happy I found it--dh and I have been able to go over the spending and budget without fighting for the first time in 14 years of marriage! LOL!

[Emmeline II]

I just started YNAB this month. I used Quicken for a week a few years ago but it was not as flexible as YNAB is. There are a lot of Quicken and MSMoney converts on the message boards at YNAB.

[kristakm]

Thanks for the replies Shelly & Emmeline. I'm heading over to ynab.com right now to read through the message boards! I use quicken to write checks and everything so I don't know if a switch would be a good idea for me but I suppose the MBs will help me figure that out!
Thanks again!
Krista