The YNAB Blog
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How to Categorize Big-Box Store Purchases in YNAB: Split Transactions Made Easy
Splitting transactions in YNAB can feel overwhelming, especially after a big shopping trip to Costco, Target, or Walmart. When one receipt includes groceries, household items, and personal care products, how do you categorize it accurately without spending an hour on your budget? Here’s a quick method that takes just minutes and keeps your YNAB reports…
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Tracking down mystery Apple charges
Apple subscriptions are ubiquitous and easy to forget. One great thing about YNAB is that it brings them to your attention. But it can be tricky to figure out what the charge is for. This morning, I had a mysterious $89.99 charge in my PayPal account from “Apple Services.” Here’s what I did to try…
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How to Plan Holiday Spending: A Guide to Stress-Free December Finances
It’s never too early to start planning for the holidays. If you start now, your December self will thank you. September might feel early to think about holiday budgeting, but here’s the truth: the best time to prepare for holiday expenses is right now, when you’re not in the thick of the season’s chaos. If…
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Living a spendful life
YNAB describes itself as a spendfulness app. It coined the term “spendfulness,” which it introduced in December 2024. Ordinarily, I bristle at invented words. But in this case, spendfulness resonated with me immediately. So I’m all in. (My testimonial is even included on this spendfulness page.) Here’s YNAB’s definition: Spendfulness is the alignment between how…
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How to get back on track with YNAB (without doing a Fresh Start)
If it’s been a few weeks since you categorized and approved transactions in YNAB, it might feel overwhelming to catch up. You technically don’t have to catch up. You could start over with a Fresh Start, but your transaction history would be archived. The Fresh Start can be a great thing to do if you’re…
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Introducing my new 6-month YNAB coaching program for deep financial transformation
I’m thrilled to share a brand new way to work with me that goes far beyond what I’ve offered before. It’s my new From Scattered to Spendful 6-month coaching program. A new approach to budget coaching For awhile now, I’ve offered individual sessions and session packs. While these have been wonderful for addressing specific budgeting…
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Why paying someone to help you spend less actually makes sense
Yes, you read that right. And no, it’s not as backwards as it sounds. “Wait, I’m supposed to pay someone to help me spend less money? Isn’t that kind of… counterproductive?” I completely understand the hesitation. It makes perfect sense that you’d question it. But here’s the thing: budget coaching isn’t about spending money to…
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Don’t be afraid of your YNAB!
If you’ve had some unanticipated money woes, like a big repair or a shopping spree you’re second guessing, it can be really easy to avoid YNAB. I totally get it; I’ve been there. It’s hard to face hard financial truths sometimes. But I’ll argue that when money’s tight it’s extra important to spend time with…
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Figuring out a mysterious Amazon charge
Today, an Amazon charge was imported to my Chase Amazon Prime credit card account in the amount of $24.15 and it was a real head scratcher. I immediately checked my Amazon order history (using this trick within YNAB) and there was no transaction for $24.15. I checked my husband’s Amazon order history. The order was…
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