If you’re feeling like you “should” spend less but don’t know why, or you keep setting goals to save more but they never seem to stick, it’s probably time to rethink and try something new.

Budgeting is a planning process. It's about deciding what your money needs to do before it leaves your bank account. If your budget begins and ends with the bills you owe, you're missing the full scope of what your money will be used for, and what you want to use it for. Think of it less as a "budget" and more of a "spending plan" as you consider how to reflect what's important to you in how you spend your money.

Credit cards can be confusing in YNAB, usually because how we view them (a bill) is different from how YNAB wants us to treat them (a method of payment). Bridge the disconnect and how we can reframe our perspective not only for better money habits, but also for a better understanding of how YNAB works.

Think about what kind of life you and your spouse want to build together, and how the way you approach your finances can help you get there.

If you prioritize debt payoff without addressing the reasons you rely on debt in the first place, you’re only solving half the problem.

Adopting YNAB isn’t just about learning a new software; it’s about embracing a new way of thinking about your money, too. That’s a big ask!

These chickens hatched, so it's safe to count them. We’ve all probably experienced the following situation: sitting down with our budget...