Bought a $300 budgeting app and I'm not sure it was worth it

I got the YNAB app last year after seeing so many people talk about it. It took me a full weekend to set up all my accounts and get the hang of the system. On one hand, it did help me see where my money was going and I saved about $50 a month on random spending. On the other, it feels like a lot of work to keep up with, and I'm not sure the cost is justified over a free spreadsheet. Has anyone else tried a paid budgeting tool and stuck with it long term?

3 comments

3 Comments

dakotab133mo ago

I tried YNAB for a few months and honestly the setup was the worst part.

seanlewis3mo ago

Yeah, wasn't it a pain? I almost gave up right there.

ryan_nguyen1mo ago

Oh man, that reminds me of when I tried to teach my dad how to use Mint back in 2014. He got so frustrated with the bank linking part he just threw his hands up and went back to his paper ledger. @dakotab13 you're right that initial hump is rough but once you get past it things usually smooth out.