Unlike others, I will not claim that this is easy to use software, the drawback is the initial steep learning curve and the commitment you need to make. If you move past that, the reward is money in the bank, literally.

I chose this because it was on sale and I was tired of not seeing what money I had and where it was going.

I only started using it today and at first entered some things, got a bit overwhelmed, thought money wasted and turned away. Then I sat back down, and started learning. I entered my chequings, savings, rrsp, tfsa, loans, credit cards (I left out paypal since it links to my cc), anything and everything that was money. First I learnt the distinction between on and off budget accounts. Then I learnt where to budget money. How to deal with my pre YNAB debts without having my new spending obscure it. How to move money between accounts and to off budget accounts. How to add expenses. I do have foreign accounts and yes, having only one currency available at a time in YNAB makes it difficult, but not impossible. I have my Euro account listed, simply with a note saying it is Euros not CAD, if I transfer out I add a separate transaction for the difference conversion creates, be it negative or positive.

I spent five hours today learning how YNAB truly works and how to use it. I invested that time to make money and if all goes well, end of the month I will be a few hundred ahead of budget.


I fully intend to recommend it to others that I know struggle with their finances. It is a small investment in the long run.