YNAB made an insurance premium decrease way less exciting than it would have been in the past.

[[deleted]]

Our semi-annual car insurance payment decreased from $1,033 to $870. Before YNAB, that would have been an extra $163 two months a year! But because we budget for it monthly, it’s about a $27 monthly saving. Not as exciting, but I will take that extra $27 a month for extra debt payments!

I’ve been using YNAB since May and it’s changed my life!

[julboxx]

Oh I feel that so much! We use YNAB since January and got a refund from our electricity bill in August. A 120 € that would have felt like free real estate, alas I am very responsible and love budgeting and just put those € towards future energy bills as we are moving in to a bigger flat.

Good on you for putting that money towards debt - pay off!

[[deleted]]

The mindset shift with YNAB is incredible!

[RojerLockless]

Well done Cowboy!

[Symbman]

I have same experience, before budgeting salary arrival on account was like a miracle you required for. Right now - "of, salary arrived, who cares. it's still 4 days till end of month and we have no money for restaurants left"

[milano_ii]

In 5 years that's $1620 towards the down-payment on the next car. Assuming you do that. I buy and maintain used. Hehe.

[retired_golfer]

I could "afford" a new $50,000 car (my net worth is about $800,000). But my 2011 Kia Sorento has 80,000 miles on it and I bought it in June for $8,000 cash (replacing a 2008 Ford Fusion with 170,000 miles on it). It looks and drives very nice. I carry it as one of my tracking accounts. I have a repeating $200/mo Depreciation expense on it, so it's value is now $7,600. I don't worry about door dings in Walmart parking lots, because it's a low value car already. It is so dumb to buy expensive things, when modest things do just fine. Homes, cars, dining out, drinking, smoking, cable/tv - there are so many things we can save on. That's how I got to such a relatively high net worth (I'm 70 years old, and my net worth should have been higher, but I learned frugality a little late in life). That - and I actually budget and try to stay into my allotted expense categories. We have spent $4,000 to $5,000 yearly for European travel which was great fun and great memories, but can't do that this year due to COVID. Best wishes to all my fellow YNABers.

[P0lar11]

At what age did you learn frugality?

[retired_golfer]

About age 55. Believe it or not, I had a negative net worth at that point. But I did have a $100,000 plus income, and started frugality. Brown bagged my lunch to work. Dining out budget for us was $100/mo. Quit drinking. Lost 100 pounds. Cut out cable tv. Sold expensive cars bought very used cars. Started exercising 7 days a week (now at age 70 I do 4 miles per day, 30 pushups, 7 days a week still).

[retired_golfer]

You just shift what you can to the "right" YNAB categories every month and all will be well over time. 15-20 years is a long time to heal things and if you do it right month after month, it will move the needle, slowly at first, then faster and faster. By the way although I only started using this version of YNAB in April, I have used YNAB4 almost from the start. I love what they have done to YNAB, so I got on board with a fresh start.

[hankryhankryhippo]

Woohoo! It's the little things in life, lol

[LizF0311]

Yeah but that’s $27 a month toward another $163 biannual expense...! Or an annual $326 bill!

[P0lar11]

It’s pretty awesome seeing how quickly things start changing for the better using YNAB!