Budgeting… without the work!

Let’s face it. To keep your finances healthy, you need to have a good budget. But that takes work, and last time I checked, we all hate working in Microsoft Excel.

There’s GOT to be a better way!

Thankfully, in our age of technology, companies have figured out that people would rather have someone else do the heavy lifting with budgeting busywork.

Good news: There are accounting software sites and apps that let you do the work, but at the bare minimum. Imagine spending just a few minutes putting in your information (like a calculator), pressing ‘enter’, and getting a customized budget to help suit your needs!

Let’s check out two options and weigh them against each other: YNAB, and Mint.

YNAB stands for You Need A Budget (…well, you do!). Instead of a traditional budgeting approach, YNAB bases your budget on individual income and assigns a ‘job’ to every dollar you earn (think savings, debts, needs, wants). Allocating your money this way gives meaning to each dollar, helping you spend less and focus more on making your money ’work’ for you.

With Mint, you can link your bank and credit accounts (and more), to help you set payment reminders and track your overall spending in one big picture. You can sign up for alerts when you overspend, or late fees accrue, helping you better manage your money by being more ‘in your face’. But the best part about Mint is that it runs solely on advertising income, making it free (your budget will love that!)

We love free, and I know you do, too. Give my office a call (330) 836 7800 ext.1 or use my online scheduler to set up a complimentary 15-minute financial health consultation (your budget will also love that).