Real YNAB Examples

I’m 24, Live with a Roommate, and I Make $62K/year

YNAB Money Snapshot

A YNABer Somewhere

July 15, 2020

Welcome to YNAB Money Snapshots—where you see a real picture of someone else’s budget and finances. They’re all anonymous, because sharing money is still a squirrelly topic for many, but we think airing them out in the open makes you better with your own money story.

As you read these budgets, keep in mind that some people make lots of money and some people make a little bit of money, but we know it’s what you do with that money and how you feel about that money means more than any yearly salary.

See how an analyst in Portland, Oregon making $62K a year spent her money in April.

About

Name: Kay
Age: 24
Location: Portland, Oregon
Job: Analyst
Living situation: I live with a roommate.

Income: $62,000/year

Savings: $5,000

Debt: $14,000

All student loans

April Inflows:

Payroll: $3,685
Stimulus check: $1,200
Reimbursements: $184
Roommate split of utilities, reimbursements from groceries or dinner, parking reimbursement from work, etc.

April Spending

My Savings Categories

Right now my top savings goals are:

Holiday gifts
Birthday trip in July
Vacation to Japan next summer

I'm saving for holiday gifts, a birthday trip for myself in July (was hoping to go to Banff but...), and a vacation to Japan for next Summer!

My Month

I spent a little more on groceries and gifts in April (tipping extra at restaurants, sending friends care packages, a friend's birthday gift), but I also brought in extra income from the stimulus package.

I started working from home with my job, so my bus pass isn’t seeing any use. Since my income hasn't been affected by COVID, I've been trying to still order take-out and tip extra, I definitely buy more groceries because I'm home all day and snacking a lot. My roommate and I had an idea to make care packages for our friends, so I bought some face masks, local coffee beans, and baked brownies to hand deliver.

Day to day, I'm driving a lot less, so spending less on gas. Other non-financial considerations have been seeing some friends lose their jobs and hearing about general insecurity has made me rethink my savings a bit. I ended up opening a brokerage account (stocks were on sale!) and broke down my short-term savings goals into more tangible categories so putting money into them feels easier now.

My Story

Up until a couple months ago (before YNAB), I was struggling to understand where all my money went after I received my paycheck. I thought I had been saving responsibly, but towards the end of the pay cycle I was always reverting to my credit card. It was embarrassing because I always projected myself as financially responsible and my friends looked to me for budgeting advice. Finally, my student loans from college and credit card debt were stressing me out enough to own up to my shortcomings and reach out for help. A friend suggested YNAB and the rest is history! I feel more in control and strong, rolling with the punches and seeing my priorities in front of me has made it actually fun to pay bills and pay down my student debt.