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Spend Less While Living More

Painlessly save more money and get ahead on what really matters to you.

Put Yourself Back in the Driver's Seat

Just when you think your bank account should be a plump little purse of money, your balance seems to have stalled out—or worse—it’s acquired a leak.

Watch your savings climb higher and higher by adding more intentionality to your spending. We’ll teach you a few savings tricks so you can get your spending under control without feeling restricted.

We're Here to Help

Want to write a new money story? We won’t shame you, guilt you, or force you to eat ramen. Here’s how it works.

  • 1. Sign Up for a Trial

    Try YNAB for free with our 34-day trial. Poke around a bit. Decide if you like us.

  • 2. Make a Budget

    We’ll help you set up a budget so you can start spending less and saving more.

  • 3. Build Your Savings

    Watch as your savings balance climbs sky-high while still having the freedom to spend.

Plump Up Your Bank Account for Good

In spite of Carsen’s best efforts, he never seemed to make progress. “I was getting by ok, I couldn’t get ahead. My bank account would hit triple or sometimes double digits before my next paycheck came in. I always felt poor.” And then one day, everything started changing for the better.

See How He Did It

  • From Paycheck to Paycheck to Saving Three Months of Expenses

    I’m no longer worried that an unexpected car repair is going to be more than I can handle.”

    —Carsen

Where Do You Struggle to Save?

  • Help! I need to save money fast!

    If you want to rein in your spending and save money fast, we’ve got ten ideas to help you get rolling.
    Get Spending Under Control

  • Help! My spending is out of control!

    Nobody likes to talk about it, but a lot of people struggle to stop spending money. Learn these three steps to get your spending under control.
    Curb A Spending Problem

  • Help! I can’t seem to save any money!

    To save more, you just have to do something, change something about your current behavior or mindset—and that’s exactly why it’s hard. See four reasons you’re not saving money and what to do about them.
    Simple Ways To Save

Practical Tools For Saving Money

  • Read the Full Guide

    This comprehensive look will take you through how to save more money in a step-by-step, easy to follow format.

    Read More

  • Hands-On Learning

    Our always-friendly teachers will show you the step-by-step mechanics of reaching your savings goals with the help of a budget.

    Take A Free Class

  • How to Stay on Track

    Feel like your budget is restrictive or feel guilty spending? Here’s how to make a spending plan without the guilt.

    Watch Now

  • The Secret to Saving

    This little-known tip about emergency funds might be the secret sauce to making those account balances climb.

    Read More

See Real Budgets of People Reaching Their Savings Goal

  • I Had $500 in My Checking Account. Now I'm Retiring Early

    Tom and his wife thought they would have to work until they died. Despite making good money, their salaries felt no match for their mortgage, student loans, car loans…or life in general, actually. Hear how Tom went from drowning in debt with a piddly $500 in his checking account to early retirement.
    See Their Budget

  • The Best Way to Pay for Home Improvements

    Jessica and Ryan are both teachers raising their family of three children. Like many families, the couple made enough money to get by but didn’t have a lot leftover for things like vacations and nights out. Since starting YNAB, they’ve remodeled their house in cash, built their savings, and always have enough for date night.
    See Their Budget

  • How I Got a Handle on My Finances

    Andrew Abela is the dean of the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America. He has an MBA, a PhD, and years of experience of managing a work budget. But when it came to managing his budget at home, it was complicated and stressful. How Hard Could a Home Budget Really Be? …
    Read More

Recommended Resources

  • What is a Sinking Fund & How To Set One Up

    What is a Sinking Fund? A sinking fund is a fixed amount of money you save each month to prepare for a non-monthly expense like a car repair, or a twice-a-year insurance payment.  (Side note: Sinking Fund would also be a great name for a boat. I might add that as a wish farm goal.)  …

    Read Blog Located in: Learn to Budget / Blog
    Read

  • Do I Need an Emergency Fund?

    One of the best parts of my job as a teacher at YNAB is the interaction I get with the participants in our free, online budgeting workshops. You all ask some great questions! And, lately, one question in particular has come up again, and again: “Do I need an emergency fund category?” I remember the …

    Read Blog Located in: Learn to Budget / Blog
    Read

  • 3 Steps to Save Money Faster

    You know you want to get out of debt and save more money, faster. Here’s a little game called “find the money” that will help you accelerate your financial goals by $30 to $100 per month – without affecting your quality of life. Step 1: Fund Your Discretionary Categories with Nice, Round “Budgeted Numbers” For …

    Read Blog Located in: Learn to Budget / Blog
    Read

  • 6 Steps to Make Your Money Go Further

    Ok, so you need your current stash of money to last as long as it can. Sure, you might wish it were a bigger stash, but we’re not going to dwell on it and neither should you. It is what it is, now let’s get to work: here’s how to take your pile of money …

    Read Blog Located in: Learn to Budget / Blog
    Read

You Can Do This! Right Now! For Free!

Budgeting is not restrictive. You won’t be spending less, you’ll be spending smart. So what do you have to lose? (Other than all that debt and stress, of course…)