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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: fidgiegirl on January 01, 2015, 01:34:59 PM

Title: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: fidgiegirl on January 01, 2015, 01:34:59 PM
I'm thinking mine are too complicated right now.  When I over-refine, I overwhelm and then don't do it.  In an old program I liked having pre-tax accounted for but it feels complex to set up in YNAB, which really I should be using to help us reduce everyday spending, not to forecast what ER would look like, etc.  I think in trying to get really kickass data, I'm getting no data.

Contemplating:

Bills
Car
Health
Kid
Mom
Dad
Restaurants
Groceries
Home
Insurance
Retirement
Pets
Vacation
HELOC
EF

Hmmm, what am I forgetting?
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: Elliot on January 01, 2015, 02:04:01 PM
Mine looks like this:

MONTHLY BILLS
Rent
Phone
Internet
Electricity
Netflix/Hulu+

EVERYDAY EXPENSES
Groceries
Gas
Household Goods
Hygiene and Beauty
Pet Care
Irregular Misc (like stamps, replacing the coffee maker, etc)


RECURRING NONFIXED
Medical (includes copays, OTC meds, etc)
Clothing
Travel
Gifts

EDUCATION
My student loan payment
my partner's tuition

SPECIFIC EVENTUALITIES
Car Repairs
Car Insurance
Vehicle Registration
Vet Bills
Electronic Replacement

SAVINGS
Car Replacement
House Downpayment

DISCRETIONARY
Spending money (me)
Spending money (partner)
Restaurant
Alcohol

Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: midweststache on January 01, 2015, 02:40:26 PM
We have some wonky things (I only get paid 9 months a year, thus summer living) and we have lots of miscellaneous categories that aren't great but keep me from budgeting for things like clothing, which we buy 2-3 times a year.

SAVINGS
Summer Living
Short Term Savings
Long Term Savings

DEBT
Student Loans

HOUSING
Rent
Electric
Gas
Internet
Phones
Miscellaneous (Furniture, Minor Fix Its)
Pet Supplies

FOOD
Groceries
Dining Out

HEALTH
Gym
Doctor
Medicine
Laundry
Miscellaneous

TRANSIT
Transit Passes
Miscellaneous (Uber, Car rentals for trips home)

SCHOOL
Books
Conferences

ENTERTAINMENT
Netflix
Gifts
Miscellaneous (Movies, Ball Games, etc)
Wedding/Travel

Question: What are the Mom, Dad, Kid categories that wouldn't fall into other things? Are these monthly discretionary spending categories for each person?
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: scrubbyfish on January 01, 2015, 09:14:43 PM
I recently revamped mine with a Fresh Start, after an eight-month experiment. I love my new approach. It's:

REIMBURSABLES
This is so I remember to collect on them regularly and early. Its amounts are deleted once I'm paid back.

INVESTMENTS
Each investment account is listed.
I also have life insurance under this section; basically, any line intended to ultimately bring in more goes here.

GIFTS
-Kid (allowance, birthday, etc)
-School
-Global
-Regional
-Local
-Self
This is to remind myself to ensure giving in each area, and not forget any, including me!
School is there to help me feel better about the $600+ in annual fees for "free", public school.

LIVING
-Shelter
-Phone
-Groceries, Household
-Car Fuel
-Car Insurance
-Car Maintenance
-Laundry
-Home Insurance
-Postage
-Clothing

Somehow, this arrangement works really well for me psychologically. Everything is grouped by intention, and that frees me to spend enough, not more, not less in each area.
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: CatchingFire on January 02, 2015, 04:42:56 AM
Ours are (roughly):

NECESSARIES
-water bill
-mortgage
-electric bill
-auto insurance
-groceries

BE A BADASS
-savings
-529 contributions
-automatic investments

BE A CLOWN
-dining out
-entertainment
-fuel

GO CRAZY
- personal spending buckets for each family member (these accrue over time if not spent)

COOKIE JARS
-long term expense savings for annual/semiannual expenses such as auto insurance, back to school fees, professional dues, car maintenance, etc. as well as more general things like home expenses (a household catchall) and money earmarked for travel or events/gifts
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: bludreamin on January 06, 2015, 07:48:11 PM
Great topic!  Seems like most of the categories already laid out are for couples/families.

Since its now just me (and the cats) I'm trying to keep it simple.  So besides the pre-ynab debt (paid in full cards that had balance when I jumped into YNAB), my categories are:

HOME
  Mortgage
  Cell Phone
  Internet
  Gas & Electric
  Water
  Maintenance/Improvement

VEHICLE
  Fuel
  Maintenance
  Car Insurance

BODY.... although thinking this may need to change to "my sexy self" :)
  Groceries
  Medical
  Gym
  Eating Out
  Salon (one of my few indulgences)

SAVINGS GOALS
  E-fund
  Retirement
  New Car
  Travel

EVERYTHING ELSE
  Charity
  Gifts
  Spending Cash
  Reimbursable Expenses
 
I also include the minimum amount to budget (monthly or per pay period) and due dates in the category names (e.g., "Gas & Electric  ($110, 21st)")

Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: Mesmoiselle on January 07, 2015, 07:05:17 AM
Edibles
Monthly Bills
Cute name for categories belonging to husband (he has separate account)
Car expenses
Home
My entertainment section
Dog care
Human care
Yearly/admin fees
Needs/Savings
Wants (where we save up frivolous items like a kayak)
Giving (Charity)

I'm into granular detail. There are about 80 or so sub categories to my 12 master categories.
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: Carlsky on January 07, 2015, 09:05:44 AM
I want to simplify but my wife likes the details.  So behold our epic list:
Everyday Expenses
Groceries
Fuel
Spending Money
Restaurants
Medical
Clothing
Gifts
Haircuts
Mariana Entertainment
Dan Entertainment
Family Entertainment
Childcare
Kid #1's Chores for Pay ($2.00/week)

Homeschooling
Curriculum ($350 by July 15th)
Craft Materials ($20/month)
Field Trips ($20/month)
Special Events ($20/month)
School Materials ($5/month)
Memberships (i.e. MakerSpace) ($200/year)
Gymnastics ($200/year)
Other Extra-Curricular ($200/year)

Monthly Bills
Mortgage
Home Phone & Internet
Mariana's Cell Phone
Dan's Cell Phone
Hydro
Utilities (Water & Sewer)
Gas & Water Heater
Life & Health Insurance
Home and Car Insurance
Kids' RESP
Mariana RRSP
YMCA ($116.95)

Kid #1
Spending
Saving
Giving

Kid #2
Spending
Saving
Giving

Kid #3
Spending
Saving
Giving

Giving
Plan Canada
Jump Start (in memory of Tim Stevenson)
Church
General

Savings Goals
Car Seat for Kid #3 ($282.50 by March 1st)
Car replacement ($5,000 by June 2017)
Vacation ($500 by June)
10-year-anniversary trip ($2,000 by July 2016)
Christmas ($765 by December 1st)
Dan's Camping Trip ($200 by Aug 15th)
Mariana Weekend Off ($200 by September 30th)
Accountant ($200 by February 28th)
Costco ($62.15 by November 30th)
CT Road Assitance ($113 ASAP)
Strawberry Picking ($40 by June 1st)
Blueberry Picking ($40 by June 1st)
Fall Fair ($150 by September 5th)
Gardening ($150 by May 2014)
Cloth Diapers for Kid #3 ($150)
Home Maintenance & Renos
Gym Shoes for Dan
Gym Shoes for Mariana
Skates for Dan, Mariana, Kid #1, & Kid #2
New Printer
Kid #1's Birthday Party
Kid #2's Birthday Party
Kid #3's Birthday Party

Rainy Day Funds
Emergency Fund
Car Repairs
Christmas Overspending

Debt Repayment
Line of Credit  ($5,255.03 paid off by September)

Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: kudy on January 07, 2015, 09:14:46 AM
I am considering writing a blog post on this topic...

My "master" categories are arranged to help me quickly realize how much of the spending is extra or frivolous:

Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: scrubbyfish on January 07, 2015, 09:46:21 AM
I want to simplify but my wife likes the details.  So behold our epic list:

Oh dear, Carlsky!! lol
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: smilla on January 07, 2015, 05:29:12 PM
I probably have too many categories too. 

Sharing
     Tithe (10% gross income)
     Hospitality & Charity
     Celebrations & Gifts

Saving
     FIRE (20% gross income)
     Alternative Investments
     Rainy Days/Sunny Days

Spending - Shelter
     Mortgage & Interest
     Insurance & Property Taxes
     Rental Expenses
     Repairs & Maintenance
     Utilities

Spending - Annual/Monthly Bills
     Employment Taxes
     Health - insurance
     Car - insurance
     Phone & Internet
     Service Charges (& Stupid Taxes)

Spending - Basics
     Food & Drink
     Household Goods
     Health - medical exp & maintenance
     Car - fuel, repairs & maintenance
     POGG

Spending - Extras
     Personal Care
     Home & Garden
     Play & Recreation
     Travel & Accommodation
     Stuff
 
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: fidgiegirl on January 07, 2015, 06:48:27 PM
Helpful, all!  Kudy, I really like the "where I can effect spending" distinction.
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: Mojoman on January 07, 2015, 06:52:06 PM
Mandatory Fixed
Rent/Mortgage
Car Payment
Car Insurance
Phone
Internet
Emergency Fund
Car Repairs
Car Replacement
Life Insurance
Student Loan Payment

Mandatory Variable
Water
Groceries
Electricity
Fuel
Clothing
Medical
Household Goods
Tolls

Optional Fixed
My recreation money
Spouse recreation money
Netflix & Hulu

Optional Variable
Restaurants
Beauty & Grooming

Pre-YNAB debt

Yearly
Christmas
Taxes
Car Registration & Inspection
Yearly service memberships (Evernote, Amazon Prime etc.)

Miscellaneous
Interest and Fees
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: yandz on January 08, 2015, 11:35:17 AM
We are pretty granular because I like to KNOW. Having a separate category for things like "alcohol" helps me manage it better.

Giving
-Gifts
-Charitable

Monthly Bills
-Mortgage
-Internet
-Electric
-Water
-Gas
-Trash
-Car Insurance

Everyday Expenses
-Groceries & Household goods
-Fuel
-Medical & Personal Care
-Pet Care

Optional Everyday Expense
-Restaurants
-DH spending $
-DW spending $
-Entertainment (Netflix, occasional other)
-Alcohol

Irregular Expenses
-Car maintain & repair
-Home maintain & improve
-Vacation
-Over/Under/Misc (I sweep over budgets into here, under budgets out of here, and any true misc expenses of which I have had 2 in 7 months)

FIRE
-Investments (I like to have a running total of how much we invest and like to see it be more than 1/2 the pie on reports)

Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: scrubbyfish on January 08, 2015, 11:59:48 AM
We are pretty granular because I like to KNOW. Having a separate category for things like "alcohol" helps me manage it better.

Yep, I absolutely needed that the first 8 months. Only after spending was consistently down to $0-$10 in a given category did I morph it into a more general one.
Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: smalllife on January 09, 2015, 05:15:42 AM
For two humans, a dog, and two cats:

House:
Mortgage
Electric
City bill (trash/recycle/water/gas)
Internet
Cell Phone
Home Maintenance
Netflix

Consumables:
Groceries
Groceries - Convenience
Social Food/Drink
Non-Grocery Food/Drink

Transportation:
Bike Upkeep
Gasoline and Parking
Car Insurance
Car Repairs and Maintenance
Taxes and Registration

Pets:
Supplies
Vet

Personables:
Sport dues
Healthcare
Taxes
Toiletries
Vacation
Misc
SO Fun Money (he keeps a separate account but has a category for the off times he uses the joint account for rewards)

Me:
Holding
Clothing/Personal Care
Misc - Gifts

Future:
Education (paying for tuition  .)
IRA
Parental Loan Payback
Wedding


Title: Re: What are your YNAB categories?
Post by: wintersun on January 11, 2015, 01:21:21 PM
I am glad to see this thread.  I want to connect more with YNABbers on MMM.

We separate money into three sections: Household and 2 Personal.  Out of Personal comes clothing, shoes, grooming supplies, travel, addictions, toys, gifts for one another, classes, music and books, eating out, treating others to meals, hair care, donations to our personal charities, cell phones, computers, hobbies, apps, and frivolous things I want to buy for the house which my husband doesn't. 

Our YNAB budget includes Everyday, Reimbursables, Monthly Bills, Rainy Day Expenses, Savings Goals, Charitable Giving.

Everyday
Groceries
Dry goods
Pet care
Car Gas and Parking
Clown Spending ( a new sub category today where I will put unnecessary expenditures so I can see where we need to cut)

Monthly Bills
The usual ones plus bank fees (transfer fees each month and yearly credit card fee)

Rainy Day
Medical
Property tax
Property insurance
Car license and repairs
Brithdays/gifts
Small yearly bills ( such as post office box rental)

Savings Goal
House decorating (curtains, new fan etc)
Home maintenance
Christmas
Appliance replacement
Car Repacement
Vet Bills
Small Non Yearly Bills (Passports, drivers licenses)
…and then I have individual savings goals such as new vacuum cleaner, etc.