Comments on: How Free Spirits And Money Nerds Can Help Each Other Out http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/ Debt Reduction Rocks - We Are Living Debt Free! Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:44:22 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Slinky http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125753 Slinky Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:19:33 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125753 In my 'family' I'm the budget nerd, and my fiancee is the lesser budget nerd. :) He kind of went from budget nerd to free spirit back to budget nerd. If you could see my spreadsheets, you'd realize why I'm the Greater Budget Nerd. I've also used YNAB. I am in fact using it now. (Apathy mostly) But the more I use it, the less I like it. It also really annoyed me when an update randomly got rid of transfers as an inflow category, screwing up every transfer transaction since I used the program. I had to go back and change each one. Unacceptable. I've gone back to Plan A, which is writing my own budget program. I plan on posting and/or selling it (think $5) when it's done. In my ‘family’ I’m the budget nerd, and my fiancee is the lesser budget nerd. :) He kind of went from budget nerd to free spirit back to budget nerd. If you could see my spreadsheets, you’d realize why I’m the Greater Budget Nerd.

I’ve also used YNAB. I am in fact using it now. (Apathy mostly) But the more I use it, the less I like it. It also really annoyed me when an update randomly got rid of transfers as an inflow category, screwing up every transfer transaction since I used the program. I had to go back and change each one. Unacceptable. I’ve gone back to Plan A, which is writing my own budget program. I plan on posting and/or selling it (think $5) when it’s done.

]]> By: NCN http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125323 NCN Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:03:56 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125323 @Michael.. As soon as you made your post, I contacted YNAB and informed them of the math error. And, yes, there are free alternatives out there, but I've been very happy with YNAB. Feel free to use the budget of you choice. No need to be 'troubled'. :) @Michael..
As soon as you made your post, I contacted YNAB and informed them of the math error. And, yes, there are free alternatives out there, but I’ve been very happy with YNAB. Feel free to use the budget of you choice. No need to be ‘troubled’. :)

]]> By: Michael http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125322 Michael Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:37:00 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125322 Jae, You are entitled to your opinion as I am to mine. I just find it a bit troubling that NCN chooses to use an affiliate link to mention only one budgeting program in an article when there are many free alternatives out there that are far superior. I have a great deal of respect for NCN and his wonderful blog but again I find it troubling. Not sure if you have ever tried anything outside of YNAB and Quicken. I have and for the money the free ones are better. I for one would like to see pf bloggers post more reviews of personal finance software that they are not paid to push or receive affiliate compensation. By the way, I noticed that YNAB conveniently fixed the saving error I mentioned shortly after it was posted here. Jae,

You are entitled to your opinion as I am to mine. I just find it a bit troubling that NCN chooses to use an affiliate link to mention only one budgeting program in an article when there are many free alternatives out there that are far superior. I have a great deal of respect for NCN and his wonderful blog but again I find it troubling.

Not sure if you have ever tried anything outside of YNAB and Quicken. I have and for the money the free ones are better. I for one would like to see pf bloggers post more reviews of personal finance software that they are not paid to push or receive affiliate compensation.

By the way, I noticed that YNAB conveniently fixed the saving error I mentioned shortly after it was posted here.

]]> By: Jae http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125316 Jae Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:32:20 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125316 YNAB poorly written and a waste of time? I've used YNAB for a year, and it is far superior to any spreadsheet I've used as well as Quicken (which I used for 12 years before I found YNAB). YNAB poorly written and a waste of time? I’ve used YNAB for a year, and it is far superior to any spreadsheet I’ve used as well as Quicken (which I used for 12 years before I found YNAB).

]]> By: Michael http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125229 Michael Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:48:07 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125229 NCN, I completely agree with your thought process but not necessarily your method. My wife and I found YNAB to be a waste of time and a poorly written piece of software. Case in point, check out the website and you'll find this widely displayed advertisement. "On average, a YNAB user pays off $500 in debt and saves $235 in the first 31 days! That is an $835 change in just one month!" Do I want to use a software package where they have trouble with addition? There are many, many viable alternatives out there. But the most important thing is that people plan before the next month how much income they will have, what their fixed expenses will be, what their variable expenses are expected to be, and what savings they will setaside for future expenses/purchases or known, upcoming intermittent expenses. This can be done on a piece of paper, Excel, Google Spreadsheets, etc for free! NCN,

I completely agree with your thought process but not necessarily your method. My wife and I found YNAB to be a waste of time and a poorly written piece of software. Case in point, check out the website and you’ll find this widely displayed advertisement.

“On average, a YNAB user pays off $500 in debt and saves $235 in the first 31 days! That is an $835 change in just one month!”

Do I want to use a software package where they have trouble with addition?

There are many, many viable alternatives out there. But the most important thing is that people plan before the next month how much income they will have, what their fixed expenses will be, what their variable expenses are expected to be, and what savings they will setaside for future expenses/purchases or known, upcoming intermittent expenses. This can be done on a piece of paper, Excel, Google Spreadsheets, etc for free!

]]> By: NCN http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125218 NCN Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:46:07 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125218 @plonkee I TOTALLY agree... @plonkee I TOTALLY agree…

]]> By: plonkee http://www.ncnblog.com/2008/08/13/how-free-spirits-and-money-nerds-can-help-each-other-out/comment-page-1/#comment-125217 plonkee Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:32:52 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/?p=1535#comment-125217 I think that in every relationship one person is more nerd-y than the other. So even if to the outside world the husband is a money nerd, if his wife outdoes him on that front, within the couple he's the free spirit and she's the nerd. I think that in every relationship one person is more nerd-y than the other. So even if to the outside world the husband is a money nerd, if his wife outdoes him on that front, within the couple he’s the free spirit and she’s the nerd.

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