I’ve been budgeting with YNAB (You Need a Budget) in one form or another since 2008. Back then it was just a spreadsheet, but by 2011 I was using their software seriously. The lifechanging part for me was learning to get one month ahead — assigning all of this month’s income to next month’s expenses. That single shift gave me breathing room. It was like an emergency fund built right into my budget. If something went wrong, I had time to react, and my budget was always clean and simple to manage.
That lesson has carried me through a lot of seasons. But even after 14 years of budgeting, life still happens.
This summer was one of those times. Between heavy stress at work, a heat pump that failed, and a medical emergency, I just couldn’t carve out the time or mental space to deal with the budget. From June through early September, I didn’t touch it. Most of the bills were on autopay, so nothing got missed, but the stress of not knowing exactly where we stood kept building.
When I finally sat down, I decided to do something different. I categorized all the expenses so the history was accurate, but instead of going back to “fix” the budget for July and August, I let YNAB’s default rules take over. Cash overspending reduced September’s Ready to Assign. Credit overspending added to the card balance to be handled later. Then I flipped forward and trusted the number staring back at me: the exact cash I had available right now.
Not a true “Fresh Start,” but a reset.
And the relief was immediate. I wasn’t just hoping there was enough to cover bills — I knew exactly where I stood. I had cash to pay September’s expenses, money set aside for the furnace/heat pump, and a plan to keep moving forward. October being a three-paycheck month means I’ll have nearly three-quarters of that big bill covered within two months.
That’s the power of being one month ahead. It gave me room to reset without panic and move forward with clarity.
Sometimes the best budgeting move isn’t about making every past month perfect. Sometimes it’s about letting go, starting fresh, and using the tools you’ve built to keep you moving forward.
💡 If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by your budget, I’d be happy to share tips or help you get started. YNAB has been a game-changer for me — and if you want to try it out, here’s my referral link. When you sign up, we both get a free month!
