I tried making my own budgeting tool in Google Sheets because YNAB’s yearly fee was coming up and I’m tight on cash. I spent ages working with ChatGPT to create scripts and formulas. I almost got it done but ran into a bunch of snags.
Looking back, it wasn’t worth the hassle. You can’t match YNAB’s slick design in Sheets. Plus, stuff like ‘Ready to Assign’ and moving money between categories is trickier than it looks.
I decided to just pay YNAB’s monthly fee for now. It’s $15 a month and I’ll switch to yearly when I can afford it. If you’re thinking of making your own budgeting tool to save money, really think about how much time you’ll sink into it. It’s probably not worth the effort.
After checking out Actual Budget based on comments:
It’s a good, cheaper option compared to YNAB
Has a fancier goals system
But YNAB with the Toolkit extension just feels better to use. When I open YNAB, I get what’s going on right away. With Actual, I have to think harder to figure things out.
So yeah, Actual’s okay, but I still think YNAB’s worth the money for how easy it is to use.
done that meself! diy budgeting ended up a real formula headache. actual budget’s ok, but ynab just clicks. sometimes you gotta pay for ease; less hassle trumps extra cash in messy sheets.
I can relate to your DIY budgeting journey. Tried something similar with Excel a while back, thinking I’d outsmart the system. Ended up with a convoluted mess of formulas and pivot tables that gave me more headaches than insights. The time investment was astronomical, and the results were mediocre at best.
Switching to a dedicated budgeting app was a game-changer. The automation and user-friendly interface more than justify the cost. It’s not just about tracking numbers; it’s about gaining financial clarity without the hassle. Sometimes, the perceived savings from DIY solutions don’t account for the value of our time and mental energy.
For those still hesitant about the cost, consider it an investment in your financial health. The right tool can lead to better decisions and actual savings in the long run. Learned this the hard way, but glad I made the switch.
I’ve been down that DIY budgeting road too, and man, it’s a journey. Spent weeks tweaking a spreadsheet, thinking I’d cracked the code to free budgeting nirvana. Reality check? It was more like opening Pandora’s box of frustration.
Sure, I saved some cash, but the time sink was brutal. Every month, I’d find myself fixing formulas, battling sync issues, and cursing at my screen. And don’t get me started on mobile access - it was a nightmare.
Eventually, I bit the bullet and went back to a paid solution. Not YNAB, but something similar. The peace of mind and time saved? Priceless. Sometimes, you gotta spend money to make (or save) money, you know?
For anyone on the fence, I’d say give the free trials a shot before diving into DIY. You might find the convenience outweighs the cost. Just my two cents from someone who’s been there, done that, and got the spreadsheet scars to prove it.