Why You Need a Budget (YNAB)

I'll be honest, while I'm a mom first and blogger second, this opportunity is too good to pass up, so I had to post this today.

Another confessional I have is that I have not reconciled my bank accounts since last October because I refused to be bullied into buying the next generation version of Quicken.  Frankly, it is not an upgrade if the prior version WILL NOT FUNCTION.  I paid for it, and I'm OK with not getting support for it, but think about it.  Would you continue business with your phone store if if the sales clerk dropped your phone in the toilet, then suggested an upgrade?  That's what Quicken is doing with their "upgrades".  They can stick their upgrades where the sun don't shine, dang it!

While I disagree with their business practices, they really had me because I've been using Quicken for 10 years.  I refused to give them any more of my money, but I did not find an adequate replacement.  That is, until now.  Allow me to introduce you to my Quicken Replacement, YNAB (You Need A Budget).

I am not getting paid to write this and they are not giving me anything for it.  But, when I did their 7 Day trial in September and we had that power outage, they generously gave me a 30 day extension, just because I asked for another week!  Amazing customer service.

I was already planning on buying the software, because it did everything Quicken did for me faster and easier.  And, you will never be forced to get a stinkin' upgrade if you don't want one.  The interface is fluid and easy to understand.  You can import online transactions and your prior financial files if you want.  They will give you a phone tutorial and a web conference to show you all the neat features.

It is November and I still hadn't purchased it yet.  Why?  Because they generously gave me another extension that would last until Dec 7th.  (They knew I'd be busy with Back to School stuff and traveling and eating for Thanksgiving....)  That's another thing, the free trial is not a limited version of the real thing.  It IS the real thing, in all it's glory.  You will know exactly what you are getting and you get to try it out before you buy it.

As a Cyberdeal, YNAB has offered a 35% discount to current users to share with their friends.  They then extended it to folks like yours truly, who are still using their trial license.  However, the deal expires TODAY, November 30, 2011.  Which is why I put off everything else to post this now!

If you already know that you will not be upgrading Quicken, but you need to find a replacement fast, YNAB is the answer.  Trust me, I've been looking around.  This software gets the full endorsement from The Frugal Writer because it will save you money, is a good one-time investment and will help anyone take charge of their finances.

The software retails for $60.  I was going to take my lumps and pay the full monty because it would pay for itself quickly since I would never need to upgrade.  However, you can get it for $39 (35% off) if you buy it here:  http://ynab.me/cybertuesday

Try it...  If you are not happy, they will give you your money back.  Oh, and tell them The Frugal Writer sent you.  I've already purchased the software, but hey, it never hurts to mention your friends.

UPDATE April 30, 2013:  YNAB no longer offers a refund.  This is because they now give you a 34 day trial and once you activate the software, there is no way to ensure that it is uninstalled or unused after purchase.  Still, 34 days with the full size version of the software is more than enough time to decide if you like YNAB.  Also, this blog post was written before the release of YNAB 4, which is a great improvement to already good software, so it is still worth the investment.  Also, there is no limit on how many computers or devices you can install the software on, so everyone in your house can access the budget on their own machine. 

Cashing in with Coupons at BJ's

Saving Money is Hard Work!

I did it again.  I went to the BJ's without my coupon book.  Granted, I'm not much for cutting out a lot of coupons, but the monthly membership book can really save you money, especially if you are going to buy the items in the book anyway.  Just buying a big box of diapers, paper towels, baby wipes and juice boxes with the right coupons can easily net you $15 in savings, just from the members coupon book.  Not too shabby with hardly any effort.

My unsuccessful trip turned into an fascinating lesson in BJ's couponing.

Savings Scenario #1:  Get an Extra Coupon Book at the store

Go to the Membership Desk and ask for a Members book.  The lady in front of me did this.  It was early in the month and she simply asked if the member books had been mailed out yet since she did not receive her copy.  The associate said yes and asked for her membership card.  The customer was given a pristine copy of the BJ's Journal and the Member's coupon book for the month.  Genius!!

Obviously, you can't just grab a ton of these books and you should use the book you received in the mail.  But, if you really did forget your book, why not ask for an extra that is just sitting at Member Services anyway?  So, I did.  (I was actually in line to return the second pack of paper towels that I mistook for toilet paper).  Even though I finished my transaction and wasn't going to use these coupons now, I went ahead and asked for the coupon book.  Cha-ching!

Next time I forget my coupon book, I'll ask for a book before I start shopping!

Savings Scenario #2:  Return Coupons instead of Merchandise

Yes, I looked through the book to see if there were any coupon opportunities I missed.  Sure enough, there was a $5 coupon for the diapers that I had just purchased and loaded in the van.  It was naptime, so I made a plan to come back solo after dinner to return the diapers and buy another box of diapers with the coupon.  You could argue that the time spent returning to the store might not be worth $5, but the thrill of saving money was enticing.

Now, here's where my return trip was indeed profitable.  I mentioned to the Member Services associate that I was only returning the merchandise so I could go back and buy another one using the coupon.  Would I be able to just return and repurchase it here with the coupon and save us both some time?  She did me one better when she said, "You don't even have to bring the merchandise next time.  Just bring in your member card, your receipt and the coupon and we'll redeem it for you."  She promptly completed the transaction and handed me $5.  Sweet!!!

This means that anytime I find a coupon for items that I purchased while the coupon is valid, I can still redeem the coupon AFTER the purchase.  Better yet, I don't have to lug in the merchandise and "return" it.  They'll just scan the receipt.

I found my BJ's Journal when I checked the mail and sure enough, there was a $3 coupon for the toilet tissue I just bought.  No worries.  Next time I'm at or near BJ's in the next two weeks, a quick trip to Member Services with my coupon and my receipt will net me an easy $3.

And, yes, you can stack manufacturer coupons for even more savings.  Happy $hopping!