YNAB

I drank the YNAB koolaid. I have read several tutorials, browsed the forums, and feel like I'm starting to "get it." I was flabbergasted at first. My initial reaction was, what do you mean I don't budget for the month with the money I'm going to have? I can only budget the money that is currently in the account?

After reading through some of the information it started to click. You don't budget ahead with money that's not there because it is not guaranteed. By budgeting what you have, you're protecting yourself from overdraft.

Another thing that really stuck with me is the importance of establishing a rainy day fund. We have such terrible credit card debt that my initial reaction is always "ATTACK THE DEBT!" After reading up on it, it became abundantly clear how important it is to have funds set aside for both planned events (property taxes, insurance, etc.)  as well as unplanned (house repairs, etc.) That way we won't be reaching for our credit cards and dig ourselves deeper into debt. This feels like one of those moments that's so obvious but we have inadvertently handled the wrong way our entire adult lives.

Greg and I have a scary, long road ahead of us in terms of achieving financial stability. I know it will be a long road and we won't reach a "buffer" for quite some time, but for the first time in several years I feel like it's doable. I really feel like this is going to change our relationship with money. Hooray!