Age of Money - Twenty-twenty!
Hey, in my variant of English it rhymes!
Starting up the AoM challenge for the new year!
----RULES----
1. Choose a day every month that you will post your AOM to the google spreadsheet (link below).
Be consistent on the day that you have chosen to post your AOM. (Your metrics will not help you or provide you with useful data if you are not consistent.)
2. Post your AOM.
3. Comment below that you have updated the spreadsheet.
If you want, you may post a screenshot of your AOM. This will be fun and will help keep the thread alive. It's not required however.
4. Try to keep the thread on topic.
Changes to the Spreadsheet.
If you see any minor changes that ought to be made, go ahead and change it.
Cheating
Cheating is posting a number that is not your actual AOM, or changing your number because your AOM increased the following day.
We are following the the honor/honour system.
You do not need to cheat, but if you do, everyone will ask how you've become so awesome with money and then you'll have to live with yourself. It only hurts you.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mqceQ-S1F_brlUyQmjplJ6LrclPn-MrwzG6hFDqzMo8/edit?usp=sharing
-
To quickly find your line in the spreadsheet, use ctrl+F (or command+F on a Mac) it will open a search bar and you can type in your name.
-
Just did a fresh start the middle of last month. On the old budget my current AoM is 141 so just want to see how long it will take to normalize.
Congratulations on such a high starting number Bevocat. Not sure if this is a goal yet, for me. When I first came to YNAB I thought 365 would an ideal number to work for. Now I'm not so sure. If I did reach that point, would I keep it all in YNAB.
-
MsTJ It will take at least 141 days to get back to 141. 😉
-
nolesrule It has been a wild ride so far, many dips and peaks I don't understand.
January AoM went from 7 to 43 and ended at 43. DoB went from 686 to 735, Ended at 43/697
February AoM has gone from 43 to 60 and DoB has gone from 637 to 957, and this is only the 18th. Currently sitting at 60/923. They will go down soon, then back up before the end of the month.
-
-
Claimed line 3.
Started YNAB in June 2019 with a virtually empty bank account (and full credit card) after a relationship breakup. So it was all about starting at the very beginning.
End of year 2019 AoM was 18 days. I was reasonably happy with that.
Still carrying debt, clearance of which is a 2020 goal, but would like to move my AOM up incrementally so aiming for 5 weeks by years end.
Small steps...
Happy New Year all! 😊
-
spyral Mid year update. AoM was 23 days at the end of June.
I'm still pleased with that as I have a fortnightly pay cycle which at least means I'm outside pay-to-pay spending.
Debt payoff is on track to be completed early November so hoping to achieve an uptick in AoM after this.
-
spyral End of year AoM was 19 days. Short of my aim of 35 for the year. Debt took longer to pay off than I had expected and there was a large outlay in December for a new tenancy bond which held me back from achieving a better outcome.
Looking forward to what I might achieve in 2021. Above 28 days (2 pay cycles) would be ideal for me.
-
-
I recently restarted using YNAB a few weeks ago. I am hoping to clear out debt and build as much of a buffer as I am able in 2020. I am signed up on the spreadsheet and will update on the first of the month. My goal overall is to get at least 30 days ahead so that will be my goal even if I'm not sure how close I'll get thi first year.
Being that I sat at 2 days for the entire time I used YNAB in December, I am happy with being at 4 days currently. Let the AOM journey begin!
-
Peripherie Best of luck. I started with YNAB back in June. Took me six months to go from 2 to 18 days. It can seem like slow going at times but I recording my AoM on here each month allowed me to see it going in the right direction, even if only by a day or two at a time at the end of each month. But even those little gains felt good.
-
-
Bevocat, you are already at my goal!!! I bow to you and am totally impressed and inspired.
However, I'm also scheming to overtake you. (My inner-bad- girl says "I will triumph!" in my best Sith Lord voice.) Might take this turtle a bit, but I'm nipping at your heels in my own head.
A-ho! THIS is exactly what I need from my YNAB this year. I declare 2020 my "YNAB ReHab and Recovery Parade" after a rather truculent 2018/19. Baby, I'm back and this time I MEAN IT.
Thank you for creating exactly the "Rube Goldberg Accountability FruitCake Machine" that I need to get me to and through my discomfort, debt and complainy-pants whining whilst conquering my money with style in 2020.
-
I claimed line 12 on the spreadsheet, but I wasn't sure if the nYNAB starting date was meant to be when I personally started using YNAB or the starting date of my current budget. I went with the latter, but I can change it if need be!
I restructured my budget at the beginning of 2018 and since then I've reached an AoM of 290. I'm aiming for a solid 365 in 2020. :)
-
I claimed line 14, and have a goal of 60 days for this year (I joined YNAB just a couple months ago, in November). Thanks for providing a mechanism to keep me on track!
December AOM:
-
January AOM:
-
February AOM:
33 days (no image)
-
March AOM:
-
April AOM:
-
May AOM (+DOB):
GOAL REACHED!!!
-
Krys What an accomplishment Krys! I have recently started using YNAB and I am now at 6 days... Slowly but surely I ll get to 60 days. Thank you for sharing.
-
Krys CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
-
September AOM (+DOB):
-
October AOM (+DOB):
-
November AOM (+DOB):
Both have shrunk a bit due to some purchases and annual fees coming due. Using up some of the funds I've been setting aside! Will likely shrink again in December, and then begin the climb starting in January.
Not going to sweat it, because this is still well over my goal of 60 days!
-
December AOM (+DOB):
Saw a bit of increase in both over the past month, so we are back on track! Next year, I'm looking for a solid 120 days!
-
-
Claimed line 15. Lets see if I can break 30 days this year, also working on debt elimination.
-
Line 16 - Claimed, Goal of 30
I will post at the end of the month
AOM Dec = 15
-
Oh why not.....Line 17...will report on the 2nd of the month.
12 days
Age of Money
-
Stacy C
It won’t let me add from my cellphone or I haven’t figured out how. 13 days on February 2.
-
Stacy C 16 days today...can anyone talk stupid to me and explain age of money? Does 30 mean I'm a month ahead?
-
Stacy C
Nope. 30 days just means the money you are spending today came into your budget some 30 days ago. It's not exact because it's an average of the last 10 cash-based transactions. A person could conceivably have an AoM of 365 as they are spending their very last dollar - if the last inflow into their budget was a year ago.
Putting aside funds for true expenses will gradually increase your AoM, but as soon as you pay for those true expenses -- say annual insurance renewal, vacation travel, Christmas gifts, servicing for your car -- your AoM will drop again.
How do you know you're a month ahead? When your categories are fully funded on the first of the month and the income you subsequently receive in that month can be used to budget the next month.
-
19 today, perhaps this quarantine is a good thing.
-
Stacy C
I'm either 21 or 22.. it says 21 but hasn't updated in over a day. Something is wrong up frequent updating.
Okay, it updated! I'm officially at 22!! Yeah!!!
-
Stacy C
Wait....WHAT??!!!! I passed my GOAL!!!
-
Stacy C Congratulations Stacy C
-
-
Claimed Line 18. At one point last year my AOM was up to 11 days, but it took a hit during the holidays. I'm hoping I can break 30 in 2020!
-
January's AOM (ignore the days of buffering - I had to snip all these today and the DOB is only reflecting where I am as of today:
-
Feb's AOM (not so hot):
-
Mar's AOM (slightly better?):
-
Apr AOM (at least i'm back where I started LOL):
-
May AOM (WHOA, hanging on to that stimulus check was a smart idea!):
-
Jun AOM - Holy Moly! I not only met my goal, I smashed it! Setting a new goal for 60 days. 😁
-
Jul AOM - a few days down, but still looking good! Since I am finally a month ahead on everything i'm expecting August's numbers to be way higher.
-
Violet Rain said:
Since I am finally a month ahead on everything i'm expecting August's numbers to be way higher.Reality: AHAHAHAHAHA!
Yeeeaaahhh...that didn't happen. August was full of unplanned last-minute expenses and overspending. Womp womp. Welp, let's keep on keepin' on! Not gonna let one bad month derail me altogether.
-
Checking in for September.
Well...it's still better than last month. 🙃
-
Oct check-in. Now that's more like it! 😁
-
Welp, so much for that LOL. However, I'm not too upset by this. It was a spendy November with a surgery and some other unforeseen events, and almost everything was budgeted for. Plus I got a head start on my (budgeted) Christmas shopping. 'Tis the season! I'll try again next year. 🙂
-
-
Line 19, Age of Money is 80 days for December 2019. My goal is to break a 100 days this coming year.
-
Greetings! I am claiming line 20. I tried this last year and budgeting was a mess. So new start. I still have debts and everything but my goal is to start and be consistent with it all. So.... here's to 2020!
-
I claimed line #21. I started my current YNAB budget iteration January 2019. I will update my AOM on the 3rd of each month. My current AOM is 42 days on 1/3/2020. My goal is 60 days. I have updated the spreadsheet.
-
I think this is my 3rd year doing the spreadsheet but I've never posted. I know the limitations of AOM but I still think it's a fun metric. I'm game for anything gamified.
Last year I started at 79 with a goal of 120 and did my typical bouncing up and down for 5 months, inching towards 90. But then my mom died and I had to move some cash into my accounts to categorize for bills and some major ongoing expenses. My age of money shot to 179 at the end of Dec. and is at 182 today. However, the goal I'm setting is 150. Since my net worth has dropped majorly each of the past 5 or 6 months, I'm curious at what point my AOM begins its descent as well, and how far. On the other hand, our income has been rapidly increasing (finally) and I will be immensely proud of myself if I can maintain a decent AOM and buffer and not slip back into the 20-40 range of 2017 and 2018.
Good luck everyone! 🎉🎉
-
I'm in! Need help staying focused on this metric.
-
I'm also in! My AOM is currently 18 and Days of Buffering -148.1. My goal for 2020 is AOM 45 days and I'll be happy with anything consistently over 30. For Days of Buffering, I'm interested in seeing how the number changes throughout the year. This year's focus is saving money for home purchase and paying off debt. Thanks for the challenge!
-
I pulled a fresh start [New Year's] morning, so I don't have an AoM, and since I started with [approximately] a year's worth of my average expenses due to healthy sinking funds + emergency funds, I don't expect to see any dips in 2020....
I won't be participating in a new AoM challenge.Changed my mind. 😎 It's only been four days, but I already feel antsy at not playing along.
I'm starting with no AoM displayed yet due to a fresh start on New Year's day and forecasting that, barring disaster, I will achieve a 300 AoM by the end of 2020. Claimed my line.
-
Column A should contain the formula which is in A3 (Copy it down to A99 as A3 and A101-A500 already contains the formula), which gives each user a unique user id. Without this, the username lookup stops working.
You probably just erased a bit too much when setting this up. 😄
-
Moohouse Y'all should feel free to edit and do whatever you want with the thread; I just set up the spreadsheet this year. I've handed off the baton to JollyBudgeteer for next year, unless someone else takes the reins from them.
Enough mixed metaphors?
-
-
Fresh Start as of 1/1/2020, so as of 1/6/2020 I'm at 3 days AOM and 182 DOB. Since I don't spend much, it will probably go up a day per day for a few months.
-
casner
The race is on and you are winning. I did a fresh start on January 1 too, but I haven't had 10 cash-based transactions yet, so still no AoM.
-
-
I just claimed line 25 on the spreadsheet and am happy to find this thread! I'm feeling frustrated today because my AOM was at 10 at the end of December (my first month using YNAB!) and got to 11 at the end of last week, but is now back down to 4! I'm not worried about it - I know I'll get it back up - but it's annoying. I'm feeling rather impatient to get my AOM to 30 days, and also to pay off a small mountain of credit card debt. Trying to take deep breaths and remember that it's a process. It took me a long time to accumulate all the debt, and I'm undoing a lifetime of bad money management, so it's not going to turn around in an instant.
Anyway - one question - what's "Days of Buffering" and how do I find that?
-
Alison G.
Days of Buffering is provided by the unofficial Toolkit
https://www.toolkitforynab.com/
You should note that if you are aggressively paying down debt, your AoM will not increase. It can't because you're throwing all your spare dollars at debt. During your debt smackdown, you'll likely find the net worth metric more encouraging.
-
HappyDance Thanks! That's helpful information.
-
-
1/6/2020
I’ll take line 26 with an AOM of 88
-
I’m in, line 29
current AOM 141, trying to get to 200
-
Blue Boat cocked it up already lol. My AOM is 128 days, not 141 🙄
-
-
I claimed line 28.
We received a small inheritance ($5k) when I started YNAB in September. It all went to Christmas and youth sports. 🤮 But before we blew it all, it gave us an unrealistic AOM in my eyes, since that was an extenuating circumstance. I did a Fresh Start December 31st so I could track our actual numbers without skew from the $5k. AOM is currently 4. Goal is 30.
Thanks for setting this up! -
K. B. Life's nothing but a never ending string of random events of smaller and bigger budget impacts. Best of luck! I have never done a fresh start, and the averages only go back 12 months in any event. If I really needed proper averages for the categories in question I'd move the offending spending to a different category or different main category.
Joined again for 2020. Ended 2019 with 383, goal this year is 250 as I have a lot of planned spending in the year to come.
-
I'm claiming line 30. I'm also part of the debt bootcamp with my focus being on saving so I can avoid new debt. I would love to be a month ahead and saving for my true expenses is top priority for 2020.
-
Maroon Foal This is my goal as well! Then I can start hitting debt hard in 2021.
-
