Dear So and So

[Becky]

Becky, it took me a year to get my buffer. I started out with a small emergency fund, and then just kept growing it until it reached my buffer amount. Then I rebuilt the emergency fund, so I have a buffer and a separate emergency fund. Now I'm building up my rainy day categories, and it's going nicely. I have taken on some side work that I really enjoy, and that has helped pad out my rainy day funds. I could not have done this without YNAB, but now I find it really alot of fun and it's very empowering to me to be in control of my money instead of the other way around.

Tulip, thanks for sharing. This makes me feel loads better about not having a fully-funded buffer yet.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Tulip, you know what was REALLY fun? Realizing that at 16, I had on a 600 dollar a month allowance (I was living alone with no family, not a spoilt teenager) and now? I'm still doing 600 bucks a month. Well that's before I factor in rent. But I love knowing that in 10 years, I can still do with the same amount of money. On some level, it makes the financially paranoid side of me feel so, so, much safer.