Thanks YNAB for teaching me that I'm living on float. No wonder the CC balance can go crazy at a moment's notice - usually when there is some good reason to spend out our cash.
Right now our CC balance on our active card is about 1.6x our typical monthly income/outflow. Retirement savings aren't in that in/out calculation, nor is the annual bonus that is a significant player in our finances. Other than mortgage, most of the stuff goes on the CC either automatically or to get points. (Yeah.) Our main cash flow concern pre-YNAB was the mortgage out of our checking account.
We have quite a few categories we can cut down on, but also some lumpy expenses coming up. Car registration is in December, and Christmas is always a big money vacuum to visit family. I've secured 7/8ths of the flights, and hopefully the last flight will come out of frequent flyer miles like we did on some of the others.
Q: Do I set up a buffer and draw a line in the sand that we WILL NOT go deeper than the amount currently on the cards? Hubs isn't pleased with the CC balance, or won't be whenever he bothers to check the balance. He will want to send as much cash as possible to the CC. But I'm worried that will make me not worry so much about the balances going up to cover normal bills, which will happen. Help.
Right now our CC balance on our active card is about 1.6x our typical monthly income/outflow. Retirement savings aren't in that in/out calculation, nor is the annual bonus that is a significant player in our finances. Other than mortgage, most of the stuff goes on the CC either automatically or to get points. (Yeah.) Our main cash flow concern pre-YNAB was the mortgage out of our checking account.
We have quite a few categories we can cut down on, but also some lumpy expenses coming up. Car registration is in December, and Christmas is always a big money vacuum to visit family. I've secured 7/8ths of the flights, and hopefully the last flight will come out of frequent flyer miles like we did on some of the others.
Q: Do I set up a buffer and draw a line in the sand that we WILL NOT go deeper than the amount currently on the cards? Hubs isn't pleased with the CC balance, or won't be whenever he bothers to check the balance. He will want to send as much cash as possible to the CC. But I'm worried that will make me not worry so much about the balances going up to cover normal bills, which will happen. Help.