Mobile Budgeting Tool Free For College Students – And Discount Code For Everyone Else

As of March 25, 2014, the good people at You Need A Budget (YNAB) have made their budgeting solution free for college students, including part-time students. Our regular readers know that I gave a rave review of YNAB when describing our Budgeting Lite system for an article that appeared in Yahoo Finance. Here’s a quick synopsis: My wife and I have found that YNAB is much easier to use than the tools that rely on downloading all of your financial transactions.

But doesn’t this break the TANSTAAFL principle? Yes, I concede.  But if there’s one reason for even the most principled financial advisor to flex rules, it’s for a budgeting tool.

How to Obtain Your Free Copy of YNAB

1. Email the team at YNAB at support@youneedabudget.com and include proof of registration at your college.
2. They’ll send you a special license key, good until the end of the calendar year.
3. At the end of the year, just shoot YNAB another email if you’re still cranking away on your schoolwork, and we’ll send you a new license key that’s good for the entire next year.

For other frequently asked questions about this deal, click here.

After sharing my Budgeting Lite strategy with the people at YNAB, they were so appreciative of the endorsement and unique budgeting approach, they gave me a 10% discount to pass along to those who want to try out their tools.  I always like to note here that as fee-only financial advisers, we do not accept any payments — also known as revenue sharing, kickbacks, or commissions — for referrals. Here’s the information for those looking for a discount:

1. Click on the link http://www.youneedabudget.com/myadvisor.

2. Next to “Use My Code,” enter marotta.

*Image used with permission from the YNAB Press Kit.