Track and manage your desired spending by setting up targets in YNAB. Learn how to customize the cadence and behavior of targets to help you plan ahead for upcoming expenses.

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  Ready to create, edit, or delete a target? How to Use Targets ↗️

  Curious about our recent update to targets? Our 2024 Update to Targets: What Has Changed and How to Transition ↗️

  Looking for more info on targets in a Credit Card Payment category or paired loan category? Review this article ↗️ to learn more.

Overview

A target is added to a category to tell YNAB (and to remind you) of how much you want to assign to a category each month, even if you don’t have the funds in your account yet. If you have a long-term expense, adding that amount as a target will take the guesswork out of how much money you need to set aside each month.

Setting targets will also help you figure out how your expected expenses stack up against your income with a plan template ↗️. You can plan ahead for expenses, even if your priorities change.

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Weekly Targets

Assign and spend up to this amount each week in a month. The target will prompt you to assign money until you meet your weekly target totals for the entire month. The total target amount is based on which day you’ve chosen your week to “start over”, and how many of those days are in that month.

When you set the target up, you’ll choose its behavior. By choosing its behavior, you'll know what to expect when the target repeats next month.

With the "Set aside another..." behavior, the target will prompt you to assign enough to meet the target for the full month, divided weekly. With this option, money will build up in the category over time.

• Example: Assign $150 each week for childcare.
  
  
• Category examples: Childcare, housekeeping, and most other expenses that happen weekly or every other week.

With the "Refill up to..." behavior, the target will prompt you to refill funds used in the previous month, up to that month's target amount. With this option, you'll only assign enough to fill the category up to the target amount (based on how many weeks are in the month).

• Example: Assign $100 for groceries each week by Friday. If there is money left over, apply that toward next month's weekly targets.
  
  
• Category examples: Groceries, date night, work lunches, dining out, or any other category where you want to spend up to an amount on a weekly basis.

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Monthly Targets

Assign and spend up to this set amount each month. This target period follows a calendar month. When the month changes, this target will repeat.

When you set the target up, you’ll choose its behavior. By choosing its behavior, you'll know what to expect when the target repeats next month.

With the “Set aside another...” behavior, the target will prompt you to assign the full amount of the monthly target again. With this option, money will build up in the category over time.

• Example: Assign $100 each month towards future home maintenance needs. 
  
  
• Category examples: Rent, mortgage, auto maintenance, home repairs, medical expenses, investment account contributions, building up a savings category, or any other set expense that happens each month. 

With the "Refill up to..." behavior, the target will prompt you to refill any funds that left the category in the previous month, up to that month's target amount. With this option, you'll only assign enough to fill the category up to the target amount. 

• Example: Assign $100 for fuel each month, and spend up to $100. If there is money left over, apply that toward next month's target.
  
  
• Category examples: Utilities, dining out, gas/fuel, transportation, discretionary spending, or any expense where you want to spend up to an amount on a monthly basis.

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Yearly Targets

Assign and spend up to this set amount for a yearly expense. With yearly targets, you decide when the first target period ends by selecting a "first due on" date. You can save up for the first yearly expense, even if you start the target less than a year before its due. Once the first due date month has passed, the target will repeat annually based on that “first due on” date.

When you set the target up, you’ll choose its behavior. By choosing its behavior, you'll know what to expect when the target repeats next year.

With the "Set aside another..." behavior, the target will prompt you to assign the full amount of the yearly target again. This works well when you want to save up for an expense the month before it's due, and then start saving again for next year.

• Example: Assign $600 for taxes by next year and the target will ask you for $50 each month.
  
  
• Category examples: Yearly subscriptions, medical expenses, taxes, and any set yearly expense. 

With the "Refill up to..." behavior, the target will prompt you to refill any funds that left the category in the previous year, up to that months target amount. With this option, you'll only assign enough to fill the category back up to the target amount.

• Example: Assign $1,200 for gifts by next year and the target will ask you for $100 each month.
  
  
• Category examples: Gifts, birthdays, home improvement, insurance payments, any variable expense you want to spend up to an amount on a yearly basis.

Since there can only be one target in a category in a single month, the new target period will start the month after the previous one ends. This is true even if the target due date is before the end of the month.

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Custom Targets

Assign and spend up to this amount by a given date. YNAB will prompt you to assign a certain amount each month to stay on track to meet the target amount. The custom section gives you more options for tracking progress. You can choose whether you want the target to repeat or not, and how often. Currently, custom targets can only be set to repeat monthly or yearly. 

When you set the target up, you’ll choose its behavior. By choosing its behavior, you'll know what to expect when the target repeats. Custom target behaviors are slightly different than the options you have for weekly, monthly, and yearly targets.

With the "Set aside..." behavior, the target will prompt you to assign the full target amount by the due date, just like weekly, monthly, and yearly targets do. You can choose to repeat this target at a variety of cadences, or not at all. If the target repeats, you'll choose whether to "set aside another..." or "refill up to..." the target amount.

• Example: Assign $300 every six months for your twice-yearly car insurance payment. The target will ask you for $50 each month and reset every six months.
  
  
• Category examples: Vacations, home improvement projects, a new baby, one-time or repeating expenses that don’t repeat monthly or yearly, where you’ll need to spend as you go.

Just like yearly targets, you decide when the first target period ends by selecting a "first due on" date. You can save up for the first expense, even if you start the target only a month before its first due. Once the first due date month has passed, the target will repeat at the cadence you’ve chosen, based on that “first due on” date.

With the "Have a balance of..." behavior, you can choose whether or not you'd like to set a due date. If you choose a due date, the target will prompt you to assign money so the Available balance of the category matches the target amount by the due date. This target does not repeat, and it's not meant to be spent from before it's due. It's best for large, one-time expenses.

• Example: Set a target to have $10,000 set aside for a house down payment.
  
  
• Category examples: house down payment, new car, new furniture, one-time medical expenses, computer replacement, or other large one-time purchases.

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Related Resources

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