Top 5 YNAB Reports (And How to Use Them)
Your spending plan tells you where your money is going today. The Reflect tab shows you where it’s been—and where it’s headed. Here’s how to use YNAB’s best insights to make smarter financial decisions.
Why the Reflect Tab Matters in Your Spending Plan
Creating a spending plan is an essential first step. But reviewing how well that plan actually worked? That’s where the transformation happens.
YNAB gives you powerful tools to visualize your financial behavior over time. And yet, many users never fully explore the Reflect tab—or they get overwhelmed trying to interpret it.
At Master Budget Coaching, we walk clients through YNAB’s five core reports inside the Reflect tab to build a reflection habit that’s simple, insightful, and actionable.
In this article, we’ll break down:
- What each report shows you
- Why it matters
- How to use it effectively
- When to review it
Whether you’re brand new to YNAB or looking to level up your system, this guide will give you the clarity you need.
The 5 Insights That Matter Most
The Reflect tab in YNAB isn’t just for tracking totals—it’s a decision-making dashboard. Each tool inside it is designed to help you align your spending with your priorities and evaluate progress over time.
Let’s walk through the five reports that drive the most insight.
1. Spending by Category
What It Shows: This view breaks down your spending by category over a specific time period.
You can filter by:
- Month, quarter, or custom dates
- Category groups
- Accounts or Payees
Why It Matters: It answers the question: “Where is my money actually going?”
We use this with clients to:
- Spot lifestyle creep
- Flag high-spend areas
- Identify low-use categories that could be simplified
- Align spending with values
How to Use It:
- Compare planned vs. actual in high-impact areas like groceries, dining, subscriptions
- Look for patterns in category groups (e.g., auto-related, self-care, kids)
- Use as a check-in when things “feel tight”
When to Review: Monthly during your spending plan reflection.
2. Spending by Payee
What It Shows: Breaks down your spending based on who you’re paying—not what you’re paying for.
Why It Matters: It helps identify:
- Where your money is actually flowing out
- Brand loyalty habits (intentional or not)
- Redundancies in merchants
How to Use It:
- Filter by month or year
- Combine with category data to see if it aligns
- Spot areas where subscriptions or shopping may need attention
When to Review: Quarterly or semi-annually for big-picture clarity.
3. Income vs. Expenses
What It Shows: Compares your total income received to your total outflows during a chosen timeframe.
Why It Matters: It reveals if you’re living within your means—not just budgeting to do so.
How to Use It:
- Check monthly net totals to avoid snowballing overspending
- View income-to-spending ratios over 3–6 months
- Use positive months to build a buffer or pre-fund next month
When to Review: Every month and year-end.
4. Net Worth
What It Shows: Your financial position over time—assets minus liabilities.
Why It Matters: This is the long game. Net worth reflects what’s really happening behind the scenes.
How to Use It:
- Track month-to-month changes
- Compare year-start vs. year-end
- Spot whether spending shifts are helping or hurting long-term goals
When to Review: Monthly (quick look) and quarterly (deeper dive).
5. Age of Money
What It Shows: The average age—in days—of the dollars you’re spending.
Why It Matters: It reflects how far ahead you are financially.
How to Use It:
- Watch for steady increases
- Celebrate hitting milestones (30, 45, 60+ days)
- Use it to justify increasing your buffer or savings rate
When to Review: Include it as part of your monthly Reflect tab check.
Don’t Let the Data Intimidate You
If you’re new to the Reflect tab, start with just one section.
Quick-start plan:
- Choose the “Spending by Category” view
- Set a custom date range for the last 30 days
- Ask yourself:
- What surprised me?
- What do I want to do more of?
- Where can I adjust?
Coaching Snapshot: Jamal’s Report Routine
Jamal, a nonprofit director, came to us feeling out of sync with his money. He wasn’t overspending, but he never knew if he was making progress.
We set him up with a quarterly reporting routine.
By using YNAB’s “Income vs. Expenses” and “Net Worth” views in the Reflect tab, he discovered:
- He had been growing his net worth without realizing it
- His travel spending was much higher than expected
- He had room to increase his emergency fund contribution
Now, Jamal checks his Reflect tab on the 1st of every month—just after payday. He calls it his “money dashboard.”
And for the first time, he feels like the CEO of his finances.
Data Doesn’t Judge. It Guides.
It’s easy to feel nervous about looking too closely at your numbers.
But here’s the truth:
- The Reflect tab doesn’t scold.
- It doesn’t shame.
- It doesn’t tell you what you should do.
It simply shows you what has happened—so you can decide what happens next.
That’s the power of awareness.
When you use these reports regularly, you move from reaction to strategy. You stop guessing. You start seeing. And from there, you can choose with clarity.
About the Author
Trent Ladle is the founder of Master Budget Coaching and a YNAB Certified Coach with degrees in Business Management and an MBA. With nearly 40 years of budgeting experience, he helps clients build values-based spending plans—guided by the belief that when you master your spending, you master your life.
Ready to Use YNAB’s Reflect Tab Like a Pro?
We’ll help you read your numbers, uncover insights, and turn data into confidence.