I'd refer to it as more of a "set-it-and-forget-it automated financial framework". I'm not, for example, pondering how much I'm spending on groceries, frantically updating YNAB with those transactions. Everything's sorted and just keeps working for me.

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Simple Bank Is Closing 6 years ago

Mint scrapes the sites and stores passwords in plaintext

Incorrect:

How secure is my login information I store in Mint?
Your login user name and passwords are stored securely in a separate database using multi-layered hardware and software encryption. We only store the information needed to save you the trouble of updating, syncing or uploading financial information manually.

Ref: https://mint.intuit.com/how-mint-works/security

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Simple Bank Is Closing 6 years ago

Mint on the other hand is totally useless.

That's hyperbole. Having a bird's eye view of every single account, transaction, investments, net worth, etc. is "totally useless"? No.

I use Mint and it works quite well for keeping an eye on your financial life at a glance. I don't need some micro-managey software like YNAB (that I'd have to pay for monthly!) to continually increase my wealth and keep debt in check - here's my tricks:

* Pay off credit card in full every month (I have one card that I use for gas, etc.)

* Invest 20% into company-matched 401k, my Roth, etc. primarily focused on S&P 500 Index Funds

* Save roughly $275/check into a liquid savings account.

* I have no car payment (paid of my 2010 Subaru that I got for $9k).

* Everything on autopay.

* Don't buy stupid nonsense.

It's worked well thus far. There's no real "need" to budget - KISS principle wins the day again.

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