Hello!

So far I'm very much enjoying YNAB over Mint, though it's only been about 24 hours. However, I have a few questions that I think are just philosophical issues or due to general unfamiliarity with the app and I'm hoping y'all can point me in the right direction.

1. Regarding budgeting and savings accounts. Right now I have both my checking and savings accounts linked with YNAB. I am trying to put 20% of each check into savings, for a couple of different nebulous goals (How much IS the engagement ring going to cost? How much IS the down payment on a house going to be? Who knows!). Right now, the balance of the savings account is showing up as remaining "to be budgeted." I only want to budget my paychecks after the savings contribution is made - how do I prevent the balance of the savings account from showing up as "to be budgeted?" Do I add a "goal?"

2a. I have two monthly bills for which I am reimbursed. The first is my phone bill, which comes out automatically as an ACH and then I get a check to be reimbursed for half of it. In your experience, is it better to budget the full amount (since this is a SET AMOUNT that comes out on the same day every month) and then mark the check as income - reimbursement? I think I understood the part of the "help" section that went over this but want to make sure!

2b. This is a weirder one. My band has a practice space, which we rent for $225. The five of us each pay $45 per month via paypal - or rather, everyone pays it to me and then I make the payment. The only time this will ever hit my account in an amount more than $45 is if someone's late paying me. Do I budget $45 or $225, or does it matter? Do I budget $45, go over budget if necessary, and then just code any potential re-payment as income - reimbursement to zero the transaction back out?

Thanks!