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Automate your Shared Expenses
Stop the tedious manual data entry. Flag a transaction in YNAB, and we'll automatically sync it with Splitwise while maintaining perfect category tracking.
The Problem
Not all partnerships use joint accounts. If you're in a partnership with many shared expenses but separate accounts, tracking this in YNAB can be a pain.
Common Challenges:
- You cover their share of purchases at first
- Some of your expenses are paid by your partner
- How to plan for a partner's share of groceries?
- How to track paying them back for rent?
Enter: Splitwise
Splitwise helps track who owes what, but integrating it with YNAB's detailed budgeting has been a manual nightmare.
The Existing Solution
YNAB's official guide makes you choose: either lose detailed spending insights or spend hours on manual data entry.
Keep It Simple
Use a generic "Splitting" category for all shared expenses.
✓ Easy to manage
✗ Lose all category insights
Can't track spending on groceries, utilities, etc.
Keep It Detailed
Create complex "Settle Up" split transactions with multiple lines.
✓ Maintain category accuracy
✗ Extremely tedious process
Manual split transactions for every settlement
You Shouldn't Have to Choose
Our solution gives you both simplicity AND detailed category tracking without any manual work.
Simple as Option 1
Just flag transactions with a color. That's it.
Detailed as Option 2
Perfect category tracking with zero manual split transactions.
Our Solution
Our solution uses a Splitwise cash account in YNAB to track the balance owed in the Splitwise app. Let me show you exactly how this works with a real example.
How It Works:
- Positive balance:You're owed money by your partner
- Negative balance:You owe money to your partner
Starting Point: Clean Slate
Both accounts are ready: Checking has $400, Splitwise starts at $0
A Real Example: Dan and Eira's Month
Follow along as Dan and Eira handle their shared expenses throughout the month. Dan uses YNAB, but Eira does not.
Step 1: Dan pays $50 for gas
Dan fills up the car they both use. Here's the manual process to categorize this expense:
YNAB Transaction
Dan categorizes the $50 outflow in his Transportation category
Splitwise Entry
Dan adds a $50 split evenly expense to their shared group
YNAB Adjustment
Dan adds a $25 inflow to his Splitwise account, categorized back to Transportation
Result:
Dan's YNAB shows: Only spent $25 on Transportation (his half)
Dan's Splitwise shows: +$25 (Eira owes Dan)
Step 2: Eira pays $100 for electricity
Later that day, Eira pays their shared electricity bill. Here's how Dan handles this in his YNAB:
Splitwise Expense
Eira adds the $100 electricity bill to their shared group
YNAB Transaction
Dan adds a $50 outflow to his Splitwise account, categorized to Utilities
Result:
Dan's YNAB shows: Spent $50 on Utilities (his half)
Dan's Splitwise shows: -$25 (Dan owes Eira $25 net)
Step 3: Settling Up
At the end of the month, Dan and Eira settle their balance. Dan sends Eira $25 and categorizes it as a transfer to his Splitwise account.
Transfer: Checking → Splitwise
Dan categorizes the $25 outflow as a transfer from his Checking account to his Splitwise account.
Important: Because its' a transfer, settling up doesn't affect spending plan balances! Dan still shows $25 spent on Transportation and $50 on Utilities.
Important Caveat
With this workflow, the dollars in your Splitwise cash account are not spendable. When the balance is positive (you are owed money), you can assign those dollars in your plan, but they are not in your Checking account yet.
You must keep an eye on this and settle up as needed.
The Automation
Here's the cool part: We automate ALL the manual steps above. All you have to do is flag transactions with a color.
👆 Click the dashed flag outline above to mark this as a shared expense
What Happens Automatically Behind the Scenes
Splitwise Integration
Creates a split expense in your shared group with the exact amount and description from YNAB
YNAB Transaction
Adds the corresponding adjustment transaction to your Splitwise account with proper categorization
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my partner already uses YNAB?
This still works perfectly! You and your partner can both connect to the same Splitwise group, and we'll sync your transactions automatically.
What if an expense isn't split evenly?
Enter it directly in the Splitwise app with custom splits. Our system will respect the split ratios you set there.
Common scenario: When you front a full purchase for your partner, add an expense in Splitwise where you're owed the full amount. Both transactions will cancel out in YNAB - perfect for a "Reimbursements" category.
Ready to Automate Your Shared Expenses?
Join YNAB users who've eliminated manual data entry and gained perfect expense tracking.
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