I really love this. I feel like it’s precisely the best of both worlds. Let Beeminder focus on the punishment, and you arrange your accounting in whatever makes that most motivating for you.
I know others think I’m wrong and that Beeminder could be more powerful by holding on to people’s money – that you can’t replicate that by shuffling money in your own bank accounts – but, well, those people should make a Beeminder competitor that works that way! I’m declaring, ex officio, that monetary positive reinforcement is counter to Beeminder’s philosophy. But we very much endorse the @physicsgal strategy of reframing Beeminder’s stings – or lack of them – as payouts via the magic of YNAB budget categories.