The Jesse Mecham Show

Jesse is thinking about launching a separate podcast to discuss small business, internet marketing, and how you can use YNAB to manage your business cash flow, and he wants to know what you think! Would you be interested in a business-focused podcast? What kind of topics would you like to hear about? Email Jesse at [email protected] and share your thoughts! Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse asks the most important question about your reasons for getting out of debt, saving money, and achieving your financial goals. Why? Why do you do it? What's the reason behind the goals? If you could write a mission statement for your life, what would it say? Answering the simple question "Why?" might be the most important thing you do after you complete the blocking and tackling of paying off debt and building an emergency fund. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

"FI" is an acronym that has steadily grown in popularity over the last decade, though the concept is much older than that. It stands for financial independence -- some people call it early retirement (the longer acronym FIRE stands for financial independence, retire early) -- but the idea is simple. Live below your means, drastically increase your savings rate and accumulate enough wealth to "retire" or perhaps better said, until you can do what you want to do. Time and savings rate are the key components of financial independence. What if you could save half of everything you make? What if you started doing that from the beginning? Jesse shares some lessons he's trying to instill in his kids as they take their first steps toward financial independence. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

It's common to set milestones for paying down debt. They're usually big, round numbers like $500, $1k, $5k, $10k. At the end of the day though, the goals are arbitrary. It's just a number, a stepping stone, toward the greater goal. So if the day to day grind of fiscal responsibility is getting to you, change your milestones! Maybe it's $749, or $362.54. It's all arbitrary, right? Have fun with the game, and make it work for you. Set a new milestone -- whatever you like -- and celebrate when you reach that new number. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

How do you order your categories? What's on top? What's on bottom? And how did you decide that? Categories are easy to order once you understand your priorities. Rent, utilities, food -- these are non-negotiable. You can and should, however, drill down into the details of each category and ask yourself whether you could live without some of the expenses in that category. You need utilities to live, clearly, but if pushed, what would you keep and what would you cut? Could you live without internet if you had to? Once you understand which categories sit above the line (necessities) and which sit below the line, then you can total up how much you spend on "below the line" items. Then ask yourself: do you want any of this money to go to above the line items? Try this exercise to clarify your budget and see whether your budget is in line with your priorities. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Why do we become desensitized to the upticks in price of just about everything? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

"We could spend less if we wanted to." Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

New feature alert: two factor authentication Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Everyone is getting into the lending money game. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse discusses payroll advance apps. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse discusses payroll advances in relation to age of money. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse goes back to basics and breaks down YNAB's Rule Four: Age Your Money Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse goes back to basics and breaks down YNAB's Rule Three: Roll With The Punches Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse goes back to basics and breaks down YNAB's Rule Two: Embrace Your True Expenses Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse goes back to basics and breaks down YNAB's Rule One: Give Every Dollar A Job. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

How do we curb the immediacy bias with DIY? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

How many dollars are you sending to your retirement fund? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse reviews the automated investing app, Acorns. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

The rock solid measure of whether or not you're succeeding Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse takes issue with a phrase we use when it comes to spending money on children. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse interview's authors and married couple Kristy Shen, Bryce Leung about their book—available today—Quit Like a Millionaire: No Gimmicks, Luck, or Trust Fund Required. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

One simple question—should you start your budget over? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

A follow up to episode 331, Sacreligious Budgeting. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Data and the ideal budget. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

A follow up to episode to 365 on manually entering transactions. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

How is a budget like strength training? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

There are two sides to every slice of cheese. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Simple benchmarks for budgeting progress Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

A road trip, a Tesla and a story about Mr. Money Mustache Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse interview's author Ramit Sethi about the update of his 10 year old book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Ladies and gentlemen, as we start this episode, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Stand up for your nonnegotiables. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Tips for getting over the hurdle of learning to budget. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

A simple look at the approach to investing vs budgeting Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

The upside to renting. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

How is a budget like swearing? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

We're introducing a new service! Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

A message for the budgeting nerds Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Check out our book! - www.ynab.com/book

Jonathan and Miranda were college sweethearts with $52k in student loans. This is the story of how they paid it all off in just 21 months … and started their family.

A message for the free spirit budgeter Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

A little behind the scenes at YNAB and Jesse asks listeners a favor Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

When Tanya and her husband became parents for the first time, suddenly their financial priorities clicked into place—and, within just 12 months, they'd paid off $31,000 of debt so that they could truly enjoy life with their new son.

Taking another stab at entering transactions one at a time the old fashioned way. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Stash some cash Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Siobhan came to YNAB looking for a solution to her debt—$60k+ in student loans and $16k+ in credit card debt. Flash forward, and she's on track to pay the last $30k off by next year. What a difference a couple of years can make!

This is a tinfoil PSA ... perhaps Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Day-old money is stressful! Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Erin thought that she'd never be able to retire, much less do it comfortably on half of the amount than she previously thought ... but then she found YNAB.

How is a budget like a college football game? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

How is a budget like a visit from the in-laws? Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com