Best YNAB Podcasts (2024)

1
Rerun: Budgeting and Meal Planning. An Interview with Erin Lowell of YNAB. 51:21

3h ago51:21

51:21

This week's episode is a rerun of Episode 38 with Erin Lowell! Erin Lowell is the Education Manager for You Need a Budget, a budgeting app and website. Our conversation with Erin covers the four rules of the YNAB system of budgeting, meal planning, cooking and meal planning for one, budgeting tips for the grocery store, and tons of practical advice…

1
You Need Frugality? 6:52

1d ago6:52

6:52

Frugality is a virtue. At least, that's what many people in the financial space would claim. Being frugal is commonly seen as a good thing, presumably because it enables you to save more money. The environmentally conscious might see value in frugality as a means to reducing overall consumption. YNAB, one could argue, aims to make you more frugal. …

1
What's the Purpose of Your Money | YNAB Founder Jesse Mecham 44:12

7d ago44:12

44:12

TITLE: What's the Purpose of Your Money | YNAB Founder Jesse Mecham Do you have trouble in your relationship with the money you earn? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by personal finance expert and founder of YNAB, Jesse Mecham, to discuss the philosophy and principles of YNAB (You Need a Budget), an app designed to help users align t…

1
Lessons from YNAB's Price Increase 42:09

25d ago42:09

42:09

Mark and Jesse discuss YNAB's recent price increase, and the psychology of customers around pricing. You can't make everyone happy, whether you justify the price increase by citing your own increased costs or by plainly stating your price increase without explanation or caveat. Jesse points out that some customers that have complained about the pri…

1
#96 - Ask the Nerds: Grab Bag Edition 51:19

6d ago51:19

51:19

Ben and Ernie get a handful of recurring questions that aren't quite big enough topics to make into their own episode, but nevertheless deserve to be answered! In today's show, they tackle some of those questions, including: What does Ben mean when he talks about the "matchy matchy game?" Helping kids learn to budget Should you have separate catego…

1
Give Up, or Downshift? 9:44

9d ago9:44

9:44

Jesse shares a story about taking a group of kids hiking, and coming down with altitude sickness on the first day. He could have quit, but he figured out a way to re-route the hike where he could safely get through. It's not so different when working with personal finances. It's tempting to just quit when things get hard, or road blocks come up, bu…

1
Taking a Hard Look in the Reality Mirror 27:32

11d ago27:32

27:32

On previous epsidoes, Mark and Jesse have discussed the importance of scarcity, and how limitations drive creativity. Mark even goes so far as to argue creativity can't exist without limitations! YNAB, then, is a tool for viewing reality through the lens of money -- a reality mirror if you like. By understanding the tradeoffs you are making with yo…

1
#88: Food is Community with Andrea of the Ancestral Kitchen Podcast 54:42

13d ago54:42

54:42

Andrea, her husband Gary, and their four children live on their family farm in the Chuckanut Mountains of Western Washington. They enjoy running a small campground and summer event space, raising animals, and a small garden for food production. Andrea is co-host of the Ancestral Kitchen Podcast which supports families in their pursuit of cooking mo…

1
Big Goals? Check. In the Meantime... 7:10

17d ago7:10

7:10

Big financial goals are great. It's what we live for at YNAB! But, life happens in between those big goals, and Jesse reminds you that it's ok to spend some money "in the meantime." Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Follow YNAB on social media: Facebook: …

1
#95 - Managing Variable Income as a Busy Graduate Student: Jasmin Green, PhD Student UC Davis 1:31:36

20d ago1:31:36

1:31:36

The Budget Nerds have covered the spending habits of a lot of married folks with families, but what about the single people out there? In today's episode, Ben and Ernie speak with Jasmin Green, a PhD student in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. Jasmin is an avid YNAB'er, who credits the methodology with keeping her bank account in order…

301
A Fun Way to Do Fun Money 7:19

23d ago7:19

7:19

Jesse shares a fun way to handle "fun money" from long-time YNAB software engineer Kyle. Kyle suggests creating separate bank accounts for fun money with separate budgets as well. His method evolved from the desire to keep the visibility of fun money separate from his spouse, so they could 1.) take any judgment or guilt away from spending fun money…

1
#87: Time Saving Tips for Meal Planning and Chores with Stephanie Royer 49:22

27d ago49:22

49:22

Stephanie is the creator of Mommy Standard Time, a blog designed to help families save minutes and savor moments. After going through breast cancer treatment as a young mother of three, she realized that life was too short to be spending so much time on chores! She is always on the lookout for ways to save time on day-to-day tasks, especially meal …

1
Befriend Your Inner Creative Genius | Prof. Elizabeth Wimer 54:10

28d ago54:10

54:10

What’s holding you back from reaching your fullest capability for creativity? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by Syracuse University’s Professor Elizabeth Wimer to discuss a range of topics from providing practical advice for avoiding burnout, to understanding the Pareto principle to identify impactful relationships, fostering creati…

1
The Utility (or Not) of the Month 5:28

1M ago5:28

5:28

We organize our lives by the calendar, and the calendar is organized into months. It's no surprise then, that we tend to think of finances in terms of months -- monthly payments, monthly contributions, having 3-6 months of expenses saved. The month has a lot of utility, but it is an arbitrary division of time. Jesse examines how the month can be us…

1
#94 - How Does It Feel to Be a Month Ahead? Budget Nerds Weigh In 44:27

1M ago44:27

44:27

Getting a month ahead with your money is a milestone for many YNAB'ers. Being a "month ahead" means that when the first of the month hits, all your bills and expenses for that new month are already paid for -- the money for them is sitting in your bank account, and assigned to the respective categories in YNAB, waiting to cover those costs. And boy…

1
Maybe Just Buy the Thing (and Costco) 7:21

1M ago7:21

7:21

Jesse waxes poetic about Costco and how simple their model makes purchasing decisions. He also brings up the point that we often spend a lot of time searching for the best deal, for that one hot tip that will maximize our dollars for a certain purchase. Our time and attention is a resource as well, and perhaps we should just go buy the thing, and b…

1
Cheap Business Advice 31:28

1M ago31:28

31:28

Mark and Jesse reminisce about the early days of YNAB, and a conversation over lunch in which Mark gave Jesse (what he thought was) sage advice -- to raise prices. Genius right? Jesse recounts how they raised prices in the earliest incarnations of YNAB's product, from spreadsheets to software to software-as-a-service. He also candidly breaks down a…

1
#86: Raising Anti-Diet Kids with Nutrition Coach Diana Rice 52:20

1M ago52:20

52:20

Diana Rice is a certified, intuitive eating counselor and a certified parent coach with a mission of helping families enjoy a healthy relationship with food. Her online platform is Anti-Diet Kids where she teaches parents how to bring the concept of intuitive eating and rejecting diet culture into their parenting. Diana and I talk all about anti-di…

1
Stealing Fire Back From Procrastination | Steven Lawson 26:18

1M ago26:18

26:18

Do you know the real cause of why you procrastinate? On today’s solo episode of Potent, Steven tackles the concept of procrastination, and how while many may view it as a lack of discipline, in reality it’s more rooted as a fear response. Through his experience with the Monk Manual and coaching entrepreneurs over the years, Steven identifies patter…

1
Let's Be Clear, I Hate Debt 10:52

1M ago10:52

10:52

Jesse delivers a good old fashioned rant about the evils of debt. While he may have softened his rhetoric over the past decade, Jesse is no less serious about his distaste for debt! Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Follow YNAB on social media: Facebook: …

1
#93 - Dream Bigger Than Your Bills! 35:49

2M ago35:49

35:49

Today Ben and Ernie are joined by returning guest and YNAB Lead Educator, Erin Lowell, who posed the idea of thinking bigger with your money. Many people come to YNAB seeking a way to escape the paycheck to paycheck cycle, pay down debt, build an emergency fund, and reduce their stress and anxiety around money. These are wonderful goals! However Er…

1
Run Like You Stole Something (to HR) 8:30

2M ago8:30

8:30

Well meaning companies will bring in financial advisors to extol the virtues of investing in 401ks and matching plans, while some of their employees are still living paycheck to paycheck. With YNAB, you can take control of your money and get off the paycheck to paycheck cycle, then run to HR and take that 401k match like you stole it! Got a questio…

1
ChatGPT and Learning to Let Go of Control 38:18

2M ago38:18

38:18

After a conversation about using ChatGPT to organize the weekly recipe calendar for the Mecham household, Mark and Jesse talk about the concept of letting go of control in a business. Mark posits an idea: you can have control or you can have growth, but not both. And Mark hates it! Jesse draws a distinction between control of the business -- that i…

1
#85: Meal Planning Tips for Using Leftovers with Riley 50:54

2M ago50:54

50:54

Riley is back for an episode all about leftovers! Whether you love them or love to hate them, we have so many tips and tricks for repurposing leftovers and finding ways to use up what you have. We offer advice on how to meal plan with leftovers in mind and Riley shares an interesting perspective on why some people dislike leftovers more than others…

1
The Problem with Isolation - Community, Purpose, and Monks | Joe Rutten 51:18

2M ago51:18

51:18

Does placing too much importance on personal individualism separate us from each other more than we realize? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by Joe Rutten, Director of the Benedictine Leadership Institute at Mount Marty University, to discuss the importance and impact of communal monasticism based on the principles of St. Benedict. J…

1
Money Is Chaotic, Money Is Boring 6:34

2M ago6:34

6:34

Money can be chaotic, noisy, tinged with anxiety and fear. Or, with YNAB, it can be boring! At YNAB we strive for money to be boring, so that life can be rich, exciting, and full. Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Follow YNAB on social media: Facebook: @i…

1
#92 - Are You Doing YNAB? Tracking Expenses vs YNABing 37:22

2M ago37:22

37:22

It's a common story: a person finds YNAB and starts using the software, only realize months (sometimes years) down the road that they weren't actually following the YNAB method. They were just tracking expenses using YNAB's software. Tracking expenses is not a bad thing -- tracking brings awareness of your spending habits and where your money and e…

1
Shock Absorbers 6:53

2M ago6:53

6:53

As the saying goes, "stuff" happens. Life throws curveballs, sometimes several in a row, and YNAB'ers prepare for this financially by following the Four Rules: Give every dollar a job Embrace your true expenses Roll with the punches Age your money Today's episode is mostly about rule #3. When you roll with the punches, you reassign money you have s…

1
The Hero's Journey of Customer Service 52:36

2M ago52:36

52:36

Mark and Jesse discuss the role of customer service in a business, and how the alignment of customer expecations with the business owner's strengths (or working genius, if you like) is crucial to customer satisfaction and avoiding burnout. Mark shares an example from his virtual CFO business, which was highly profitable but making him miserable as …

1
#84: Eco-Friendly Living Made Easy with Pam Mercer of Greenily 41:17

2M ago41:17

41:17

Pam Mercer is the founder of Greenily – Your Family Only Greener. Her background is in conservation education and now she helps moms and families adopt simple lifestyle changes to be more eco-friendly. In our interview, Pam shares helpful tips for updating your household routines and habits with eco-friendly products. She gives some simple swaps yo…

1
Understanding Yourself: MBTI, Enneagram, and Core Gift | Leslie McDaniel 58:18

2M ago58:18

58:18

Are you holding yourself back from knowing the real you? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by Leslie McDaniel to discuss her lifelong journey of self-awareness through personality typology and core gifts, as well as how her curiosity has shaped her life. Through emphasizing body awareness and presence, the two highlight some of the mos…

1
Category Tractor Beam, Sucked Me Right In 9:19

2M ago9:19

9:19

Those categories that you love to spend in, those categories that suck you right in. What if you could increase your spending in that category by 50%? Jesse challenges you that you can in fact do this, by honing in on the things you love, and the things you don't. Spend less on the things you don't love -- not because you are cutting! -- but so tha…

1
#91 - Windfalls, Learning to Invest, and YNAB 4: Jeremy Schneider of Personal Finance Club 1:09:42

3M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Ben and Ernie chat with Jeremy Schneider, an entrepreneur turned personal finance teacher who aims to demystify the confusing world of investing with simple, unbiased information. In his early 20's, Jeremy founded an internet startup and ran it for 12 years, never taking home more than $36k/year -- while living in San Diego, CA! This experience req…

1
Can You Plan to Be Spontaneous? 5:57

3M ago5:57

5:57

According to Jesse, absolutely you can! In fact, YNAB enables you to be more spontaneous. Planning your spending with YNAB doesn't mean locking your dollars into rigid categories that cannot change. It means setting aside money ahead of time for the things you don't know you want yet. Many people who thrive on spontaneity unfortunately end up in fi…

1
What Is Your Working Genius? How to Avoid Frustration and Do the Work You Love 55:28

3M ago55:28

55:28

Mark and Jesse discuss Patrick Lencioni's The 6 Types of Working Genius, a book exploring various personality types and the kinds of work most suitable to each. It's more than a personality test however! Lencioni's model assesses people according to their genius, competency, and frustrations in six areas: Wonder: The natural gift of pondering the p…

1
#83: Cut Your Grocery Budget in Half with Alli Powell of The Grocery Getting Girl 34:54

3M ago34:54

34:54

Alli Powell is the money-saving woman behind The Grocery Getting Girl! Alli and her husband started budgeting seriously in 2018 and she was able to cut her grocery bill in half with some budget-friendly planning. Alli joined me on the podcast to talk all about grocery budgeting and this episode is chock-full of tips! We cover how she found the time…

1
5 Lessons on Transforming Unrest | Steven Lawson 30:31

3M ago30:31

30:31

Where is the unrest in your life truly coming from and what can be done about it? On today’s solo episode of Potent, Steven describes his personal journey with the Monk Manual and shares lessons he’s learned about honesty, dealing with unrest, embracing change, and focusing on serving others to achieve personal growth and reach one's full potential…

1
Helping Savers Spend 7:09

3M ago7:09

7:09

We tend to think of spending as a problem that needs to be solved, however YNAB encourages spending as a thing to be enjoyed, as long as that spending is in accordance with priorities and people understand the tradeoffs they are making when they spend. In the world of personal finance we also tend to think about people who are natural spenders, but…

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