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You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want

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Description

Wall Street Journal Bestseller“Jesse Mecham has achieved the impossible: a book on budgeting that is fascinating, entertaining, and practical. Read this book, follow his advice, then watch your bank account grow and your financial worries fade.” —Josh Kaufman, bestselling author of The Personal MBA and The First 20 HoursExperience a life free of financial stress and transform your relationship to money with this indispensable guide—the first book based on You Need A Budget’s proven method that has helped hundreds of thousands of people break the paycheck to paycheck cycle, get out of debt, and live the life they want to live.No one should tell you what to do with your money—only you know what’s most important to you. Always guiding you back to your true priorities, Jesse Mecham will fundamentally change the way you think about your money and what it can do for you. His proven method—four, simple rules—will transform money management from a paralyzing burden to a powerful tool, putting you in total control of your life:Give Every Dollar A Job. Be intentional about what you want your money to do before you spend it.Embrace Your True Expenses. Break up larger, less frequent expenses into smaller, more manageable amounts. By saving monthly for insurance premiums, holidays, or car repairs, when the time comes, your money is ready and waiting to do its job.Roll With The Punches. When life changes, so must your budget. Make adjustments and move along. Flexible budgets succeed because they’re guilt- free, realistic, and sustainable.Age Your Money. As you repeat the first three rules, you’ll increase the time between the moment you earn a dollar and the moment you need to spend it. When your money is at least a month old, you’ll have finally broken the paycheck to paycheck cycle for good.This tried-and- true system has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people by teaching them how to take charge, adjust money habits, eliminate stress, and build the life they want to live. Don’t waste another month counting down the minutes until payday. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Business; Illustrated edition (December 26, 2017)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062567586


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 81


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.81 x 8.25 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #22,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #8 in Budgetary & Cost Accounting #90 in Budgeting & Money Management (Books) #508 in Success Self-Help


#8 in Budgetary & Cost Accounting:


#90 in Budgeting & Money Management (Books):


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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Sunday, Nov 24

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Fantastic read
This book was a great read all around. Keeps you interested while trying to learn tips and tricks to help you work on your own budget
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2024 by Anthony Pfannerstill

  • Great advice on budgeting
Simple. Succinct. Life changing. Highly recommend for people looking to bring order to their financial lives. Able to implement the teachings of the book to my life instantly.
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024 by G-Ezy

  • Good read
I truly like how this author mention how budgets don't have to be set and stone. I have been budgeting for sometime and life does happen and sometimes you may have to adjust your finances to fit your reality at the moment. The scariest thing is thinking you can't do something or will not be able to make your goals cause you've create a concrete budget to stick too. Adjust as you best see fit, keep your goals in mind and give every dollar a job. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2024 by Yazmine

  • Brilliant Explanation of YNAB
Jesse Mecham takes time to give an in-depth explanation of the Four Rules of YNAB. Each chapter I finished made me feel more confident that mastering YNAB is where I should be investing my time. Mecham’s writing style is endearing. His book is filled with heartfelt stories of YNABers confronting challenges and achieving inspiring victories. It is hard to put down, and easy to read with brilliant summaries that close each chapter. I would love to give this book and a subscription to family and friends. There is nothing more poignant than to hear Mecham answer so many of my questions and offer such a fun solution. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2023 by Judah E. Henderson

  • You need, I need, WE ALL Need a Budget!
I have been using the YNAB budgeting software for a couple of years now. It has really helped teach me a lot about where I'm spending my money and helped me save for things that used to panic me. Back to school shopping for three kids, car registration and repairs, Christmas, etc...now, we save for those expenses all year and we have the money when we need it. I was excited to hear about Jesse's book. Some of this information is available online, true. Jesse and the YNAB team have always been generous with sharing their knowledge, offering free trials, free classes, podcasts, the blog, and more.The book compiles all of this into one convenient place. It goes into the how and why YNAB was created, gives an overview of the four rules, and offers valuable insight to prioritizing a budget. I am definitely looking over my budget with fresh eyes and looking forward to making my money work harder for me this year. I highly recommend this book, even to those not using the YNAB software. (I was convinced I could handle my own spreadsheet, but I am SO glad I gave in and decided to do a FREE trial of YNAB. It's so much easier and has really, honestly changed my life!) ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2018 by Michelle Stilley

  • practical advice and a model that works
Read this before or after your start using YNAB. But read it. It is practical and sets the foundation needed to do this well.
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024 by Kevin Raum

  • Solid advice, poor examples
I picked up this book to prepare to begin using the YNAB software. After reading the book, I remain convinced that Jesse is on to something and plan to use the software. However, there are some major contradictions in the advice that Jesse gives and the real-life examples that he provides as proof of concept. First, most of Jesse's subjects are two-income households. It seems easier to face down debt with two revenue streams. Another example that Jesse purports is a success story involved the experience of a woman who participates in MLM sales as a second job. MLM companies encourage women to view this sort of "side hustle" as a path to financial freedom but statistics show that the vast majority of MLM distributors and up in debt, the thing Jesse says he hates the most. Can't afford independent living or pay for your wedding? Move in with family and mooch off of them to free up income to meet your savings goals and tackle debt! Surely, Mom and Dad won't mind. Lastly, Jesse's ideas about not saving for the college educations of any of his children are downright irresponsible parenting. Even technical and State colleges are expensive these days and not everyone has an aptitude that will lead to major scholarship dollars. What I came away with after finishing this book was solid budgeting advice and a bird's eye view into the very narrow worldview of the author. Though I have no doubt in the principles of YNAB, it was disappointing to see example after unrealistic example of how to cut down on expenses and budget effectively.. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019 by KitKat

  • Not a tool as much as it is a paradigm shift in how you view your money.
I discovered YNAB late last year. We had tried other tools, envelopes, spreadsheets, Mint, Quicken, MS Money, etc.; none worked. This takes methodologies, like Dave Ramsey's and add to it the much-needed flexibility to make it actually work. No budgeting system works unless you stick to it. YNAB is such a system. In the book, Jesse does a great job of talking about the methodology behind the software, and not about the software itself. While I'm a happy user of the software, this methodology could be used on a spreadsheet if needed. Jesse really hits home on the "WHY" of budgeting, as well as the "HOW." He also conveys quite well the benefits of doing each, and it's not about having more money, it's about having more control, and less worry. Which actually leads to more money!! If you're worried when you swipe your debit card if you get stressed checking your account balance if you have more bills than money, this book is for you. Since using this methodology I have so little money stress it allows me to think more rationally about where my money goes, and where it needs to go. If you never used or intend to use this software, the book is still a worthy read. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2018 by SMC

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