Budgeting is pretty fun already... if you're a budget nerd. But what's even more fun than reconciling your account, or assigning that fresh pay check that just hit your account? Making a game out of it! Ben and Ernie discuss the various ways they have "gamified" YNAB, to have some fun with the process, to hit stretch goals, and to improve their spending decisions and willpower when funds in a certain category get tight.

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Ben and Ernie tackle the topic of paying off debt, with a different bent than the typical personal finance podcast or blog. Where many sources focus on paying debt off at all costs, using extreme measures or simply throwing every dollar at debt, Ben and Ernie prefer a paydown approach which focuses on your priorities. What is most important in your life? Find a way to continue doing those things, while cutting back on non-essential aspects of your life to free up money for debt pay down.

Often this means deliberately paying off your debt slower than you could with a more extreme approach. And that's OK! Paying off large amounts of debt in a short time makes for great stories, but most of the time it leads to burnout and accumulating more debt. Throwing every dollar at debt can also leave you financially vulnerable, as you have no cash cushion available to handle unexpected expenses.

To that end, Ben and Ernie share their own stories about paying off debt, what they were willing to give up to pay it off faster, and what they were NOT willing to give up. Their stories demonstrate that life can still go on, even when you're paying off debt!

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Ernie is hosting a live "Budget with Me" session on the Budget Nerds YouTube channel. Ernie will be sharing his actual budget and demonstrating his process for budgeting his April paychecks.

The livestream will air on May 1, 2023 at 7:00pm Eastern here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/AAAgGHPlC3k?feature=share

If you missed it, you can still view the recording of the livestream on the Budget Nerds YouTube channel.

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It's Ben's turn! Ben shares a whopping 84 categories from his budget on today's show, from "BMI" to "sundries" (Ben's favorite word).

Ernie will be budgeting LIVE on YouTube with his actual April paychecks, to show you his budget and his process. You can catch the livestream on May 1st at 7:00pm Eastern here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/AAAgGHPlC3k?feature=share

Share your YNAB wins with Ben and Ernie!

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Ever wonder what Ben and Ernie's budget looks like, in detail? Today you'll find out! Ernie shares every category in his budget -- all 60 of them -- how he uses them, and how they developed over time.

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Ben and Ernie discuss the rich and diverse YNAB community across the web, from subreddits to Facebook groups to YNAB-hosted seminars and workshops. There are YNAB groups for multiple languages, YNAB groups for people with disabilities, and YNAB groups for people following other financial help programs. Whoever you are and whatever your background, there's almost certainly someone else out there using YNAB!

YNAB Community Links

• YNAB main subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ynab/
• YNAB (You Need a Budget) Fans! https://www.facebook.com/groups/YNABFans
• Friendly YNAB (You Need a Budget) Support https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401727190120850
• Debt Bootcamp https://www.youneedabudget.com/debt-bootcamp/
• More Money Challenge https://www.youneedabudget.com/moremoneychallenge/
• #YNABCommunity (Instagram)

Share your YNAB wins with Ben and Ernie!

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Ben and Ernie tackle the age-old question: can I afford it? Many people who are stressed about money face this question regularly, and without a solid plan for their money, there's not a good answer to the question. The answer usually comes down to this: how much money is in my bank account right now, how much do I owe right now (do some mental math), and is the remainder enough to buy this thing?

As we all know, the bank balance and mental math approach to this question is a slippery slope, and prone to a lot of errors. But with a solid plan, following YNAB's Four Rules, you don't have to worry anymore! There's either money in the category for the thing you want to buy, because you assigned dollars to it already, or there's not. If there's not enough money in the category, then you can move money from other categories to see if there's enough to cover the cost -- and if you are OK with the tradeoff. Maybe you're OK with zeroing out your coffee budget for a month to buy this thing, whereas taking money from the rent category would obviously be a non-starter!

Ben and Ernie go beyond the dollars and cents, however, and discuss the hidden costs of things. There are things with ongoing maintenance costs -- like Ernie and his lawn equipment -- then are things which have a potential non-monetary cost, like Ben's new One Wheel. When you ask the question "can I afford it," especially for big ticket items, it's important to consider all the angles!

Ben and Ernie want to hear about your YNAB wins! Send them an email:

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ANNOUNCEMENT: Ben and Ernie are going LIVE on YouTube on Feb. 22, 3:00pm EST to chat with you and answer your questions.

If you missed the Q&A, you can still watch the replay -- just head on over to the YouTube channel linked below.

YouTube Live Q&A:

https://www.youtube.com/live/TQgblkdkFVI?feature=share

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Ben and Ernie invite Hannah, from the popular YouTube budgeting show Heard It From Hannah, on to the show to talk about everyone's favorite topic -- pets! Dogs, of course, are man's best friend (sorry cat people), but they can also be expensive! If you own a pet, it's essential to include them in your budget plans.

Ben, Ernie, and Hannah discuss the ways they have included their pets into the Four Rules, from things as simple as monthly kibble, to pet insurance, to unexpected surgical procedures.

Watch Heard It from Hannah on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/Lm5_9ps_zo0

Ben and Ernie want to hear about your YNAB wins! Send them an email:

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuIUGmbCDklkDCDm-cQqv2g

The good, the bad, the meh, and everything in between -- Ben and Ernie review their most memorable purchases in 2022. Ben discovers that tree management is actually a true expense (and not a small one at that), while Ernie battles rodents and fart spray at his house.

Ben and Ernie want to hear about your YNAB wins! Send them an email:

[email protected]

Follow Budget Nerds on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuIUGmbCDklkDCDm-cQqv2g