Budget Nerds #129 - YNAB for Singles: Lauren's Categories
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Nov 19, 2025 A single physical therapist shares her inspiring journey from debt to financial control using YNAB. She reveals how she paid off over $100k in just a few years while navigating the unique challenges of being single. The conversation dives into the financial pitfalls for singles, from higher fixed costs to tax disadvantages and the emotional weight of managing finances alone. Lauren also discusses her manual budgeting techniques, specific YNAB categories she uses, and how she separates fun spending from necessities, all while embracing her independence.
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Reconcile Daily For Full Awareness
- Entering transactions manually daily keeps awareness high and makes reconciliation quick.
- Reconcile every day or every few days to keep balances accurate and noticed immediately.
From Debt Crisis To Debt Free
- Lauren hit rock bottom after grad school with maxed credit cards, student loans, and paycheck-to-paycheck living.
- With help from her mom and finding YNAB in 2019 she rebuilt habits and later paid off over $100k of debt by 2022.
Singles Pay More Per Person
- Single adults face higher per-person fixed costs like housing, travel, and services built for multiples.
- Over decades this creates a measurable lifetime cost gap between single and partnered people.