Jesse attempts to give some advice on purchasing a car... before admitting that he has no advice to give! Well, maybe a bit of advice. Jesse reminds us that optimizing your budget involves optimizing for YOUR needs and wants. Jesse chooses to lease a Tesla to drive around in, because he wanted to have as little headaches with car maintenance as possible. That's important to him today, but ten years ago his needs and wants were totally different, and thus the things he chose to optimize his budget for were too.   So this episode is not about how to buy the most cost-effective used car, or how to get a good deal on a new car, or anything like that. It's about examining your own needs and shaping your budget around them.   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Bestselling author Ian Morgan Cron introduces the Enneagram, a personality typing system which identifies nine different personality types, their motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. As Ian explains, understanding your enneagram can help you better understand your motivations for why you want to do the things you do, which has direct implications in budgeting. Understanding the motivations and perspectives of others, especially those with polar differences in personality, can help you mitigate conflict and reach compromise in your family relationships and in the workplace.   Ian Morgan Cron is a psychotherapist, Episcopal priest, and an accomplished author. His book The Road Back to You champions the Enneagram for people that seek to better "know thyself."   https://ianmorgancron.com

Jesse reminds us that the ideal budget... is the budget which helps you achieve your goals and values. And those goals and values can, and will, change over time!   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Robert Leonard has been a uniquely driven person since a young age. Eyeing the professional ranks of motocross at age 14 (the minimum age to turn pro was 16), he competed all over the country. When his father discouraged his going pro, Robert started working various jobs and reading about investing. By the time he graduated college, he had already purchased his first piece of real estate and began "house hacking" -- leasing spare rooms to roommates to generate cash flow to cover the mortgage.   Over the years Robert has continued to house hack, selling properties and rolling the profits into the next investment. He now owns a portfolio of rental properties. On the side, he also invests in individual stocks as a value investor, and enjoys the process of digging through company financials and earnings to find undervalued companies to buy and hold.   Robert is also passionate about teaching other people how to get started with investing in both real estate and the stock market, and he hosts two podcasts on the topic. Check the links below to follow Robert, learn more about his philosophy, and his podcasts!   Robert on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therobertleonard/   Real Estate 101 Podcast: https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/real-estate-101/   Millenial Investing Podcast: https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/millennial-investing/   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Sita Thomas is a woman of many talents, and many careers, having worked jobs ranging from massage therapy to data analytics. She has been using YNAB for over 8 years to help her reach her goals, including going back to school and making a career change, taking time off work to care for a terminally ill family member, and removing the day to day stresses of money from her life.   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse chats with professional coach and business strategist Kelsey Murphy about how she left a high profile -- yet unsatisfying -- corporate job to travel the world with her husband. During their travels Kelsey realized she had a gift for coaching and helping others put their visions and dreams into practice. Today she runs a successful coaching business doing just that.   Kelsey puts a lot of emphasis on her client's values, examining them through a very practical lens. What would you like to see or do first thing when you wake up in the morning? What kind of space do you imagine yourself working in? These are a couple of the questions Kelsey might ask. Once you understand your values in clear, tangible terms, then you can focus your attention on the important tasks that will bring you closer to your vision.   Learn more about Kelsey: https://www.kelseymurphy.com/careerandlifecoaching   Whisky & Work Podcast: https://www.kelseymurphy.com/podcast   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse answers your questions about small business in Q&A format.  You can send Jesse your questions and comments at: podcast@youneedabudget.com   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse chats with Amir Salihefendic, CEO of Doist, the company behind the popular productivity tool Todoist. Between running a company and being a father, Amir has a very busy life. He explains how he keeps everything moving smoothly, including the importance of managing your energy throughout the day, not just your schedule.   https://todoist.com   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse chats with YNAB's manager of support hiring, Emma Rolls, about what it takes to get hired at YNAB, what type of person fits in with the company culture, and Emma's personal experience learning about YNAB and getting hired.   Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Jesse identifies four common traits in people who don't stress about money. They have a cadence for checking their money. These people  regularly check-in with their budget and watch their money. It's not a panicky, reactionary review but a planned part of their week or month. They have regular conversations with themselves and/or significant others about money. These conversations are not highly charged, hostile engagements, but calm, rational discussions about what is going on day-to-day. Often these conversations aren't about money per se, but rather the things that the money is going towards. In that sense, the conversations are more about whether or not spending is happening in accordance with their values and goals. They have clarity about their priorities, values, and goals. They give their money a job, and know why they are spending. They have plenty of cash on hand.    Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com