You Need a Budget cover art

You Need a Budget

The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want

Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

You Need a Budget

By: Jesse Mecham
Narrated by: Jesse Mecham
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $16.99

Buy Now for $16.99

About this listen

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 Hours

Experience 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.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Beauty, Grooming & Style Personal Development Personal Finance Money Budgeting Money Management Software Business Technology Personal Budget
All stars
Most relevant
loved it's easy language and practical application. I can't wait to budget. life-changing reframes budgeting

Amazing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Easy to follow and by no means a "this is what you have to do" book.. purely based on recommendations and examples of how thjngs can work better, things that catch you by suprise in life, and over all explaining financial freedom. Definately a great book for in particular you struggle with credit debt and live paycheck to paycheck, or just need a bit of SELF discipline in your finances... this book gives you the opportunity to make up YOUR OWN MIND about how to sort your finances. Listened to it 4 times in a row and it's given me a perspective for a lot more value toward my dollars. Highly recommend

Proper Review... Please read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Better than a few personal finance books I’ve read lately. I liked a few of his concepts that I think I will actually utilize. He was very easy to listen to as well.

Definitely worth a read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I have read many budgeting books and this one is different. It makes you think about money in a different way and prioritise your spending. I took away a number of 'golden nuggets' of information which I really like from a book. The narration is very clear and enjoyable to listen to.

Very practical

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

So glad I came across this book. I have never budgeted before and this book has made budgeting so easy that I’m actually enjoying do so. Should have done this ages ago. I love using the app on my computer and my phone. I mainly budget each pay on my computer but then use my phone to enter transactions on the go and the two sync up automatically! So Easy !!

Best Budgeting book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Great lessons, book, philosophy however a little dry at times when listening. We are already YNAB fans so this just reaffirmed where we are heading

Great book and philosophy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

a great book I wish that I had read in my youth. He simply lays out rules for a budget that are clear concise and easy for a budget rookie to follow. Read by the author too and he did a great job of it.

Brilliant advice delivered very simply

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.