You've probably got an item or two on your to-do list that you never seem to get to. Whenever you think about, you aren't in a position to act on it. There always seems to be something in the way when you have time and attention to complete the task. Yet these open loops, as they are sometimes referred to, are a drain on your attention and mental capacity.

Unpaid bills are mental vampires too, clogging up your subconscious and draining your mental energy. With YNAB, you don't have worry about unpaid bills hanging over your head anymore. YNAB helps you assign the dollars you have in your account now to cover bills in the future, so that when they come due, you simply pay them (or even better, autopay them!) and move on with life. Stress free!

Watch The Jesse Mecham Show on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@jessemechamshow

Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email:

askjesse@ynab.com

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Almost everyone spends on impulse from time to time -- it's pretty normal human behavior -- but we don't always want to spend impulsively. Jesse recommends a simple strategy for dealing with your impulses: make a list! Write down all the things you want as they come to you.

Sometimes the act of writing something scratches the itch enough to satisfy your wanting. If it doesn't, however, that's where YNAB steps in. With YNAB you can not only write down your wants as categories, you can set dollars aside to pay for them. And when you do that, now you can turn those impulses into guilt-free fun and enjoyment.

Watch The Jesse Mecham Show on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@jessemechamshow

Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email:

askjesse@ynab.com

Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Follow YNAB on social media:

Facebook: @ynabofficial

Instagram: @ynab.official

Twitter/X: @ynab

Tik Tok: @ynabofficial

According to YouGov, one of the top resolutions for 2026 is saving more money. While Jesse has issues with the concept of "saving" money as he has discussed in previous podcasts, the intention is still clear -- people want to get to a more stable financial position, which (for most) means more cash in the bank and less debt. Jesse also points out that consumer debt continues to hit all time highs, which leads to his approach to the question: should I build my savings or pay off debt?

Jesse urges folks to consider, why do they feel the need to reach for consumer debt in the first place? Reaching for debt regularly, especially pernicious forms of debt like credit cards and buy now, pay later programs, indicates that you aren't aware and in alignment with your true expenses -- the larger and less frequent expenses that you know will happen, but aren't regular monthly bills like rent or utilities. Auto maintenance is a classic example of true expenses -- you know you'll need oil changes, transmission fluid changes, new tires, etc. eventually, but it's not a regular monthly expense.

The trap many people fall into is throwing everything they have into debt payments, only to have a true expense pop up and no cash to pay for it. So they bring out the credit card and fall back into the same cycle that got them into debt in the first place. If you turn your attention away from paying off debt for a bit and instead focus on setting money aside for these true expenses, like tires, then you can reduce your need to rely on consumer debt to cover these. Just setting aside $50 or $100 a month toward these expenses can make you so much more financially resilient, that you no longer need debt and can now begin to pay off debt from a place of stability.

All of a sudden, you are planning and thinking about money like a YNABer!

Watch The Jesse Mecham Show on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@jessemechamshow

Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email:

askjesse@ynab.com

Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com

Follow YNAB on social media:

Facebook: @ynabofficial

Instagram: @ynab.official

Twitter/X: @ynab

Tik Tok: @ynabofficial