Get 3 months for $0.99 a month + $20 Audible credit

LIMITED TIME OFFER
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
Get this deal Try for $0.00
Offer ends December 1, 2025 11:59pm PT.
Join Audible for only $0.99 a month for the first 3 months, and get a bonus $20 credit for Audible.ca. Bonus credit notification will be received via email.
1 audiobook per month of your choice from our unparalleled catalog.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

You Need a Budget

Written by: Jesse Mecham
Narrated by: Jesse Mecham
Get this deal Try for $0.00

$14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offers ends December 1, 2025 11:59pm PT.

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $20.97

Buy Now for $20.97

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
All aboard on the YNAB train!!!! This is the only budget tool I've been able to stick with. If you apply it as it should, you will eventually see your checking account grow and other areas too like investing. This audiobook simply gives you a good explanation on how to budget with the YNAB program. Useful if there are some elements you don't understand.

All aboard

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

I started the book because I have no debt but constantly wonder where did my money go. My bills are always paid, overall I’m handling my finances well, but I struggle with the spending. Throughout the book I was wondering when is he going to talk about envelopes or the practical how-to of implementing the concept. Turns out it’s all done in your chequing account and with a spreadsheet. I was a little worried at first because I feel like money in the bank IS the problem. With a couple examples I realized, understanding the concept and changing your behaviour accordingly is key. I don’t want envelopes of money all over, I want a lot of money in the bank that has a purpose. If it has a purpose I won’t spend it so willy-nilly. So overall excellent book and concept for getting people started for the first time or back on track for the 100th time.

Give every dollar a purpose - zero based budgeting.

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

At first, I questioned why this book isn’t free, as it would be an awesome advertising for the app. Then, as I listened to the author, I realized that this was precisely what I was looking for — an informative piece on how to have a healthier perspective on spending $ budgeting.

More like a therapy on budgeting & consumer spending

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

I started using the budgeting software and it really is way better then anything else I have used in the past. working towards financial freedom! Thank you.

Amazing!

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

I want my money back , struggle to finish it. don't buy this book. waste of time

Bad

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

after the intro chapter, only 3 chapters are original. others are just the four rules.

just stories and the 4 rules

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