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Jesse Mecham

YNAB Founder

Jesse Mecham is a personal finance expert, speaker, business leader, and the Founder of You Need A Budget (or YNAB if you are very busy and important). Jesse hosts The Jesse Mecham Show, and is the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of book You Need A Budget. (He’s nothing if not consistent!) A self-proclaimed “recovering CPA,” he is deeply passionate about teaching individuals, families, and business owners the YNAB Method so they can gain total control of their money. 

Jesse first developed the YNAB method as a broke, newly married college student who really needed a budget. In an attempt to make an additional $300/month to cover rent, he sold his budgeting spreadsheet online and YNAB was born. Since 2004, the software has grown into a leading personal finance platform and has helped hundreds of thousands of people break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, get out of debt, and save more money. Now, YNAB has a growing team living and working all around the world, and has built a thriving remote culture that earned recognition as Fortune’s #1 best small company to work for (YNAB was doing remote work before it was cool!). When not teaching people how to budget, Jesse loves gardening, woodworking, marksmanship, and travel. He also spends a good bit of time with his wife and the seven small people that live in their house.

Featured Articles

Living Within Your Means

It seems like the golden rule of personal finance is to "live within your means." This seems simple enough, so why don't more people do it?

All articles by

Jesse

What are True Expenses?

True Expenses in YNAB are non-monthly bills and expenses like auto insurance, holiday gifts, or a tuition bill.

What To Do With Your Net Worth Report

Today I’ll dig into the Net Worth report. What does it mean? How can you use it? What will it do for you? Check it out!

How Old Is Your Money?

No financial number offers a complete picture of your financial stability or flexibility. Learn what the age of money says about your budget.

A 50% Savings Rate is Impossible...Isn’t it?

I may never achieve a 50% savings rate (as Mr. Money Mustache encourages). But it’s such a compelling ideal that I’ve resolved to start generally wandering in that direction.

How to Become Debt Free With a Low Income

It’s going to be tight, but you can do it. Getting out of debt involves one big decision followed by small, daily decisions.

How to Calculate Your Personal Savings Rate

I want a fat purse, and I like the simplicity of taking 10 cents of every dollar earned and saving it for the future. Learn how much to save.