Money Stories

Talking about money is taboo? Not here. Read real stories from real people. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and most of all—you’ll feel understood.

Read real life money stories

She WAMed Her Way to the Grammys: A Swiftie’s Financial Fairytale With YNAB

Discover how a die-hard Swiftie won GRAMMY tickets and financed her dream trip with YNAB. Spoiler: she gets seated just one table away from Taylor Swift herself!

How Brian and Leann Got Maui’d: A Second Chance at YNAB

Brian and Leann used YNAB to save for an amazing wedding and honeymoon, but the real win was the way the experience brought them closer together.

Financial Freedom, Generosity, and the Power of YNAB: Eric’s Story

This is the story of how Eric A. used YNAB to donate a staggering 60% of their income in the first half of 2023 and found lasting peace and contentment along the way.

Debt Stories

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How this Family Paid off $266k

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We’ve Saved $4K and Paid Off $3K in Three Months

Krys

October 16, 2020

Krys is working to pay off $20,000 of debt. After just three months, she's already paid off over $3,000 and saved $4,000 so far.

I’ve Paid Off Over $3K in Two Months

Krys

October 9, 2020

Krys is working to pay off $20,000 of debt. After two months, she's already paid off over $3,000 and is already a month ahead with her money.

Coming Face-to-Face with $200K of Student Loans

Rachel Wong

October 7, 2020

Vanessa had $200,000 in student loan debt. While the number was discouraging, she made a plan to pay it off while still living her life.

How I Rebuilt My Financial Life While Healing from Divorce

Rachel Wong

October 5, 2020

After a divorce, Dawn was running out of money halfway through the month. Then, she took action and now feels more in control than ever.

I Paid Off $1,500 After One Month Using YNAB

Krys

October 2, 2020

Krys is working to pay off $20,000 of debt. After just one month, she's paid off $1500 and is documenting her experience.

My Experience Starting YNAB (Day 24)

Krys

September 25, 2020

Krys's deepening debt balance was painful to think about. Now, she's facing it head-on and has already made progress on her goals.

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It Hurt to Look at Our Finances: But I’m Doing it Anyway

Krys

September 18, 2020

Krys's deepening debt balance was painful to think about, but that wasn't making it go away. Now, she's facing it head on.

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We Couldn’t Agree on How to Handle Money

Rachel Wong

August 19, 2020

When you find a life partner, the chances of finding someone with the same financial habits and opinions is slim. So what's a couple to do?

We Paid Off $180K in 5 Years

Rachel Wong

March 11, 2020

You can run your business without debt and Liz explains how she made the switch. See how this decision led to more freedom.

If Managing Money Seems Hard, You’re in Good Company

Michole

March 6, 2020

Struggling to save? Read the story of Michole, a grad student at the University of Michigan who had never learned how to manage money well.

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Watch: This Couple Paid Off $266K of Debt in 33 Months

Rachel Wong

February 14, 2020

The Mochizukis had $266,000 of debt (credit cards, car loans, and a mortgage) when they decided to get serious about being debt-free.

How Two People Fell in Love Thanks to Budgeting

Rachel Wong

February 7, 2020

This couple met in the unlikeliest of ways: through YNAB, a budgeting app. See how two budgeters manage finances together.

One Couple Paid Off $120,000 of Debt in 10 Years

Rachel Wong

January 16, 2020

How does a normal person pay off $120K in debt? Here's a story of a couple that did just that, despite job losses and a growing family.

“I Was That Girl”—The Turnaround Story of Dana Kay

Rachel Wong

November 25, 2019

One woman's random act of kindness made her realize how far she had come in finally breaking the paycheck to paycheck cycle.

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I Changed My Wedding Plans After a Surprise $40K Hospital Bill

Rachel Wong

October 29, 2019

Molly had just paid off her student loans and was about to get married. Then she had a surgery that resulted in a sky-high medical bill.

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How Budgeting Was the Secret to Finally Quit Smoking

Rachel Wong

October 22, 2019

Melissa Schultz has smoked for as long as she can remember. Believe it or not, budgeting is what finally helped. Find out how.

Writing a New Money Story for Your Family

Rachel Wong

October 1, 2019

If I asked you where you learned about money, it likely came from your family. So where do you start when you want to rewrite your money story?

How Kate Overcame Budgeting Guilt and Found Peace

Janelle Whitaker

April 17, 2019

Kate is no stranger to budgeting. After all, her mother is one of YNAB’s workshop teachers. But that doesn’t mean budgeting came easily.

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How to Pay Off $52,000 in Student Loans in Just 21 Months

Ben Barlowe

April 5, 2019

Jonathan and Miranda were young, in love, and had $52k in student loans. Here's how they paid off their student loans in just 21 months.

How Two New Parents Paid off $31,000 in 12 Months

Shannon Marie

March 15, 2019

Tune in to this episode of Debt Stories to hear how their money transformation really clicked when Tanya uttered the four magic words ...

Against Difficult Odds, This Couple Overcame Five-Figure Debt

Shannon Marie

March 1, 2019

It takes time and effort and some sacrifice, but we still managed to keep our cable and have a nice meal out because we budgeted.

Single Mom Pays off $46,000 in Debt in Just over a Year

Shannon Marie

February 22, 2019

Siobhan is a single mom living in Jacksonville, Florida, who wants financial peace. Find out how she's tackling $76,000+ in debt to get there.

Erin Realized That Retirement Was a Possibility

Shannon Marie

February 8, 2019

Even with a second job, Erin found herself in $35,000 of debt, not including her mortgage. Tune in to find out how she turned things around ...

Ben Paid off $57k & Bought His First Home

Shannon Marie

February 1, 2019

Thanks to YNAB, I’m finally able to financially prioritize my wants and needs, as I see fit. And I was able to pay off my debt and buy a home!

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Money Stories

Talking about money is taboo? Not here. Read real stories from real people. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and most of all—you’ll feel understood.

Talking about money is taboo? Not here. Read real stories from real people. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and most of all—you’ll feel understood.

Read real life money stories

She WAMed Her Way to the Grammys: A Swiftie’s Financial Fairytale With YNAB

How Brian and Leann Got Maui’d: A Second Chance at YNAB

Financial Freedom, Generosity, and the Power of YNAB: Eric’s Story

Other resources…

Debt Stories

Debt Stories

How this Family Paid off $266k

How this Family Paid off $266k

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Money Stories

Articles

We’ve Saved $4K and Paid Off $3K in Three Months

I’ve Paid Off Over $3K in Two Months

Coming Face-to-Face with $200K of Student Loans

How I Rebuilt My Financial Life While Healing from Divorce

I Paid Off $1,500 After One Month Using YNAB

My Experience Starting YNAB (Day 24)

It Hurt to Look at Our Finances: But I’m Doing it Anyway

We Couldn’t Agree on How to Handle Money

We Paid Off $180K in 5 Years

If Managing Money Seems Hard, You’re in Good Company

Watch: This Couple Paid Off $266K of Debt in 33 Months

How Two People Fell in Love Thanks to Budgeting

One Couple Paid Off $120,000 of Debt in 10 Years

“I Was That Girl”—The Turnaround Story of Dana Kay

I Changed My Wedding Plans After a Surprise $40K Hospital Bill

How Budgeting Was the Secret to Finally Quit Smoking

Writing a New Money Story for Your Family

How Kate Overcame Budgeting Guilt and Found Peace

How to Pay Off $52,000 in Student Loans in Just 21 Months

How Two New Parents Paid off $31,000 in 12 Months

Against Difficult Odds, This Couple Overcame Five-Figure Debt

Single Mom Pays off $46,000 in Debt in Just over a Year

Erin Realized That Retirement Was a Possibility

Ben Paid off $57k & Bought His First Home

No articles found