YNAB had a banner year (thank you for telling your friends and family!). 2014 shall be the year of the status quo.

Since Julie took over the budget, things are green. Christmas is no different. We've been saving all year for it. It's exactly how you too, can have yourself a merry little Christmas.

This "loophole" isn't a loophole at all. It's actually a plain Jane tax planning strategy that can be employed by almost anyone, with even the most boring of tax returns. You can contact Casey directly at casey@wealthguardadvisors.com.

I've brought back my tax adviser, Casey Murdock, for another podcast. He should be your adviser too. We discuss the fringe world of tax credit and deduction phaseouts. You can contact Casey directly at casey@wealthguardadvisors.com.

Inspired by Mark's blog post over on the blog, we discuss the very true (albeit depressing) principle that once you finance something, everything else you purchase is also "financed."

I reminisce, and then look forward.

A discussion on how I use YNAB to manage our real estate investing.

This is awesome. Having Julie "own" the budget has been just short of revolutionary.

I've handed the Budgetingi Reins over to my wife, Julie. She'll do a better job, and our relationship will be even better for it. Here what lead up to this, and why it's going to be awesome.

An interview with  my favorite personal finance blogger, Mr. Money Mustache.  He retired at 30 years old, and he and his wife and son live a luxurious life on just under $30,000 per year.  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PODCAST YOU WILL LISTEN TO THIS YEAR. :)

An interview with Jeff Rose, CFP and author of Soldier of Finance. You can snag a chance for a free copy by going to http://goodfinancialcents.com/ynabbook

My thoughts on cellphones, not just smartphones, and how we're being sold a bill of goods that's costing us money, and decreasing quality of life. And yes, I'm going for "dramatic" here.

Mark's blog post from a while back spurred this commentary.  My thoughts on financial priorities regarding the big picture, longer-term stuff.

With your budget, especially for those just starting, just show up. Keep it simple, do what you're told, and…just show up.

Sometimes creation trumps consumption purely for its own sake; where you're satisfied on a personal level, even though the math doesn't work.

Sometimes the best way to start thinking about making extra income is to think small.  Really small.  Don't let visions of grandeur slow you down.

There are a few ways to apply Rule Two (Save for a Rainy Day) to your wildly fluctuating income situation. This also applies if you happen to receive windfalls, but are otherwise on a fairly steady income.

Your budget will never be perfect, because you're dealing with imperfect variables (people, external events, and bad data).

The key is to give them a taste of how good it feels to save up and pay for something. Positive, achievable, and life-changing.

(Holiday spending target - current category balance) / six months remaining = your monthly contributions for the rest of 2013.

There are three secrets to budgeting successfully on even the wildest of variable incomes.  Here they are.

If you just decide things are great, maybe a monthly budget is a bit too frequent…how long would you last before the lack of frequency/familiarity left you sinking back into your old ways?

YNAB's (very successful) headline on the homepage sends the message of "control," but most people say they don't like budgets because they feel controlled.  Which is it?

How old is the last dollar you spent?

This is a quick riff on how you could (quite easily) handle accounts receivable in YNAB.

This should probably just be a replay of my interview with Leo from ZenHabits.net.  The key to money (and probably everything else in life) is to be happy in the moment.

The pathway to wealth is paved with patience.

Your "Miscellaneous" category is a black box of spending. Is that spending a reflection of your values? Or are you being lazy? And should you care anyway? We discuss :)

This is the end of that debate.

Having the choice to create a taxable event (or avoid one) is extremely powerful when it comes to minimizing your life's single biggest expense.

It involved a company that made karaoke machines. I got lucky.

I take a few minutes to explain how we use YNAB with the kids.  We have five kids, so there's proof that it scales.

Anyone can keep pace when the treadmill is level, you're not carrying any extra weight, and the speed is slow. But what happens when Big Events change that? What drove you to the point where you thought, "We need a budget!?"

What causes discontent with money? What influences how you spend your money, what you value, and whether you're truly happy?

I interview my favorite Behavior Designer of all time, BJ Fogg of the Standford Persuasive Technology Lab.  BJ and I discuss key principles for creating lasting, positive behavior change in your life.  You'll love this.

Savings without purpose is savings frittered away. Make sure you're saving with purpose!

An interview with my tax advisor, and the author of Tax Insight, Casey Murdock. He's a tax genius, and he saved me 20k in taxes a few years ago. Case closed!

I get to interview a fellow man-cave enthusiast and personal finance blogger who writes one of my favorite money blogs: BudgetsAreSexy.com. Of course I'd like it.

More about our car purchase from December. Now that the dust has settled, here's what's really freaking me out.

If you're getting the big goals taken care of, nothing else really matters.

I'm pleased to announce the launch of "YNAB Works!" A Home Study Guide+DVD Video package for schools, clients, kids of awesome parents, employees…basically anyone you care about :)

Instead of takling about how we budget, which is just how I teach, and nothing special. I wanted to discuss everything else financial, how and why I do the things I do, and let you then draw your own conclusion. I'm no expert on this, butit may give you some ideas.