Today’s guest is a true blast from the past — and one of the most enduring voices in personal finance.

Jesse Mecham is the founder of You Need a Budget, better known as YNAB. Jesse was last on So Money more than a decade ago — and since then, his little budgeting spreadsheet has grown into a global movement that’s now more than 20 years old.

In an industry where budgeting apps come and go — Mint, anyone? — YNAB has quietly endured. Not by promising shortcuts or get-rich-quick hacks, but by doing something far more radical: teaching people how to actually be good with money.

And not “good” as in million-dollar net worths or retiring at 35 — but good as in sleeping better at night. Not worrying about every expense. Feeling in control. Feeling aligned.

That’s why I wanted to kick off 2026 with Jesse.

In this conversation, we revisit the philosophy behind YNAB, including the four rules that have helped millions of people escape paycheck-to-paycheck living. We talk about why getting to zero — not riches — is often the most important milestone in someone’s financial life. We explore what Jesse has learned after two decades of watching how people really behave with money. And we dig into what’s changed — and what absolutely hasn’t — about budgeting in a world of higher costs, financial anxiety, automation, and now AI.

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January doesn’t have to start with a financial overhaul. In this special Ask Farnoosh episode, Farnoosh shares why easing into the new year, rather than rushing to reset everything, can lead to better money decisions.

She reflects on how she’s approaching 2026, what typically happens in the markets at the beginning of the year, and why January is a powerful time to slow down, learn, and reconnect with what matters most. From there, Farnoosh breaks down the week’s biggest money stories, including shifting grocery prices, growing anxiety in the housing market, canceled home purchase deals, the return of student loan wage garnishment, and new data suggesting homeownership may feel out of reach for more Americans.

The episode also highlights two recent conversations on So Money — with David Bach on building wealth through simple, consistent habits, and with Terri Trespicio on the importance of writing as a practical career skill.

Listeners then get answers to thoughtful questions about opening a new credit card after securing a HELOC, what it really means when entrepreneurs say they “didn’t pay themselves,” how HSAs work after enrolling in Medicare, and where to safely keep a $20,000 gift intended for a future home purchase.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode may surprise you.

Because on a podcast about money, you might expect us to talk about budgeting, investing, negotiating, or saving more. And don’t worry; we’ll get to all of that.

But today, we’re talking about a skill that quietly underpins every one of those things. A skill that compounds just like investing. A skill that strengthens your career, your confidence, your earning power, and even how you advocate for yourself in life.

We’re talking about writing.

In a hyper-AI world, where polished, generic language is now the floor, the ability to think clearly, express yourself distinctly, and tell your story has become a superpower.

And that’s why I invited back someone you may remember from a past So Money episode: Terri Trespicio.

[Try Terri's writing studio for a free week, January 12 -16, by clicking here.]

Terri is a writing expert, teacher, and the author of Unfollow Your Passion. She works with professionals across every industry, from engineers to executives to creatives to scientists, helping them clarify their thinking, stand out in crowded, automated spaces, and reconnect with their own voice in an age when it’s very easy to outsource your thinking to a machine.

In this conversation, we connect some unexpected dots:

• Why writing is a form of critical thinking — not creativity reserved for “writers.”
• How AI can help after you do the thinking, but can’t replace it
• Why your career, your money story, and your confidence all depend on your ability to articulate what you know, want, and believe
• And how writing can even help us process financial baggage, scarcity, and fear, especially as many of us enter the sandwich-generation years

P.S. Try Terri's writing studio for a free week, January 12 -16, by clicking here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.