How to Make Your Money Go Further (Without Making More)

It’s 2002. “When we’re older, you can live in one of the wings of my mansion and I’ll buy you a Cobra.”

‍I’m no petrolhead, but a vintage Shelby is pretty nice, right? To my teenage brother and I—eyes dry from hours playing Gran Turismo 3—that classic car was the pinnacle of aspiration. All sixties curves and swoops, with two wide scarlet stripes down the middle. So I promised him that shiny motor, and meant it.

Life did its thing and took a different path, though. A couple of decades later, the millions haven’t materialized, and my brother drives a Kia. (Probably more practical with a five-year old, anyway.)

Whilst it turns out *sigh of relief* that I don’t need all those zeroes in my bank account to feel complete, there’s still a small, nagging voice somewhere saying you need MORE MONEY, which gives me pause. Has me second-guessing.

Of course, second-guessing whether you have enough money doesn’t feel great. It’s the enemy of spendfulness.
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But how do you double-down on loving the way you spend the money you do have? (Instead of stressing about the money you don’t?)
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In this blog, we’ll get a little philosophical, and a little practical. The result? You’ll feel confident and in tune with all your spending, wherever you sit on the income scale. 

But society says…

There’s a whole world of external pressure that says you should be chasing more money. Sure, society, we get the me$$age! But have you stopped to consider if that’s important to you?

In case it helps, let’s view the topic through a somewhat morbid lens: How will I feel about this when my time is up? Will I wish I hustled harder?

I’m picturing a candlelit scene from a murky 17th century oil painting. Will I clutch the hand of my beloved, and croakily utter these final words?

“I wish… I wish that I traded more of my time… for money.”

Seems unlikely.

Theatrics aside, there could be plenty of potential reasons that limit your chances to make more money. Some come with the privilege of choice; others are circumstances beyond your control. You might have caring commitments, studies, health conditions. Or maybe you just really love your job, and a side-hustle is too much for your plate.
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In a culture that says you always need to be climbing the ladder to a salary that’s fatter, how can you feel more cushioned—more content—on your current income?

Hey, it’s okay that you can’t have it all

‍Hmm, not immediately motivational. But stick with me.

Life is completely overflowing with a million more temptations and opportunities than you could ever experience in your lifetime. Which means that finitude (of money, of time) brings a huge thwack of meaning to the—relatively few, but still a whole life’s worth of—things you actually end up doing.

Good news, people! Making peace with the fact that you can’t have everything that catches your eye? It’s freeing.
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That acceptance sets you on the path to pursuing the things that matter most to you. Pick the most precious ones from the deluge of options.
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Because, chances are, you can have plenty of things that you want. Either now, or as milestones to work towards. By giving every dollar a job in YNAB, you’re intention-setting, rather than leaving your money in some abstract pile which could hypothetically cover all sorts of things.

And when you do part with the pennies? Money feels like it’s going further, because your spending is aligned with your true values and priorities. It’s spendfulness in action!

Am I any less happy with the fancy shower gel I treated myself to, because some influencer on the other side of the world just bought a Maserati? No! I have a category in my spending plan for Self Care Frivolities, and not one for Italian Sports Cars. My choice.

Good for her, and wonderful for me as I luxuriate in toffee-scented bubble heaven.

Same money, different outcomes

Sounds mind-meltingly obvious, but the trick to making your money go further?
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It’s how you spend it.
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That’s it. That’s the big reveal. 
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I’ve had paychecks in the past that have been swallowed up by what felt like… nothing. A debt payment here, some bills there, and a whole lot of payday-treat-yo-self. Five days later? It’s gonna be a loooong rest of the month. Payday almost brought its own sense of dread, because I knew the cycle so well.

Nowadays, paychecks last. YNAB shows me what my money can actually do for me, and as a result, it hangs around for a while. The magnetic force that seemed to repel money from my bank account has gone.
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(Sure, I earn a little more now, but give that same money to twenty-something me and I guarantee it: he would be wallowing in the gluey shame of the wanton over-spender soon enough, all the same. Because he had no structure for making good decisions.)

Importantly, deprivation is not the intention. The spending plan has space for treats, big and small; they just sometimes take a little longer to reach. But it’s a calm and steady progress of delayed gratification versus the sickening scramble that comes when you know you blew too much, too soon.

Result: the spending feels all the sweeter for it, when it does happen.

‍Draw your money map 

So, how can you make the right decisions for you? Emotions and feelings aside, how can you actually make your money last  l o n g e r? 

By having a framework to help you see what matters to you.

With YNAB, you’ll decide how you’ll spend all of your money, before you spend any of your money. That clarity is huge. 

You’ll see exactly how far your money will go, because it’s there in front of you. You’ll work with reality, and make decisions more easily, because you’re not playing brain-gymnastic-math with money which hasn’t arrived yet.

You’ll notice transactions that don’t actually serve you any more and next month, you might divert those dollars to something else that feels more important to you right now.

Sounds intriguing, right? Let’s get down to business and talk practical steps.

‍Once the shiny YNAB app has pride of place on your home screen, you’ll:
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– Follow the YNAB Method: give every dollar a job. By being intentional about the purpose of all your cash, you can make sure it covers your priorities. And you can be realistic about how far those dollars will stretch. Remember, we’re embracing the money we do have, here, and making purposeful tradeoffs.

– Revisit YNAB’s five questions over and over again—a powerful framework that helps you to assign your dollars to your spending categories. Meet your needs and your dreams. (This may be the most fun part: shaping your very own spendfulness plan.)
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– Record (or import) your spending, and your categories will update accordingly. New information—how much is left in a category—helps you to continue deciding how and where you’ll spend.

– Use this shining new beacon of clarity to guide you as you spend. No more panicked swiping of your card and “dealing with it later.” Your categories will help you to make informed spending decisions in the moment. The confidence of knowing you have money for that organic cacao powder? Priceless.
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As you move forward,  you’ll repeat the process, and it gets better every time! You’ll craft the (actual) life you want because you’re bringing it to (financial) life in YNAB.

You’ll have a big picture view of your finances. And you’ll zero in on the specifics and make ‘em happen—like the safari trip you always dreamed of, even if it takes time—because you planned for it. If it’s an idea in your head that lights you up, then it begs the question: “Does this deserve a YNAB category?”

Best of all, none of this feels like penny-pinching. No Scrooge vibes here; you’ll be mindful, not miserable. ‍

Every cent, well spent

‍It’s a fact. The same income will go further with thought and intention behind it. You’ll squeeze maximum satisfaction out of every paycheck.
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YNABers feel something that we call spendfulness. They love the way that they spend their money, because they plug the leaks that aren’t truly important to them. 

Sure, they make tradeoffs along the way, but life is full of ‘em anyway. Those tradeoffs mean they can fill their raft with an abundance of things that light them up. That’s how their money goes further.

What counts as a leak is totally unique to you, by the way. Whether you’re a homebody hoping to decorate the den, a busy parent looking for stellar child care, or a vacation-loving jet setter. The joy is in the flexibility and individuality of your one-of-a-kind plan.

With the right approach, you start to spot chances for awesomeness between the auto-pays, and payday isn’t just about cash any more. 

Suddenly, the same money sparkles in a different light. It becomes an opportunity. 

See where your money can take you and become wealthy in what matters most with YNAB. It’s free for 34 days!