Win $100: Four Rules to Live By

Moms have a lot of rules: Don’t run with scissors, eat dinner before dessert, no screaming at your brother, be home before curfew.

There is a seemingly endless list of mom-enforced rules that pop up over the course of our childhood — and, generally speaking, a lot of them aren’t particularly fun, even if they’re important. 

But once you’re an adult and the appeal of fighting with your siblings has (mostly) worn off, you start to realize that all of those rules were part of larger life lessons.

So what did mom (or whoever you celebrate on Mother’s Day) really teach you? 

Sarah (who you may know from YNAB’s Instagram and TikTok channels) was inspired by the YNAB Method, which includes four simple rules that act as a framework for managing money, and applied that to create her Mama’s Method: Four Rules to Live By.

Here’s what Sarah’s mom taught her about living a meaningful life: 

Rule One: Give every moment a job

“My mom spent every moment that she wasn’t working or sleeping making memories with us. She took us on adventures, taught us to appreciate the outdoors, and inspired our imaginations. Every moment is an opportunity for a  lasting memory.”

Rule Two: Embrace yourself and others

“With my mom, I never once felt like I couldn’t be myself or explore different interests. She also taught us to accept and love everyone around us, no exceptions. She taught me to give without expecting to receive back and to embrace and accept people for exactly who they are.”

Rule Three: Just roll with it

“We can figure it out. Once I fell off of my bike into a mud puddle wearing a brand new white outfit that my mom had just bought me for school. I went to her sobbing, a total mess, and she simply hugged me and said, “That’s what washing machines are for.” To this day, if I make a mistake or something goes wrong, I think, “That’s what washing machines are for,” and I figure it out.”

Rule Four: Age is just a number

“Play is important at every age. It brings me so much joy to watch my mother use her imagination with my children. She recently planned and hosted an elaborate stuffed animal wedding — complete with a store-bought wedding cake. My children and their cousins were delighted and she had so much fun planning and participating in it with them.”

Four Rules to Live By Contest

In honor of Mother’s Day, we wanted to know your mom’s method: the four rules that she imparted to you as a framework for living well. And it doesn’t have to be your mom, it can be whoever you feel like honoring on Mother’s Day!

Create a public social media post (get as creative as you’d like!) that shows off your Mom’s Four Rules to Live By before 9am EST on May 15, 2023. One lucky winner will get $100 to spend on (or with) the person who taught them important lessons in life.

Here’s how to enter: 

1. Create a public post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok that shares the Four Rules for Life that your mom (or whoever you honor on Mother’s Day!) taught you. 
2. Tag YNAB in the post with the appropriate tag depending on the platform.
3. Facebook: @ynabofficial
4. Instagram: @youneedabudget 
5. Twitter: @ynab
6. TikTok: @ynabofficial
7. Use the #4RulestoLiveBy hashtag in the post.
8. Fill out the entry form.
9. Entries due by May 15, 2023 at 9:00am EST.

*US and Canada entries only. The winner will be chosen at random and notified by the email address submitted on the entry form on May 15, 2023. Click here for official contest rules.