#134 - Ben's Category Breakdown (2026 Edition)

#134 - Ben's Category Breakdown (2026 Edition)

From Budget Nerds by You Need a Budget

February 11, 2026 · 1h 23m · Episode 134

About this episode

Ben shares his 93 budgeting categories and the stories behind them, organized into ten groups.

Today it's Ben's turn to share the categories in his plan -- all 93 of them! Ernie opens with a challenge: did Ben actually change his plan after examining Ernie's categories in episode #132? You'll have to listen to find out, but Ben does break down his categories cleanly into ten category groups, divided between timely categories (bills, both regular and irregular) and purpose-driven categories such as giving, personal spending, and allowances for the kids. His former librarian shines through as well, the categories are organized in alphabetical order of course! Ben is always good for a story, and as he explains how each category fits into his plan, he also shares stories of how those categories came to be. In many ways, his current plan is the result of years of resolving compications, frustrations, and clarifying what purpose his money was serving in each area of his life. Follow Budget Nerds on YouTube Budget Nerds Livestreams: https://www.youtube.com/@YNABofficial/streams Budget Nerds Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuIUGmbCDklkDCDm-cQqv2g Share your YNAB win with Ben and Ernie! budgetnerds@ynab.com

People in this episode

Host: Ernie

Guest: Ben

Topics covered

  • budgeting
  • financial planning
  • category management
  • personal finance
  • storytelling

Keywords

  • budget categories
  • financial goals
  • personal spending
  • allowances
  • money management

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: You Need a Budget

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