Although we want to think of our journey through life as a road trip, it’s really more like an obstacle course—and that’s okay. Agility, perseverance, and determination may not provide the immediate gratification that a rest stop Slurpee may bring, but those obstacle course wins result in a million victories of all sizes along the way, minus the brain freeze. 

So, the best time to organize your finances is now, the best time to make a plan to pay off debt is now, and the best time to clean out your garage is, I don’t know, maybe Someday.

Look at it this way—if you do end up with a perfect month where you have more than enough time, money, and energy to accomplish everything your heart desires, you’ll have already checked organizing your finances off of the list. You can just go get a Slurpee and do whatever you want. That’s some real Financial Ninja Warrior stuff right there. 

Part of living spendfully is to accept the unpredictability of life and then do what you can to make it a little more predictable. 

That brings us to our next question. We faced reality. Let’s introduce stability:

What larger, less frequent spending do I need to prepare for?

Anticipate upcoming expenses and start setting small, manageable amounts of money aside to save yourself from the emotional drama of one big bill. After all, the holidays happen every year and your car will need new tires someday—Future You will appreciate that you planned ahead!

In YNAB, you’ll do this by creating categories for non-monthly expenses that will happen… someday! When you have some dollars that need a job, assign them the noble task of helping eliminate the emotional drama that comes from big, “unexpected” expenses.

Will there still be surprises and missteps along the way? Of course! But you’re in good hands (yours!) and the YNAB Method includes building in some breathing room. We’ll talk about that tomorrow. 

But for now, think about what steps you can take now (not Someday! Right now!) that your future self will appreciate. Make a list of inevitable (yet somehow still often unexpected) expenses you can start saving towards. 

? Need some examples to get started? Our YNAB non-monthly expenses template will show you common categories you can add straight to YNAB.