First, let me start off by saying that I've read a lot of different books on personal finance. So I'm very familiar with Dave Ramsey's method of personal finances and a bunch of others. I've read tons of articles, blog posts, etc... on paying off debt and investing, etc...

So this topic isn't new to me.

So when I got this book (I got an advanced copy of it)I was figuring that I would read this book and probably wouldn't learn anything new.

I was thinking "ohhhkaaay...so it's gonna probably talk about how to get out of debt by reducing your spending to almost nothing, eat beans, rice and ramen noodles...cut coupons..and do this for several years then you'll be able to start living your life"

I figured it would be the same old information that I've read in all the other personal finance books....yaaawn!

Boy oh boy...was I ever wrong

I honestly have to say, that this book was the complete opposite of everything I've ever read.

For you parents, it's like having two kids.

You know..your first child is usually calm, relaxed, quiet, well mannered and well behaved.

Then you have child #2...expecting things to be pretty much the same...only to find out your second child is the complete opposite

Child #2 is a wild child. Crazy, loud, eats dirt...touches the bathroom handles in public washrooms and then the next minute has their fingers in their mouth

Well, Ramit's book is like your second child.

LMAO.

It's fun and actually really interesting to read! ( I know...I know..who says that about a dry topic like paying off debt, investing and saving?).

It'll make you laugh in some parts(fo real!).

And...it gets you motivated and makes you want to start taking action as soon as you've finished the chapter

He gives you action steps at the end of each chapter that you can start implementing right away!

And...it's real! He keeps it sooo real that he even talks about his discussion with his wife when bringing up the topic of having a PRENUP!! (ohhhh snaaaapp!! ...bring out the popcorn cuz it's about to go down!!)

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Ok...so here's what I really liked about this book and thought was friggin awesome!

[1. Conscious Spending]

Ok...so we've all heard about "having a budget". And when we hear that..we automatically think "cut back on everything. Use water instead of milk in your cereal. Grow your own coffee beans at home in your backyard and make your own coffee to save a couple of dollars a day"...right?

But Ramit goes about this in a TOTALLY different way. And I love his approach to it. It's such a small shift in your mindset, but it has a HUGE impact!!

So basically, he's telling you this. Instead of thinking of your budget as a way to cut back and not enjoy life..think of it like a plan.

It's your plan where you are CONSCIOUSLY choosing how to SPEND your money each month.

But not only that... this is YOUR life! And to live a "rich" and "happy" life - you get to choose to spend on the things that make you happy.

So why not cut back on the things you hate - so that you can spend on the things you love!

As he says in Chapter 4 on Conscious Spending "conscious spending isn’t about cutting your spending on everything. That approach wouldn’t last two days. It is, quite simply, about choosing the things you love enough to spend extravagantly on—and then cutting costs mercilessly on the things you don’t love."

(BOOOM!! MIC DROP!!)

[2. Scripts to use to save you money]

You ever get nervous when calling up a financial company (like your credit cards) and then you don't know what to say.

Maybe you don't know how to negotiate, or you just get nervous and forget what to say.

Well...not to worry.

Ramit gives you WORD FOR WORD scripts that you can use to waive annual fees on your credit cards, and even get fees waived on your bank accounts!

I know...when I read that I was like "hoollld up..wutcha talkin bout Willis!"

I told you that this book was the complete opposite of other personal finance books. What other personal finance book is giving you exact scripts to use on how to call up your credit card and get annual fees waived?!

It's these small details that the average person wants to know cuz let's be real...who likes paying fees? Right?!

[3. Open and Honest]

What I really liked...which I've never seen before....was the willingness to be open and direct with the reader.

Ramit laid all the cards on the table and he mentions

a. the exact credit cards he uses

b. the exact bank accounts he uses

c. the exact online brokerage account he uses

d. the investments he puts his money in

Who else does that?

But not only that....like I said, he GOES THERE and talks about the very very very touchy and sensitive topic of having a prenup.

In Chapter 9 LOVE & MONEY - he talks about how he had this difficult conversation with his wife. He also talks about why he decided to do it and should you sign one or not?

Also in this chapter, he covers difficult topics around money like

a. How to help parents who are in debt

b. Should you tell your parents and friends how much money you have

c. Talking Money with your significant other

d. How to handle money when your spouse makes more than you

e. How to handle planning for a wedding

f. Negotiating your salary at work

and more and more...

I'm telling you...Chapter 9 is where it all goes down!

Just keepin it real with ya...this is the stuff that we REALLY want to know about. This is the real life stuff we deal with on a day to day basis that NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT!!

I mean, sure...we want to know how to pay off debt, invest, etc... But let's be real. That part is boring.

That's like reading the first few chapters of a hot & steamy novel..like 50 shades of gray. It's necessary to build the story, but the REAL juicy stuff happens later on.... and that's the part you want to get to.

We've all had a difficult convo with someone about money (spouse, fiance, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc..)

Don't you wish you knew how to handle it better...well now you will! Now you'll have a plan

[4. He's very specific]

For example, in Chapter 7 he talks about investing. And he recommends setting up your asset allocation using David Swensen's recommendation. Swensen manages Yale's endowment for more than 30 years and has an amazing 13.5% annualized return.

He even gives you the exact percentage's to use

30 percent—Domestic equities

15 percent—Developed-world international equities

5 percent—Emerging-market equities

20 percent—Real estate investment trusts

15 percent—Government bonds

15 percent—Treasury inflation-protected securities

I like this because it takes the guess work out of it for you

Just do exactly what he's laid out - and boom! You've got a successful investing plan in place.

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WHAT'S DIFFERENT

Here are some things that I found different with this book vs other personal finance books

[1. Focus on Big wins, not small wins]

So for example, instead of chasing small percentages by getting introductory rates for high interest savings accounts, focus on your asset allocation and what you're invested in. Your time is much better spent focusing on that, and it will have much bigger returns in the long run

Ramit continues to remind us that it is better to use your time working on things that will have a big impact on your life (i.e. setting up your automated investing) vs spending hours or days looking for the perfect credit card.

[2. Word for Word Scripts]

As I mentioned, he gives you exact scripts you can use to save money and get fees waived

[3. Automating your finances]

Let's be real..who REALLY enjoys paying bills? Who really enjoys reading over investment statements and managing their money? No one!..that's who! Not even Ramit (he even admits this in the book)

Plus - we're all lazy. We don't really want to set aside time to look at our investments. We say we will...but let's be honest..most of us don't.

So in Chapter 5 - he shows you how to automate your finances so that you can get on with your life. He shows you how to setup a system so that your bills get paid automatically and your investment accounts get funded automatically.

And when it's all setup and done...you basically only have to spend 1hr a month looking over your finances, so that you can get on with the more important things in your life

[4. Conversations around money]

He talks about things that others don't talk about...like the judgement you get from friends and family when you spend money on certain things you like...or how we may judge others on things they spend..but we don't know the full context.

Or I'm sure we've all had that one friend who says to you "why do you still have that old iphone? Don't you think it's time to upgrade?"

This was very eye-opening to me and it was great to see someone finally be honest and talk about these things. I have never read a personal finance book that talks about these real life situations this way before

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WHAT IS MISSING

Here are some things I found that were missing from the book

[1. Real Estate Investments]

I'm actually kind of surprised that he didn't talk about investing in real estate (residential or commercial)

This is such a hot topic, and there are TONS of Real estate related TV shows now about flipping homes, or agents finding these multi-million dollar homes for their clients.

I think it's a topic that many people are also interested in.

Also, just based on regular "street knowledge"...the average person probably has an easier time understanding real estate and owning property vs understanding how the stock market and index funds work.

They probably feel more comfortable with real estate because it's a physical asset, whereas the stock market may feel like black magic to a lot of people.

He talks about Cryptocurrency, so I thought for sure he'd talk about investing in real estate.

But he didn't

I wish he had touched on Real Estate as an investment and mention at least what percentage of your portfolio should be allocated towards real estate and how to go about investing in it in a strategic, methodical manner. Kind of like how he explained how to invest in the stock market

[2. Saving up and paying cash for your car]

I found it odd that he didn't talk about the option of saving up and paying for a car in cash.

He does talk about how to buy a car, but it involves getting a loan.

Which - I found ironic because Ramit is completely against debt.

So it didn't make sense to me why he is telling us to get a loan for a car

He mentions how to save up for other big ticket items (like your wedding, etc..) but he doesn't give you a plan on how to save up for your car and use cash so that you can avoid getting into debt and getting a car loan.

I'm not sure what the reason is behind this...but this was very surprising to me.

[3. Investing in blue-chip stable companies]

Ramit is against picking and investing in individual stocks. He recommends investing in Index Funds instead. And for the average person, I understand why

And..he explains why in the book (Chapter 7)

But - at the same time, I think there could have been an opportunity to mention in the book how to invest in well known, stable, big name companies that have been around for many decades that produce dividends and can be a good addition to your portfolio

I'm not saying that they should make up the majority of your portfolio, but perhaps a small percentage.

Ramit is very methodical - and I believe he could have given some sound advice on some criteria to look at for blue-chip companies that have been around forever, and would be solid investments.

One company that comes to mind that Warren Buffett publicly admits he likes is Coca-Cola. It's not an exciting company but it has a history of being stable and producing dividends for the investor.

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MAIN TAKEAWAY FROM THE BOOK

The main theme of this book is all about living your Rich Life

And of course, living a Rich Life will mean different things for different people.

For one person, that might mean always upgrading their seats on a flight to the seats with extra leg room...for another, that might mean always buying the VIP section tickets at concerts but also that person could care less about eating out at lunch so they always pack their lunch.

In Chapter 9 (A Rich Life) ...Ramit says :

"it’s about not having to think about money all the time and being able to travel and work on the things that interest me."

this pretty much sums it all up right here.

I realized that life is more about enjoying your money, and using it to do the things that bring you joy and make you happy. Whatever those things are for you. You will have to decide.

I already had a mindset of doing the things I enjoy...but this book helped me to get more clarity on exactly how to do that on a daily basis.

This book helped me to have a plan to set aside a specific amount each month towards things I love. And more importantly, how to NOT feel GUILTY about spending on things I enjoy (like upgrading my seats on flights or buying courtside basketball seats) because I am cutting back on things I don't like as much (like paying a cable bill)

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WHO SHOULD GET THIS BOOK

This book is for the person who

1. hates manually paying their bills each month

2. wants to have simple and easy investments that they actually understand

3. wants to not feel guilty about spending on things they love

4. wants an easy to understand plan on how to pay off debts and still enjoy life (without eating ramen noodles and cutting coupons)

5. wants tips for having real life awkward conversations with friends and family about money

6. wants to enjoy their money and know that in the background their money is growing and they will have enough to retire

7. is tired of the regular boring personal advice that they've read for years and years

Ramit's approach is like that one friend who tells you how it is. They call you out on your B.S. and you appreciate them for it cuz they always keep it real with you and you know that they want nothing but the best for ya.

If you like that quality in people, then you will most definitely enjoy this book!

also...just being honest...I would've given it 4.5 stars, but there was no way to do so. I think 5 stars is for absolute perfection

And since Ramit left out the topic of Real Estate Investing, he didn't discuss the option of saving up and paying cash for a car and I think he could've touched on investing in blue chip stable companies - I would say it's 4.5 stars (in my opinion)

It's still an awesome book and by far the best most COMPLETE book I've read on personal finances because it handles those real life topics around money that happen to all of us, but no one else is talking about.

It doesn't matter how much money you do or don't make. It doesn't matter how much you have or haven't saved. It doesn't matter how much you are or aren't in debt. Just buy the effing book already!

I was lucky enough to be part of a group program with Ramit and 150 other people who got an early copy of the IWT book. What happened during the 4-weeks we worked together blew. my. mind.

I'm a 37 year old entrepreneur who is in good financial shape. I have no debt, I max out my Roth IRA, and overall I felt like I was doing fine. What more was there? How much better could I do? Well, I wasn't sure. But since I'm a big nerd and over achiever, I decided to give this book a go.

WTF

I have been missing out on SO many simple investing opportunities over the years that could have been building my wealth while I sleep. I have been stuck in financial mindset hell (save save save, never spend on anything!) for most of my life.

Now, I don't have an amazing rags to riches "I got out of $54k in debt" story like some may have. But that's why this book is so amazing. It's for more than people who are in debt. It's for anyone and everyone who wants to take control of their finances in a way that FEELS good for them. No more scrimping and skipping lattes. Enjoy your life, enjoy your money, and set up systems to automatically save and earn while you sleep. It's not magic, it's math.

Whether you need to get out of debt, want to have more $$ in retirement and in day to day life, get blurry eyed when you look at your investment accounts, or just feel like there's something you're missing (or could be doing better), this book is for you.

The IWT book has slowly been changing everything for me. I say slowly because you're not going just read it and *poof* things will magically happen for you. You're going to have to put in the work. It can be hard at times. You'll dig your heels in thinking "but oh, my current system works and it seems really hard to change all these things!" STOP THAT. Just go through the process and do what the book says. Move your accounts. Set up new ones. Automate things. It takes some effort, it takes some discomfort, it takes some courage. But the outcome is brilliantly worth it.

You will FEEL better. You will FEEL more in control. You will HAVE more money. You will ENJOY spending it and you will ENJOY saving it.

If you're serious about this, I highly suggest you get some sort of accountability buddy. I was in a private FB group with 150 others and if it weren't for that, I most likely would have read the book, felt good that I did that much, and then moved on. You have to actually DO THE WORK. Find a friend, spouse, or coworker to do this with you. Talk about your experience. Talk about your feelings (they will come up, after all most of finances is emotional + psychology -- deal with that sh!t!). GET THROUGH THE WORK!

Stop being lazy. Every good thing in life takes some work, including your finances and getting through this book. Just do it already!

Oh, and P.S. In true Ramit style, it's written in a total no B.S. format with specific examples and actual advice you can use today. No fluff, no generic inspiration, no sh!tty advice that makes you wonder "how the eff do I apply that to my situation?!". If you want genuine step by step guidance that you can understand and that actually works, you'll find it in this book.

This book does a great job of making personal finance feel approachable instead of overwhelming. The author breaks down topics like budgeting, saving, investing, and credit into simple, actionable steps that are easy to understand, even if you're just getting started.

What I liked most is that the advice focuses on building good financial habits rather than making you feel guilty about every purchase. The six-week format keeps things organized and makes it easy to apply what you're learning a little at a time.

The writing is engaging, and there are plenty of real-world examples that make the concepts easier to relate to. If you're looking for a practical guide to taking control of your finances and building long-term wealth, this book is well worth reading.

I've been reading a lot of reviews that blast this book for its focus on younger adults, generalized investment advice, or the omission of some hyper-specific tax code or asset allocations strategy. Some of these are valid critiques, though I think they miss the point of the book. I do think that Ramit should've titled and marketed the book differently to reflect its target audience, but for that audience, the advice is valuable.

As one of those 22 year-old recent college grads who grew up with financially inexperienced parents, this book provided me with excellent foundational knowledge. It's not overly technical (perhaps to a fault), but hammers broad principles that will contribute to financial success: the importance of debt and credit health, making smart investments, and automating your finances. Specific advice about choosing banks, optimizing credit cards, buying cars, etc. is a welcome addition, and even financially literate readers will find a few nuggets in this book to optimize their situation.

The real strength of this book lies in altering your psychological relationship to money. At the end of the day, the concept of "living outside the spreadsheet" is what should be emphasized. The goal is not to save and grow money for its own sake, but to accumulate wealth to do things which you enjoy. Reading with the idea that Ramit will provide you with globally optimal investment returns for your particular financial situation is to ignore the core principle of the book itself. Furthermore, following all of his (note: very general) advice should be discouraged. After reading, consideration must be made towards your personal situation and goals -- particularly when deciding how you'll distribute retirement contributions and defer taxes. This book should be the foundation of your financial plan, not the singular piece of literature that informs all your financial decisions.

In spite of its helpful, accessible advice, I can't rate this book more than four stars. As most of the critical reviewers will point out, Ramit spends a significant portion of the book complaining about things or admonishing people for making financial mistakes. The tone of the book swings wildly between breezy and helpful to condescending and arrogant; the brief section on cryptocurrency is an example that comes to mind. There's a general unawareness to his own privilege and a good bit of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" sentiments, which tend to sound insincere and ignore larger issues that originally place younger people in financial strife. Additionally, a significant chunk of the book is testimonials from readers of the first edition. All told, this book could be about 20% shorter if these were left on Amazon's review page where they belong.

Bottom line: I Will Teach You to be Rich contains invaluable advice for younger, financially inexperienced people in an easily digestible format. The book provides a good foundation for the average person to grow their wealth, ease financial anxiety, and align their money with their personal goals -- just be sure to consult other investment literature after you finish reading. If you can get around the narration and deal with the constant self-advertisement, this book is worth your time and money.

I love this book because the author manages to take some of the driest material know to man - topics like how to ramp up that compound interest (Oh Boy!) and funding a 401-K (Hotdiggity!) and make it both hilarious and powerful. Ramit Sethi delights in puncturing the hot air balloons we all fill with our self-defeating money scripts. His irreverent wit has a way of allowing us to laugh at ourselves as he makes fun of our behaviors with money.

Much like when I read well-written nutrition books and somehow find the pounds peeling off, I found money making its way into my accounts just by reading Ramit's book. The book touts simplicity and automation, which offers a life raft to those adrift in a sea of confusing advice about market timing and paying an expert to help you "beat" the market. It's the financial equivalent of "Set it and forget it". He delves into more complex and time-intensive investing strategies as well, but while doing so he constantly reminds you that it's much easier, and probably more profitable, to stick your investments in an index fund and let it ride, just as Warren Buffett does in his will.

I read the first version of this book in 2009, soon after I had lost about $20K in student loans by investing it in the stock market (market timing unfortunately works in both directions ... for and against you). I took some of Ramit's advice to heart - automating much of my finances and opening several accounts in ING.com, an online bank that was eventually sold to a larger online bank, where many of my accounts still reside. Mint tells me that my net worth went from less less than $30K in 2009 to over $300K today. When offered an opportunity to join a private study group led by Ramit himself, and to read an early copy of the 2019 version of the book, I jumped at the chance. I realized from reading this 2nd Edition that although I had followed some of his ideas in the 1st Edition, I had neglected others. The most painful one being that I have spent way too much time in the last decade reviewing my finances and tinkering with investments. The target the book sets (after setting up everything to be automatic) is one hour per month to review finances; it's embarrassing to admit that in the previous 10 years, I have been closer to an hour per day than I have been to an hour per month. This new book strengthens my resolve to build more wealth by doing less.

The 2019 version is also unique from the 2009 version by the fact that the author is now a married man. Ramit is no longer just the brash renegade telling it like is, speaking truth to power, and backing down from no one. He is still all of that, but he also must now manage personal finances in relationship with his fiance and new wife. They reveal candid discussions and personal details of painful money conversations, surprising to no one in a committed relationship. What is surprising, and downright juicy, is that he pulls back the veil on the taboo subject of asking for and eventually arriving at a prenuptial agreement with his fiance. The bravery to bring those discussions out into the light, while exposing himself to potential ridicule and criticism, is commendable. It also provides a valuable resource for those seeking advice (and scripts) not only on discussing a prenup but also for other difficult money conversations.

In the first meeting of Ramit's private class to discuss the 2nd Edition, one of his first questions to the group was "What would you do if someone handed you a check for $10K?". He then proceeded to make good-natured fun of all of our grandiose puritanical responses about starting an orphanage, investing in stocks, paying off credit card debt, etc. His point was that most likely we would do the exact same thing with that $10K that you had been doing previously with your money. If you had spent too much and were in debt, you would probably continue to overspend and go into debt. It's not the money itself that changes your life, it is changing your attitudes towards, and your behavior with, money. Setting up systems and automating your finances is one very convenient way to change your behavior, because you intentionally set it only once, and then you forget about it and move on with your life, outside of the spreadsheet.

On the day before this book came out (May 13), I literally received a $50K check in the mail, totally unexpected. My aunt had come into a surprise inheritance from a distant relative and chose to share some of it with my family. Well-played universe, well-played indeed. Because of this book and the opportunity to discuss it with 150 like-minded individuals from all over the world and all kinds of financial backgrounds, I have full confidence that my family will do spectacular things with that money, but also that we will do it much more simply and automatically by following the systems laid out in this remarkable new book.

This is my favorite book that I return to over and over again. It is the one I gift the most frequently to friends, family, and recent grads. From my own experience, I disagree about this book not being for people under 20 (while simultaneously agreeing, so let me explain).

I read most of the book when I was 18 as an undergrad and revisited a couple time till I graduated college and got my teaching credential at 25. I both read and scanned, sometimes without fully comprehending and without being able to implement, well, really any of the recommendations. And yet, the guidance was still super useful because I didn't make financially unsavvy decisions that would delay my being able to set up a savvy, automated financial system upon graduation and earning an income.

For example, I saw a lot of my peers making decisions such as buying a new car upon receiving their first paycheck or two because they could afford the payments (or even prior to graduation) - the payments that would put their fixed costs at 90% of their income and cause them to live paycheck-to-paycheck with a ton of stress!!

This book gave me the vague and general understanding of what I was going to try to set up before I had the means to do so, before I was even earning a real income.

It helped me determine and sort out my financial values and figure out how I wanted to live my life.

It helped me choose a financially responsible spouse who also read the book. Ramit's guidance helped us arrive at similar financial values and systems from the start. We're so glad we have the tools to talk about money without stress. We've had many friends speak to us about how they have such a hard time talking about money with their partners because the partner just shuts down about it. We sympathize, and as a result of their transparency about their own struggles, we don't take for granted how empowered we are because of this book. (And how brilliant of Ramit to supplement with his podcast of the same title to listen to couples have these conversations)

The book is easy(ish) to follow. I would recommend just accepting that you won't understand everything the first time through, but I realized later that I understood more than I thought and rereading sections really helped. I love the way it is organized into "weeks."

Each "week" has steps that are actionable and gave me *the* guide to set up my finances. What's great is you can sort of "pause" at certain weeks when it takes longer to set up what you need to. For example, I graduated with about $4,000 in credit card debt. I read on so I know what was coming, but I had to pause after Weeks 1-3 as I prioritized paying off that CC debt (which I did within 4 months). I was able to create a debt payoff plan: I chose to use my student loan grace period to pay off the CC aggressively, then start paying off my student loan debt with minimum payments while building up the funds to open my Roth IRA at Vanguard, and so on.

I automated everything and literally one day looked at my Roth and was like, "How did I get so much money?!" And that's on a teacher's and adjunct university lecturer's low pay! I'm not kidding when I say it's almost like it happened by accident - I set up everything immediately after college graduation and never felt like my life was limited or lacking from putting aside money each month. I was able to determine which order to pay things and how to allocate my paycheck. I've been able to keep my fixed costs low and build up a nest egg so I am under little financial stress, even through my periods of low pay and job insecurity.

I just can't say enough good things. Read it now even if you can't implement. Read it even if it doesn't make sense to you (yet!). It's so worth it.

I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, granted. And when I saw the title of this book, I instantly thought "what's this get rich quick scheme?" But I've followed the author Ramit Sethi for a while and the rest of his stuff is pretty good, so when I got an opportunity to get my hands on an advanced copy, I jumped at the chance thinking "what the heck, I've read some pretty bad crap in my life, so how bad could this be in comparison?"

From the get go, the language is clear and the tone is funny, while still being very serious about the subject matter. The step-by-step process is dead simple to follow (but I know some idiots will read the book and try and be too clever for their own good - I tried... and then went back to follow the steps exactly as laid out instead). I opened bank accounts, set up savings, started investments and learned how to manage my money better - without my head exploding.

Some of the exercises are so simple, I was able to call up my bank within 5 minutes of reading a chapter and negotiated a $20 fee reversal using the exact methods in the book - just paid for itself. My fear of negotiation is dissolving faster than you can say 401(k) and since then I've negotiated several hundreds of dollars in savings on everything from insurance to a handyman working on my house.

Mind you, I'm from Australia and not the USA. So I thought 401(k) was a distance to get somewhere and who knew David Lee Roth was in the IRA? And yet here I am. Simply because I decided to figure out what the Aussie equivalents were of the strategies and banks mentioned in the book. It's pretty straight forward. Gee whiz if you are in the USA and struggle following his advice, you need your head read.

By the way, I'm a 41 year old with a wife and a 4 year old daughter, so you don't have to be 19 in order to make this stuff work.

Who SHOULD NOT buy this book?

- People who are too smart: You will find holes in all the ideas and end up doing nothing, so why waste your time?

- People who want to get rich quick: This is one of the slowest ways you could ever make money. It's completely boring. But hey, I've got 25 years to give it a shot and the estimated $1m+ based on some basic calculations in the book suggest it will be worth my time.

- Warren Buffett: You can outperform all major market indices, so Ramit's methods are too simplistic for you.

- People who want to stay where they are so they can whinge about their finances all the time: This book takes away your excuses, so you're better off heading to Reddit and bagging the book out without turning a single page. You know who you are.

This book is genius in its simplicity. If you read any reviews saying, "it's all basic" etc etc, just ask that person if they are already wealthy, because the chances are they're like me talking about eating healthily. I know you should do it and I'm well aware of what I should be eating... but I'm having pizza and beer tonight (don't judge me).

Sure, the book isn't the holy grail on personal finance, but you could probably buy it if you follow the methods for the long term.

I will teach to you to be rich…. The A-Z guide for those of us who don’t have a clue of where to start! Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re a lot like me.

Intrigue by the notion of being “rich,” but pretty sure it’s a quick rich scheme of some sort. Like that old friend from high school who suddenly friends you on Facebook, then one day tricks you into going out for a coffee date to catch up on life… only to pop open a laptop and try to set you up to be a consultant for a natural beauty company that is not "a pyramid scheme.” Yeah, I hate those too.

But here’s what I do know from stalking *ahem* following Ramit, and soaking up all the goodness through his emails: THIS guy knows his stuff. No fluff.

He provides you actionable steps and tells you EXACTLY what to do. He’s done the research, and with each chapter, I simply did exactly what he tells me to do.

He drops names, and tells you which banks to get away from— and which ones he personally uses and trusts. That’s the thing about Ramit, he’s of the straight and narrow, and tells you how he sees it. All his recommendations are based off his own personal experience, and when you haven’t a clue of where to start— like there’s such a thing as a high-interest savings account (whaaa?!), and there’s an alternative for those of us who don’t have a 401K with employer match?!

Yes, he goes over the “technical” aspects of money… providing you a step-by-step framework on how to get your finances in order, and how to automate it so you don’t have to keep thinking about it or neglecting it (which you may be doing right now, if you’re still reading this review).

He simplifies it, breaks it down for you Ramit-style, so just follow the system. This 6-week program, which yes, you can probably take it slower if you like, works. Just DON’T deviate from the system.

I’ll challenge you to stick with it. Give yourself a deadline, and stick with the deadline.

Why? Because if you don’t set deadlines for yourself, you’re going to procrastinate… and the next thing you know, it’s been a whole year, and you haven’t read past the first chapter.

So, just trust me on this okay? The moment you get to the section on compound interest, you’ll have your Oprah Winfrey aha moment complete with the brand new car (close enough) that has you sending me virtual high fives for telling you to JUST START today!

But seriously, if you don’t give yourself a deadline, you’ll never open the accounts he tells you, and then you’ll get frustrated, and instead of trusting the system, you’re going to deviate, get mad, and write a mean reply on my comment calling me a liar, because it didn’t work for you.

Of course, it didn’t work for you! You didn’t do the work.

So, read the book and do the work.

Do you know why the KonMori method works? It works because those who were serious about getting their house in order had a deadline for removing the clutter from their house. They got serious about getting their home in order in the next 30 days, and keeping only the items that truly "spark joy.”

And that’s how you begin to build momentum, but without a deadline you can easily lose momentum.

Similarly, Ramit takes you step-by-step, telling you EXACTLY how to set up specific accounts (sorry guys— not going to give the whole book away!), teaches you how to automate, understand your money dials, what you truly value, and how to get you from broke to implementing strategies to help you live a rich life that is in alignment with what you truly value.

This book challenged me in many ways, forcing me to take a closer look at my finances, I opened up new accounts for the first time, started learning about investments, and having difficult money conversations with my husband (no spoilers here— but Ramit provides you scripts to help you work through these difficult conversations with your partner to getting those overdraft charges removed from your account to negotiating a lower interest rate on your credit cards. You’re welcome.)

What does my rich life look like? Going on road trips with my family of five. I’ve designated one sub-savings account for vacations, set up to be automatically funded, and we’re going to take a trip nine months out of the year.

You may be thinking it’s not possible, or your circumstances doesn’t allow you the time to get through the program. Here’s what I know about you. You’ve read this far. You’re curious. It’s a small investment for your future, your family’s future.

And as a mom of three, two with special needs, someone who works part-time for a non-profit, while running an on-line business part-time, I get it.

You have the time you make. You can do this. I’ve committed to getting our finances in order for myself, and for my family. I know you can do it too.

The minute your book arrives, write a date on your calendar…. 6 weeks from today, and work through the book. It’s not magic, but it’s a system that works if you’re willing to do the work. You got this!

The content of this book isn’t exactly new — there are plenty of similar personal finance books out there. What sets this one apart is its realistic, actionable plan and its comprehensive coverage of virtually every aspect of personal finance, including credit cards, debt, investing, family finances, and much more.

I would describe it as an all-in-one guide for anyone who needs clarity and a practical roadmap for managing their money. The material is easy to read, even for people whose second language is English, while still combining solid, well-researched financial concepts with the author’s great sense of humour.

I honestly wish I had read this book in my twenties — I would probably be in a completely different financial position today.

Don’t waste your time looking for another personal finance book. This one has everything you need!

El libro me ha parecido practico y útil, al principio al estar en inglés y que su primer tema trata el tema de las tarjetas de créditos y deudas me hizo pensar que tal vez tratase otra realidad social distinta a la mas común en España (ya que los estadounidenses tienen fama de abusar de las tarjetas de crédito y generar un monton de deuda), pero a la vez te anima a usar las tarjetas de crédito si esta ofrece buenas ventajas y siempre mantenerte en unos limites que a su vez hace que mejore tu puntuación crediticia (que en un futuro puede sernos beneficiosos a la hora de hipotecarnos).

Empieza desde el consejo intentar saldar la mayor parte de las deudas, emplear el dinero de forma practica pudiendo disfrutar de parte de el y termina dando consejos útiles para invertir y automatizar el proceso, pero por lo general la lectura es amena y practica, Ramit Sethi quizás emplee algún coloquialismo que dificulte la comprensión para los no nativos, pero el mensaje general resulta fácil de entender.

Se lo recomendaría a toda aquella persona que tiene poco control sobre sus ingresos y gastos y quiere poner un poco orden, empezar a invertir de forma sensata y sin calentarse mucho la cabeza. Como dice, el mejor momento para invertir y sacar mas partido a tu dinero es ahora.