The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

I was recently asked to review Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover. I received the book as an eBook on my reader. Let me say that this would make an awesome gift for any newly married couple. My family has been a Dave Ramsey fan for years. I love that he is so down to earth and doesn't talk down to anyone. He's been where most of us have been (bankruptcy, debt, kids, unemployment, etc) and he certainly gives it to you straight. His views are based in the Christian faith but it's not “in your face” in case you don't believe in the same things he does.

Total Money Makeover takes you through several steps, not all of which can be completed overnight. This is not going to solve all your troubles with a quick fix, but instead, with a program you can use for the rest of your life. From setting up a budget, saving for college education and retirement, and best of all, becoming debt free! Personally, the hardest part so far has been sticking to our household budget. While it's great to see those debts coming down each time we make a payment, it's hard not to just spend again because we see something new at the store we'd LOVE to have…right now!

You definitely have to have your significant other on board with you, and Dave mentions that several times through the book. If only one of you are saving and paying down debt, then you're just spinning your wheels. He has a saying: Live like no one else, so someday you can live like no one else. Basically while most other people are racking up the credit card debt and you eat rice and beans and drive a used car, one day you'll live in a house that is paid off taking a family vacation while they are still struggling to pay their ever-mounting bills!

Some of Dave's advice is hard to follow; not that it's morally challenging or anything, but he's very up front that retailers, advertisers, even your own friends and family may work directly against your plan of action. But you have to stay strong and remember why you're making this drastic change, so you can break this endless cycle that Americans find themselves immersed in.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. Buy extra copies to give to your friends and family members. Check out Dave Ramsey on the radio, on his website, even check out his classes being offered locally!

You can purchase The Total Money Makeover on Amazon as well as your local book stores.

Book Description:

If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.

Build up your money muscles with America’s favorite finance coach.

Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into a well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There’s one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that’s with The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition.

By now, you’ve heard all the nutty get-rich-quick schemes, the fiscal diet fads that leave you with a lot of kooky ideas but not a penny in your pocket. Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies. With The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition, you’ll be able to:

• Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt—meaning cars, houses, everything
• Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you)
• Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement!

 

Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher of The Total Money Makeover, Thomas Nelson, for providing a copy of this book for review as part of their Book Sneeze program. All opinions expressed are my own.