Inspired by the I was the freak in Citibank today. At least, that's how they saw me. diary on the rec list I thought I'd mention a book and a piece of software that have changed my life.
Elizabeth Warren's "All Your Worth" (yes THAT Elizabeth Warren) and YNAB, a simple financial software written by one guy and not a big corporation.
The above diary was talking about a problem that most normal people have... not having enough money in your bank account to pay a bill on a certain day. Having to time bills with paychecks... you know living paycheck to paycheck.
Something I was doing too until I found her book and that simple financial software.
1. Elizabeth Warren's "All Your Worth" (yes THAT Elizabeth Warren)
The rules of the game have changed.
Somewhere in your bones, you already know this. Hard work and good intentions are no longer enough. Security, comfort, lasting prosperity -- you want it, you work hard for it, and yet the worry remains. Real financial peace seems so hard to achieve.
You can't count on good old-fashioned hard work the way your parents did. Go to school, get a good job, do your work, don't go crazy with spending, and everything will work out, right? Not anymore. That advice may have worked in your parents' day, but today you have to be smart with your money. Not just a little smart, but super smart. You have to learn the new rules -- the rules nobody told you and nobody talks about. And you have to learn them fast.
Just for a moment, forget what you know about money. Forget about your bills. Forget the size of your paycheck. Forget your shopping trips and the shoes you just bought. We want to give you a new perspective on your money, a different way to think about it. We want you to explore new possibilities.
What if we told you that this book could show you how to cover your bills, without worry or fear? No more bounced checks. No more anxiety about how you'll make it through the month. Just the power to pay your bills on time, and then to relax in security and comfort.
Now, what if we told you that on top of showing you how to conquer your bills, this book could show you how to have some money for fun? No living like a Scrooge. No asking yourself every minute, "Can I really afford this?" Just some cash in your pocket for plain old just-because-you-feel-like-it fun.
And now, suppose we told you that in addition to all of this, you could still have money to save? Money to get ahead, each and every month. Enough money so that you could finally start to dream a little -- and make real progress toward those dreams. Enough to build some real wealth.
And what if we said you could do all this without counting pennies, without carrying around a calculator, and without thinking constantly about money? In fact, after a little up-front work, you could stop thinking about money altogether, and spend your days focusing on the things that really matter.
Would you keep reading?
Read it. It's an amazing book. Get it at your local library today. I bought it used on Amazon for one cent.
2. YNAB or "You Need a Budget", a cheap, un-corporate, piece finance and budgeting software that literally changed my life.
Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
We want you to work toward living on last month’s income. Both the software and methodology will help you do just that.
Result: You’ll find breathing room. You’ll stop wasting time by timing paychecks with bills, and if you’re on a variable income, your budgeting “problem” will be eliminated.
It takes a while to get to that point... BUT it's completely doable.
It's a cheap piece of software with a 7 day free trial, money back guarantee, and the forums over there are absolutely amazing for inspiration and help. It's written by one guy and you can literally e-mail him and he'll e-mail you back personally if you have questions.