Customer Reviews

Debt Free By 30

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I highly recommend this book. It is very informative with great advice, and best of all...entertaining to read.

I've read a lot of financial books, but this one is the only one that gave me real hope. Anytime I want to dig out my credit card I re-read a small section and stay on track.

I originally read this book in the fall of 2002, and have finally decided to write a review b/c of impact it has had. I've paid off more than 50% of my debt since reading the book, and I haven't paid a cent in interest to credit card companies.

For the first time in my life I was able to see how easy it is to cut back on spending just by keeping track of my Starbucks/eating out for lunch habit. Everyone will have a different situation, but it gives you the advice you need to objectively view your own spending, develop a plan, and still have a life. Best of all, the book will make you feel empowered and motivated, Other books are written to make you feel like a financial idiot or someone who needs to join a twelve step program for debt.

This book is so much common sense. I just don't understand why people have a problem with budgeting. It's simple, don't spend more then you make! But if you do have a problem with this concept or need help getting out of debt, this book could help. Money saving tip - get it from the library!

My husband purchased this book for us about 2 years go. We read it in less than a week - an easy read as others have already mentioned. To say the least, we found this book motivating. After we read it, I made a spreadsheet of our debt - including who we owed, how much, the interest rate, and a schedule of how soon/or not we would pay it off making various payments. (To put it into perspective, we owed over $15K in credit card debt). We called each credit card company and got them to lower our rates. The one that didn't, lost all of our money. We transferred it to an introductory 0.00% credit card instead. We then started with the highest debt/highest interest rate, and worked our way down to the last of the credit cards from there. It took us about a year and a half to get it paid off, but it was worth the wait. Here we are less than a year from paying off our credit card debt (keeping only auto loans and a student loan as debt) with thousands of dollars in our savings account. We pay cash for everything we purchase, and seriously consider our purchases before making the transaction. Our lives truly changed after reading this book. This book will be our future gift to college grads.

I really like this book but much of the information is (to me) common sense. Don't get me wrong, if you are young and need a place to start this book should prove helpful. The author gives great advice in a very humorous tone, which makes the book fun to read. In fact, it's such an easy read you should finish it quite quickly. The reason I say this book isn't for the already miserly is because many of the tips are similar to books that I have already read or they are ideas that I already practice. That doesn't mean that the tips aren't helpful though! Ideas range from making your morning coffee at home instead of hitting Starbucks, bargaining lower interest rates from your credit card lenders, and making sure not to spend your tax refund before you even get it in the mail.

I loved this book. I found it by accident looking for another book and I read the entire book in under a week. The way it is written it makes it funny at times and very fast paced. The book did not go into great detail on a lot of subjects, but it gave me a lot of useful information. I would definently recommend this book.

Charge it if you have to, this book is a must for anyone who makes and spends money. Even if you're not "young," "broke" or even in debt, the book is an entertaining and useful guide. I stood in the aisle of a bookstore with a friend of mine who is in debt -- $20,000 in school loans, $6,000 in credit card debt, a car lease -- all on a first-year teacher's salary. We read the book nearly cover to cover, laughing to the point of turning heads. I didn't buy it myself, as I'm not in debt. But I found myself wanting to refer to it so often -- for subjects such as car purchasing information (that's car PURCHASING, not leasing; for why, refer to the book) -- that I went ahead and bought it to add to the "personal finance" section of my bookcase. I'm now reading the whole thing all over again -- get this -- for fun. That's how funny the book is, and how pertinent to just about everybody's financial life. Buy it, charge it, borrow it, steal it. Just get it.

This is a really good book with lots of helpful sources included. I think it gives hope to everyone in debt...which seems like everyone everywhere!!! Not boring and doesn't just tell you what you already know. Really gives straightforward advice. To the authors: congrats on your book it's excellent!

I read this in one day, and I know I am going to keep it for reference for years. It is just such a smart, savvy tome, full of advice. It breaks down all the topics --- from tracking and cutting variable expenses, to taxes, to budgeting. There is even a recipe for making your own frappuccino so you don't keep blowing $4 a day at Starbucks! The authors are funny too -- their rant against SUVs is supported with some killer research as well as written in a humorous style. Spend your cash on this book -- it's a winner!

This book encourages a spending diet with minimal pain. I laughed throughout. I guarantee if I had picked up a debt-reduction book that had an inkling of preachy-ness to it, I would have burned it immediately (then gone shopping).

Oh, it also has great recipes in it (that are cheap and easy to make).

The authors weave pop culture references throughout each section and give practical advice. Most debt-relief books say things like "clip coupons" and "cancel your cable tv" but these guys understand that coupons expire and that cable IS a necessity! The very best feature of this book are the numerous websites for saving money on bills and getting low APR credit cards. Plus they never make you feel bad for getting into your debt mess since they've been there, too.