The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living: How a Spending Fast Helped Me Get from Broke to Badass in Record Time
The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living: How a Spending Fast Helped Me Get from Broke to Badass in Record Time book cover

The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living: How a Spending Fast Helped Me Get from Broke to Badass in Record Time

Paperback – April 26, 2016

by
Price
$16.96
Format
Paperback
Pages
240
Publisher
William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0062367181
Dimensions
7.38 x 0.53 x 9.12 inches
Weight
14.3 ounces

Description

Review “Charming and authentic…What began as a personal challenge…turned into an unexpected journey of radical self-discovery and personal reinvention…If you’re looking for a thoughtful gift for recent college grads or newlyweds, this is definitely one book worth considering.” — Better Investing Magazine “After accumulating over $23,000 in debt,…Jones…commits to a yearlong “spending fast”…Following 15 months of extreme thrift…she successfully regains financial freedom… Through a light, youthful tone and nontechnical language, this book offers a back-to-basics guide for those in need of debt-relief strategies.” — Library Journal From the Back Cover An inveterate spender, Anna Newell Jones was desperate to end the cycle of overspending, debt, and shame. On a whim, Anna decided to go on a Spending Fast—an idea she’d heard in passing but knew little about. Creating her own method to pay down her debt, she learned what worked and what didn’t and wrote about it on her blog, AndThenWeSaved.com. Amazingly, Anna was able to eliminate all $23,605.10 of her debt in a mere fifteen months—while making only $33,000 a year! Anna’s journey has inspired people and shown them that they too can change the way they deal with their own money woes. The Spender’s Guide to Debt-Free Living takes readers through a detailed step-by-step plan for their own Spending Fasts, including: Creating a personalized Get Out of Debt Pledge. • Mastering Needs-Only spending. Creating a personalized Get Out of Debt Pledge. • Mastering Needs-Only spending. Finding additional income sources and generating side gigs. Finding additional income sources and generating side gigs. Learning techniques to handle difficult categories such as clothes, groceries, and social situations. Learning techniques to handle difficult categories such as clothes, groceries, and social situations. Dealing with slip-ups and recommitting to debt reduction. Dealing with slip-ups and recommitting to debt reduction. Reintegrating spending into your life once you’re out of debt—so that you stay out of debt. Reintegrating spending into your life once you’re out of debt—so that you stay out of debt. Filled with do-it-yourself ideas, insight from experts, and tons of motivational tips and real-life practical advice, The Spender’s Guide to Debt-Free Living proves that you don’t have to win the lottery or land a high-paying new job to change your life. About the Author Anna Newell Jones is the creator of AndThenWeSaved.com, a blog that offers scrappy, down-to-earth advice on getting out of debt. She is relentlessly committed to showing how getting out of debt and living a debt-free life doesn and her husband own Newell Jones + Jones Photography and live in Denver, Colorado, with their young son. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Popular blogger Anna Newell Jones of AndThenWeSaved.com delivers this self-help manifesto that reveals how a "spending fast" will help you get on the road to living debt-free.
  • In 2009, young photographer Anna Newell Jones was rapidly suffocating under the weight of too much debt. An inveterate “spender,” she was in way over her head, to the tune of almost $24,000. She knew her debt was only going to get worse if she didn’t take action, but she didn’t know where to look for help. On a whim, Anna decided to go on a spending fast—an idea she heard in passing but knew little about. Creating her own method, she learned what worked and what didn’t and wrote about it on her blog, AndThenWeSaved.com. Amazingly, Anna was able to eliminate all $23,605.10 of her debt in only 15 months! She was interviewed in
  • Forbes
  • ,
  • Self
  • ,
  • Glamour
  • ,
  • Good Housekeeping
  • , and the
  • Chicago Tribune
  • .
  • Anna’s journey inspired people and showed them that they too could change the way they dealt with their own money woes.
  • The Spender’s Guide To Debt-Free Living
  • takes readers through a detailed step-by-step plan on how to do a Spending Fast and get out of debt, including:
  • Creating a personalized Debt-Free Life Pledge.
  • Creating a personalized Debt-Free Life Pledge.
  • Understanding where your money is going when you’re in debt, and where it will come from to pay it off.
  • Understanding where your money is going when you’re in debt, and where it will come from to pay it off.
  • Learning why putting money into a savings account before (or while) paying off debt may not be the best idea for you.
  • Learning why putting money into a savings account before (or while) paying off debt may not be the best idea for you.
  • Finding additional income sources and generating side gigs.
  • Finding additional income sources and generating side gigs.
  • Re-integrating spending into your life once you’re out of debt, so that you stay out of debt.
  • Re-integrating spending into your life once you’re out of debt, so that you stay out of debt.
  • Filled with do-it-yourself ideas, insight from experts, and tons of motivational tips and real-life practical advice,
  • The Spender’s Guide to Debt-Free Living
  • proves that you don’t have to win the lottery or get a new job to change your life.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(160)
★★★★
25%
(134)
★★★
15%
(80)
★★
7%
(37)
★
23%
(123)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Bought in support of my best friend and realized I have my own debt issues ...

Bought in support of my best friend and realized I have my own debt issues to deal with. Great great great read and filled with activities/tasks to guide you to eliminating debt. The tasks take time but I'd encourage you to do them as debt is exactly like an amazing meal: Takes all of 5 minutes to devour it (create heaps of debt) but lots of time to prepare it/clean it up (plan/pay off debt). and it is so good while eating but you are left with a mess and by the time you are finished cleaning up you can't even remember how much you enjoyed it!! I've paid $1000 off since purchase 10 days ago and am not finished with the tasks or the book. But this is because I challenged myself in starting a fast as soon as I got the book and cannot buy a single thing until finished. YOU WILL FIND MONEY WHEN YOU STOP SPENDING!!! When finished I'll have a better idea and plan of true wants and needs and may not even want what I thought I needed at that point. (I have though bought gas and groceries but the TRUE basics, cheaper meals I know how to prepare) I have since already said no to coffee out about 7 times and online shopping including book shopping (went for the free ibooks) at least 3 times. Brought food/snacks into my longer days in the studio (I teach Pilates as well as run an ecommerce store). Declined lunch but bartered pet sitting for a coffee date. And started posting things online to sell from my house. Opted to go for online Pilates classes and spread out my private and small group lessons I'd already purchased as well. Oh and I had two online Pilates class memberships and cancelled one. Long story but I am rooting everyone on who has decided to take responsibility for their debt mess!!
20 people found this helpful
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Useful and Authentic

There is a lot I like about this book. First: the author, Anna Newell Jones, cusses appropriately and in moderation when talking about how to get out of debt, and uses language in a conversational manner that at times made me feel like I was having a warm-hearten chat over coffee with a friend. That is something I have not seen by any other author on the subject of debt, let alone money in general. Second: this book is not about a single, rigid, prescription of getting out of debt; it goes through options that the reader is supposed to tailor to one's own situation in providing examples of behavior change, which is extremely helpful for my own case. Third: Anna is a blogger that I have been following for several years, and her book is not an exact replication of blog posts over a period of time. The resources she provides are concrete and useful. I strongly recommend this book to people who feel caught up in the rat race and are looking for real-life options for how to become debt-free.
10 people found this helpful
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I completely enjoyed reading this book

I completely enjoyed reading this book!! I found her group Spending Fasters on Facebook and that’s where I found the book. As she shares her story, you can feel her enthusiasm And her want for you to succeed jumping off the pages. I enjoyed how she broke down her framework into doable portions and wrapped up the end of a chapter with a list of key points to consider/implement your way out of debt, and you can taylor it to fit your life and debt size.

The idea of doing the reverse budget that is recommended in this book was a scary thought at first, but it was so eye opening!! It’s great how she sets you up with establishing the ideas that help you be successful, rather than you have to these things at this level of intensity until the debt is gone. She focuses on establishing the idea of each piece of the plan to help you get out of debt. She even discusses her own struggles with her journey as well, which really helps make you realize that you are not alone! If you want a great way to get out of debt, buy this book and check out her Facebook group Spending Fasters, you’ll be glad you did!!
6 people found this helpful
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Living your life on your terms

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book, it's interesting that this book came into my life at a moment when I had already started getting out from under the weight of my student loans, etc. I think Anna Newell Jones shares her interesting story and you can feel her enthusiasm in her words. A spending fast may not fit for everyone, but like fasting with food... you can fit it to work for you. I enjoyed how she broke down her framework into chunks and wrapped up the end of a chapter with a list of key points to consider/implement your way out of debt.

Having done the reverse budget that is recommended in this book at first came be scary, but it is also empowering. I loved how she doesn't say do x, y, z at this level of intensity for this long to accomplish your goals. She focuses on establishing the idea of each piece of the framework and she even discusses her own struggles with her journey as well.
6 people found this helpful
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Where has this been all my life?!

It has never been easy for me to get my finances organized and I've been struggling with debt for a long time. This book was such a relief, she is relatable and makes the whole thing seem a lot less overwhelming. It feels more like your knowledgeable friend is guiding you versus that feeling of reading a dry textbook. The information is presented in a clear, organized way that gives you manageable steps along the way. I definitely recommend this!
6 people found this helpful
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Perfect!

I used this for a class I teach. Perfect !
6 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Perfect!

I used this for a class I teach. Perfect !
6 people found this helpful
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and I absolutely love this book

I am reading this book at the moment.....on Chapter 5 only......and I absolutely love this book. Very informative with a lot of great advice......
5 people found this helpful
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Help! I'm a spender!!!

I am still reading through this guide. It is light-hearted, funny and yet full of great ideas. I have a feeling I will be keeping this book handy for reference for a long time....
4 people found this helpful
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I really enjoyed reading about Anna's journey to get out of debt

I really enjoyed reading about Anna's journey to get out of debt. She breaks down her process into helpful chapters to make it a step by step guide to follow her Spending Fast methodology. I really appreciate her resources when it comes to additional support (her website andthenwesaved.com and her Facebook group) and also her follow up by providing links to apps to make money, budget, and sell. The book is written for young adults and those who are young at heart. Her examples are definitely relatable for anyone 18 and older navigating through the constant barrage of social expectations of spending money. My favorite concept about this book explains the emphasis of putting your emotion into relationships/friendships and taking the emotion out of money. Spending time with people is more valuable than spending money on people and when putting this idea into practice you will inevitably find out who your true friends are. This book and her other resources did help me stay motivated while digging out of debt and I recommend it to anyone needing support on their journey to debt-free living.
4 people found this helpful

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