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Budgeting For Dummies
Build a budget that puts you on solid financial footing
Ask any financially successful person how they achieved their goals, and chances are they’ll tell you it all started with a budget. And that’s exactly where you should start. Budgeting For Dummies shows you how to create a plan that fits your lifestyle, manages everyday needs, and builds your savings. Author Athena Valentine, founder of the Money Smart Latina blog, offers step-by-step details for creating and following a budget without feeling like you’re depriving yourself and your family of all the things that make life worth living. This book shows you how to figure out where your money comes from and where it goes so you can live the life you want and work toward your financial goals. Find out how to establish an emergency fund, eliminate debt, improve your credit score, and stick to your budget through economic ups and downs.
Discover budgeting methods that work so you can live within your means Create a budget for your unique situation to get a handle on your income and expenses Deal with common budgeting challenges without taking on more debt Increase your credit score and save toward a major purchaseYou don’t need to make six figures to achieve your financial goals. Valentine, who also writes for Slate.com, knows the struggle of trying to make ends meet and is enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge with anyone who wants to improve their financial literacy. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to managing your money, you can depend on Valentine’s tried-and-true advice in Budgeting For Dummies to set you on the right path.
Ask any financially successful person how they achieved their goals, and chances are they’ll tell you it all started with a budget. And that’s exactly where you should start. Budgeting For Dummies shows you how to create a plan that fits your lifestyle, manages everyday needs, and builds your savings. Author Athena Valentine, founder of the Money Smart Latina blog, offers step-by-step details for creating and following a budget without feeling like you’re depriving yourself and your family of all the things that make life worth living. This book shows you how to figure out where your money comes from and where it goes so you can live the life you want and work toward your financial goals. Find out how to establish an emergency fund, eliminate debt, improve your credit score, and stick to your budget through economic ups and downs.
Discover budgeting methods that work so you can live within your means Create a budget for your unique situation to get a handle on your income and expenses Deal with common budgeting challenges without taking on more debt Increase your credit score and save toward a major purchaseYou don’t need to make six figures to achieve your financial goals. Valentine, who also writes for Slate.com, knows the struggle of trying to make ends meet and is enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge with anyone who wants to improve their financial literacy. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to managing your money, you can depend on Valentine’s tried-and-true advice in Budgeting For Dummies to set you on the right path.
- GenresFinanceNonfiction
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 5, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 6, 2023
Budgeting For Dummies by Athena Valentine Lent
10h 32m narrated by Diana Blue, 297 pages
Genre: Personal Finance, Business
Featuring: Personal Finance, Introduction, Budgeting Methods, Cash Envelopes, Fun Money, Investing on a Budget, Making Money by Saving, Budgeting Apps, Saving When Purchasing a Home, Financial Bloopers, Emotional Side of Money, Trauma Support Specialist, Concepts In Depth by Chapter, Humor, Where To Find Additional Information, Icons, Online Resources, Budgeting Basics, Emergencies, Overshopping, Living Expenses, Inventory of Your Finances, Spending Analysis, Financial Awareness, Spending Patterns, Saving on Fixed Expenses, Emergency Fund, Sinking Funds, Side Gigs, Freelancing, and Parttime Jobs; Retirement Plans, Eliminating Debt, Irregular Income, Inflation, Money Saving Apps, No Shame, Life Stages, Financial Abuse & Infidelity, Child Expenses, Homeowners Savings & Expenses, Unemployment, Government Assistance, Four Walls Budget, Online Resources, Medical Expenses, Insurances, Credit Cards & Rewards, Investing, Saving on Higher Education
Rating as a movie: PG
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💰💳
My thoughts: 📱7% 43:58 Part 1 Ch. 2 Breaking Down The Parts of a Budget - This book is clearly for someone new to budgeting, but the details are phenomenal. The e-book features 2 tables of contents and an index. I want it, but it's even harder to get than this audiobook.
📱37% 3:51:42 Part 2 Ch. 7 Tips For Creating A New Budget - I feel like the pay yourself first and envelope system aren't budgets, but methods that can be utilized in any budget. system. They've been part of my zero-based budget since the beginning.
📱81% 8:33:46 Part 5 Using Your Budget For Money Management Ch. 14 Budgeting For Major Life Changes - A lot of the new car pros she listed are not new car features but higher trim features. She didn't point out that gap insurance is only beneficial if you're upside down on your car, but highly recommended it. Even if you finance a car, you can negotiate below depreciation, so the gap would be a waste of money in that case.
This book has a lot of good information, but the advice can be iffy. It's not unbiased advice either. I was enjoying all of the information until we got to debt elimination. She spends the first quarter of this section discussing all the awesome ways you can get into debt. She even implies that you need a loan to get a car. I felt like she didn't give enough options in this section. Later she mentions that she has friends who buy all their cars and cash but then says, "But I digress." Really! That's off-topic? How about you share how you can save up for a car instead of paying a car note? Later, when she talked in more detail about car expenses, she again skimmed over cash cars. This book should just be called Davish For Beginners: Not As Broke As The Average American. She gives most of the information you'd find in a Financial Peace University class, throws in some detailed basic finance you can find at Nerd Wallet, and then notes everywhere she disagrees with Dave Ramsey. She says, "Some financial gurus..." Every time before she notes how her advice differs from his, you aren't fooling anyone with that S. She uses this to counter avoiding all debt, eating rice and beans, joint accounts in marriage, and so on, sound familiar? She does drop his name when explaining his Four Walls plan. She advises in two ways, ¹ detailed but glossing over things she knows about but doesn't do like paying cash for cars and college, ² iffy on things she hasn't experienced, kids are expensive and daycare costs more than a bachelor's degree, I rolled my eyes so hard. There is a lot of great information here; you can find it elsewhere but not as organized as you'll find it here. Unfortunately, there is some incomplete advice, misinformation, and straight-up not-the-best plan here. This is why I can not give it 5 stars. There is a lot of you can't do better thinking, mediocrity is good, and you should have your cake and eat some of it too mindset, and I just can't. I get that most people are broke sometimes, but you shouldn't expect to be, especially if you know better.
Recommend to others: Yes, but with a warning. Hopefully, they will take some of the advice and excuses with a grain of salt.
10h 32m narrated by Diana Blue, 297 pages
Genre: Personal Finance, Business
Featuring: Personal Finance, Introduction, Budgeting Methods, Cash Envelopes, Fun Money, Investing on a Budget, Making Money by Saving, Budgeting Apps, Saving When Purchasing a Home, Financial Bloopers, Emotional Side of Money, Trauma Support Specialist, Concepts In Depth by Chapter, Humor, Where To Find Additional Information, Icons, Online Resources, Budgeting Basics, Emergencies, Overshopping, Living Expenses, Inventory of Your Finances, Spending Analysis, Financial Awareness, Spending Patterns, Saving on Fixed Expenses, Emergency Fund, Sinking Funds, Side Gigs, Freelancing, and Parttime Jobs; Retirement Plans, Eliminating Debt, Irregular Income, Inflation, Money Saving Apps, No Shame, Life Stages, Financial Abuse & Infidelity, Child Expenses, Homeowners Savings & Expenses, Unemployment, Government Assistance, Four Walls Budget, Online Resources, Medical Expenses, Insurances, Credit Cards & Rewards, Investing, Saving on Higher Education
Rating as a movie: PG
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💰💳
My thoughts: 📱7% 43:58 Part 1 Ch. 2 Breaking Down The Parts of a Budget - This book is clearly for someone new to budgeting, but the details are phenomenal. The e-book features 2 tables of contents and an index. I want it, but it's even harder to get than this audiobook.
📱37% 3:51:42 Part 2 Ch. 7 Tips For Creating A New Budget - I feel like the pay yourself first and envelope system aren't budgets, but methods that can be utilized in any budget. system. They've been part of my zero-based budget since the beginning.
📱81% 8:33:46 Part 5 Using Your Budget For Money Management Ch. 14 Budgeting For Major Life Changes - A lot of the new car pros she listed are not new car features but higher trim features. She didn't point out that gap insurance is only beneficial if you're upside down on your car, but highly recommended it. Even if you finance a car, you can negotiate below depreciation, so the gap would be a waste of money in that case.
This book has a lot of good information, but the advice can be iffy. It's not unbiased advice either. I was enjoying all of the information until we got to debt elimination. She spends the first quarter of this section discussing all the awesome ways you can get into debt. She even implies that you need a loan to get a car. I felt like she didn't give enough options in this section. Later she mentions that she has friends who buy all their cars and cash but then says, "But I digress." Really! That's off-topic? How about you share how you can save up for a car instead of paying a car note? Later, when she talked in more detail about car expenses, she again skimmed over cash cars. This book should just be called Davish For Beginners: Not As Broke As The Average American. She gives most of the information you'd find in a Financial Peace University class, throws in some detailed basic finance you can find at Nerd Wallet, and then notes everywhere she disagrees with Dave Ramsey. She says, "Some financial gurus..." Every time before she notes how her advice differs from his, you aren't fooling anyone with that S. She uses this to counter avoiding all debt, eating rice and beans, joint accounts in marriage, and so on, sound familiar? She does drop his name when explaining his Four Walls plan. She advises in two ways, ¹ detailed but glossing over things she knows about but doesn't do like paying cash for cars and college, ² iffy on things she hasn't experienced, kids are expensive and daycare costs more than a bachelor's degree, I rolled my eyes so hard. There is a lot of great information here; you can find it elsewhere but not as organized as you'll find it here. Unfortunately, there is some incomplete advice, misinformation, and straight-up not-the-best plan here. This is why I can not give it 5 stars. There is a lot of you can't do better thinking, mediocrity is good, and you should have your cake and eat some of it too mindset, and I just can't. I get that most people are broke sometimes, but you shouldn't expect to be, especially if you know better.
Recommend to others: Yes, but with a warning. Hopefully, they will take some of the advice and excuses with a grain of salt.
August 11, 2024
I am taking a huge salary loss due to some mental health issues that have hindered my social and occupational desires (occupational burnout). In doing this, I needed a book that could help me adequately plan for the future and budget according to my current constraints.
This little how-to offers at least five different budgeting strategies, which I have already started using to better my financial health. I created a spreadsheet of fixed and variable payments while also thinking about what little income and assets I have.
Thank God for this book. I hope the lessons I've learned will hold, because I need to become more frugal right now. I think Athena conveyed the information very easily and in a way that is at least accessible to me.
Key points:
1. Asses your finances
2. Organize types of debts, income, and assets (liquid or property)
3. Pick a budgeting tool
4. Create a budget
I've always relied on the 50/30/20 as someone from low income and it has worked for me. I think I might also try cash stuffing, either physically or digitally.
Regardless, if you are struggling with money, this book could help. I love all the free YouTube information out there, but I do think this tangible hard copy was easier for me to digest and steered clear of the sneaky misinformation and biases that can arise with watching online content.
Thanks Goddess Athena! May I be birthed into wisdom from your forehead!
This little how-to offers at least five different budgeting strategies, which I have already started using to better my financial health. I created a spreadsheet of fixed and variable payments while also thinking about what little income and assets I have.
Thank God for this book. I hope the lessons I've learned will hold, because I need to become more frugal right now. I think Athena conveyed the information very easily and in a way that is at least accessible to me.
Key points:
1. Asses your finances
2. Organize types of debts, income, and assets (liquid or property)
3. Pick a budgeting tool
4. Create a budget
I've always relied on the 50/30/20 as someone from low income and it has worked for me. I think I might also try cash stuffing, either physically or digitally.
Regardless, if you are struggling with money, this book could help. I love all the free YouTube information out there, but I do think this tangible hard copy was easier for me to digest and steered clear of the sneaky misinformation and biases that can arise with watching online content.
Thanks Goddess Athena! May I be birthed into wisdom from your forehead!
August 22, 2024
The first half of the book, I enjoyed it a lot. It talked about the different budgeting methods and how each is used and whom could use it.
However, the second part was rather slow, as she talked about life situations I am currently not facing. So, yeah, I understand the part of that happening eventually (some thing already happened for me), but reading thru that was just slooooow.
If you are younger, probably you can be benefit more from such scenarios... then again, they may bore you too, as you are not yet in this stage.
Anyhow, the book is worth for the part of budgeting methods alone.
However, the second part was rather slow, as she talked about life situations I am currently not facing. So, yeah, I understand the part of that happening eventually (some thing already happened for me), but reading thru that was just slooooow.
If you are younger, probably you can be benefit more from such scenarios... then again, they may bore you too, as you are not yet in this stage.
Anyhow, the book is worth for the part of budgeting methods alone.
April 20, 2024
author is cool, I wish them & their pets well
May 6, 2024
Lots of good advice
Read
May 23, 2026Not started reading, bought in 2025.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews