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Financial Joy: Banish Debt, Grow Your Money and Live Joyfully in 10 Weeks
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
As seen on ITV's This Morning! A life-changing 10-week plan to help you to turn your life around and design a path to financial freedom, enriched with the small experiences that bring you joy.
Stop worrying about money. Start enjoying your life.
You might be struggling in debt, living paycheque to paycheque, or worried about preparing for retirement; maybe you're considering your first investment, or you just want an escape plan from the '9 to 5'. Wherever you are on your journey, this book will revolutionize your lifestyle and your relationship with money.
Authors Ken and Mary Okoroafor started out as resource-poor, working-class immigrants and have built a life of financial independence and joyful moments through hard work, smart saving and savvy investing. They know what it feels like to start from ground zero, and as a chartered accountant and former CFO, Ken shares his financial expertise to help you unlock the secret to building wealth.
You'll learn how to take control of your finances, develop good money habits, become debt-free, invest in assets and multiply your income so you can create the freedom to travel, spend time with your loved ones and plan for a stress-free (early) retirement - all whilst prioritising your wellbeing and having fun!
It also includes a dozen real-life interviews with singles, couples and those with children, from different backgrounds, age groups and stages of their money journey, including a few well-known public figures.
Financial joy can be achieved by anyone - and it can start today, not tomorrow.
'The book that's been missing from this genre. A joy to read and learn from.' -- Cait Flanders, bestselling author of THE YEAR OF LESS and ADVENTURES IN OPTING OUT
'A book to savour' - JL Collins, author of the international bestseller The Simple Path to Wealth
'The most joyful money book out there' - Selina Flavius, author of Black Girl Finance
Sunday Times Bestseller No.6 in Paperback Non-fiction April 2024
As seen on ITV's This Morning! A life-changing 10-week plan to help you to turn your life around and design a path to financial freedom, enriched with the small experiences that bring you joy.
Stop worrying about money. Start enjoying your life.
You might be struggling in debt, living paycheque to paycheque, or worried about preparing for retirement; maybe you're considering your first investment, or you just want an escape plan from the '9 to 5'. Wherever you are on your journey, this book will revolutionize your lifestyle and your relationship with money.
Authors Ken and Mary Okoroafor started out as resource-poor, working-class immigrants and have built a life of financial independence and joyful moments through hard work, smart saving and savvy investing. They know what it feels like to start from ground zero, and as a chartered accountant and former CFO, Ken shares his financial expertise to help you unlock the secret to building wealth.
You'll learn how to take control of your finances, develop good money habits, become debt-free, invest in assets and multiply your income so you can create the freedom to travel, spend time with your loved ones and plan for a stress-free (early) retirement - all whilst prioritising your wellbeing and having fun!
It also includes a dozen real-life interviews with singles, couples and those with children, from different backgrounds, age groups and stages of their money journey, including a few well-known public figures.
Financial joy can be achieved by anyone - and it can start today, not tomorrow.
'The book that's been missing from this genre. A joy to read and learn from.' -- Cait Flanders, bestselling author of THE YEAR OF LESS and ADVENTURES IN OPTING OUT
'A book to savour' - JL Collins, author of the international bestseller The Simple Path to Wealth
'The most joyful money book out there' - Selina Flavius, author of Black Girl Finance
Sunday Times Bestseller No.6 in Paperback Non-fiction April 2024
224 pages, Paperback
Published August 20, 2024
140 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 13, 2024
This is one of the best books I have read on financial planning and achieving financial independence. The information provided is based on the authors' (Mary and Ken Okoroafor) own experiences and the personal life experiences of many others they interviewed.
Financial Joy is easy to follow, well researched, and outlines all the things you should consider at various stages in your life. It is obvious why this is a best-seller, and I really like the focus on discussing money side-by-side with well-being, which you don't often find in a book like this. Recommended reading.
Financial Joy is easy to follow, well researched, and outlines all the things you should consider at various stages in your life. It is obvious why this is a best-seller, and I really like the focus on discussing money side-by-side with well-being, which you don't often find in a book like this. Recommended reading.
April 12, 2025
Financial Joy is far from the best book on personal finance I've ever read (see: Your Money or Your Life) but it's definitely not the worst either (see: Love Your Life, Not Theirs).
I first became aware of Ken and Mary Okoroafor and their work on The Humble Penny through a documentary about how to live Mortgage-free. As they were the only ones featured who weren't toughing it out in an old shipping contianer, on a leaky barge, or building a tiny house on land their parents owned, and actually seemed to live in a regular property that was appreciating in value, having paid off their mortgage in seven years instead of twenty-five, I figured they probably had something to teach me, and I was right.
Alas, Financial Joy is proof that not ever great blog, podcast, zine, or other piece of millennial media needs to be a book (see also: Blank). It has some great sections, particularly the chapter on getting debt-free, and it goes into much more depth in areas like buying property or types of investment account than most books of its kind, which will be of interest to anyone in the UK FIRE movement seasoned in quickly skipping over the 'this does not constitute financial advice' type disclaimers.
In other content, however, there are two major areas that it falls down:
1. It has too many lists, with too many steps attached to each.
I love a good to-do list as much as anyone, and what better way to set and achieve financial goals than by working through a manageable proven set of steps compiled by those used to writing shorter, snapper pieces than a whole book of them, right?
Wrong. I kept having to flip back between the start middle and end of each week, trying to work out what order I should be tackling the steps in. Every chapter has about three or four sections, every section has four or five strategies and each of those strategies has a number of steps (often complete with acronyms) to master. By the time you get to the summary at the end of each, the additional steps to putting that week's teachings into practice feel a little redundant.
Too much god, not enough 'love thy neighbour'
The Okoroafors lean heavily on their christian faith, and, as with many of the personal finance books I've read by churchy types, (see also: anything Dave Ramsey) they view money primarily as a means of reinforcing their values. Which is all well and good when those values involve charity, sustainability, and generosity. But the latter chapters of Financial Joy spend a disproportionate share of the wordcount on what accountants and solicitors often politely call 'tax efficiency' and the rest of us call 'rich people getting greedy'. What if taxes are god's way of telling you to love and support your fellow human beings regardless of whether you think they deserve it huh? What then?
That's not to say I learned nothing from Financial Joy except that I hate tax-dodgers even more than I thought I did. There's a particularly eye-opening section on compound interest. Many of us know how it works, but seeing examples - whether real or hypothetical - of turning 20 grand into half a million quid over a few decades is enough to make even the most reluctant saver sit up and take notice. And to give credit where credit's due, the book does take into account a number of different sets of circumstances, while many similar titles simply assume their reader is a guy in his mid-to-late 20s making £175k a year in the City of London whose only debts are a very expensive mortgage and a Tesla on finance.
Having 'if X then Y' tips for how to save proportional to income, how to invest, and what to invest in makes it a very useful guide to dip in and out of. The difficulty is that the book, its authors, and its many fans don't want you to dip in and out of it, they want you to complete the full 10-week programme with its 100 or so steps, while you simultaneously audit your every transaction and attend what can, at times feel like a weekly therapy session to dissect your entire relationship with money. In my experience, as someone who tries to help people get out of debt for a living, if you've got a regular job, regular responsbilities, and a regular level of self-awareness you're unlikely to complete the programme, and you shouldn't judge yourself too harshly for it.
If you're single-minded enough to get on the path to financial independence in ten weeks, there are better books that will allow you to do it in six.
I first became aware of Ken and Mary Okoroafor and their work on The Humble Penny through a documentary about how to live Mortgage-free. As they were the only ones featured who weren't toughing it out in an old shipping contianer, on a leaky barge, or building a tiny house on land their parents owned, and actually seemed to live in a regular property that was appreciating in value, having paid off their mortgage in seven years instead of twenty-five, I figured they probably had something to teach me, and I was right.
Alas, Financial Joy is proof that not ever great blog, podcast, zine, or other piece of millennial media needs to be a book (see also: Blank). It has some great sections, particularly the chapter on getting debt-free, and it goes into much more depth in areas like buying property or types of investment account than most books of its kind, which will be of interest to anyone in the UK FIRE movement seasoned in quickly skipping over the 'this does not constitute financial advice' type disclaimers.
In other content, however, there are two major areas that it falls down:
1. It has too many lists, with too many steps attached to each.
I love a good to-do list as much as anyone, and what better way to set and achieve financial goals than by working through a manageable proven set of steps compiled by those used to writing shorter, snapper pieces than a whole book of them, right?
Wrong. I kept having to flip back between the start middle and end of each week, trying to work out what order I should be tackling the steps in. Every chapter has about three or four sections, every section has four or five strategies and each of those strategies has a number of steps (often complete with acronyms) to master. By the time you get to the summary at the end of each, the additional steps to putting that week's teachings into practice feel a little redundant.
Too much god, not enough 'love thy neighbour'
The Okoroafors lean heavily on their christian faith, and, as with many of the personal finance books I've read by churchy types, (see also: anything Dave Ramsey) they view money primarily as a means of reinforcing their values. Which is all well and good when those values involve charity, sustainability, and generosity. But the latter chapters of Financial Joy spend a disproportionate share of the wordcount on what accountants and solicitors often politely call 'tax efficiency' and the rest of us call 'rich people getting greedy'. What if taxes are god's way of telling you to love and support your fellow human beings regardless of whether you think they deserve it huh? What then?
That's not to say I learned nothing from Financial Joy except that I hate tax-dodgers even more than I thought I did. There's a particularly eye-opening section on compound interest. Many of us know how it works, but seeing examples - whether real or hypothetical - of turning 20 grand into half a million quid over a few decades is enough to make even the most reluctant saver sit up and take notice. And to give credit where credit's due, the book does take into account a number of different sets of circumstances, while many similar titles simply assume their reader is a guy in his mid-to-late 20s making £175k a year in the City of London whose only debts are a very expensive mortgage and a Tesla on finance.
Having 'if X then Y' tips for how to save proportional to income, how to invest, and what to invest in makes it a very useful guide to dip in and out of. The difficulty is that the book, its authors, and its many fans don't want you to dip in and out of it, they want you to complete the full 10-week programme with its 100 or so steps, while you simultaneously audit your every transaction and attend what can, at times feel like a weekly therapy session to dissect your entire relationship with money. In my experience, as someone who tries to help people get out of debt for a living, if you've got a regular job, regular responsbilities, and a regular level of self-awareness you're unlikely to complete the programme, and you shouldn't judge yourself too harshly for it.
If you're single-minded enough to get on the path to financial independence in ten weeks, there are better books that will allow you to do it in six.
April 8, 2024
This was crappy, shallow; a lot of worthy alternatives are available: Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life, What They Don't Teach You About Money: Seven Habits to Unlock Financial Independence and Money: A Users Guide. For a vivisection of the rotten-to-the-core financial system be sure to check out: Limitarianism and Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist.
November 8, 2024
Interesting read about investing, saving, growing money etc :) quite a short read, UK focused. A glossary would be a nice addition for easily forgotten terms in investing and different accounts
May 8, 2024
This book is a Sunday Times Bestseller for a reason and having read it back to back, I can see why. I've spent years reading personal finance books in the UK and US (including brilliant books like Psychology of Money, The Simple Path to wealth, etc), and Financial Joy is by far the best money book out there!!
Here is why: 1) It is written from the lived experiences of the couple who have achieved Financial Independence in their 30s including mortgage-free in 7 years having overcome so much as immigrants and more.
2) It is a 10-week plan that's accessible to everyone no matter your stage of the money journey, that way, you'll find it very helpful even if you're complete beginner or if you're further on. Each week covers extensively everything from designing your life of Financial Joy, habits and behaviours, getting out of debt, navigating behavioural biases (something rarely seen in money books), managing day to day finances, investing in the stock market (very detaied!), side hustles and growing your money (the best I've ever seen in any money book, even better than books about side hustles), preparing for retirement (including rarely the strategies for also doing it via property investing) and finally a very emotional final week on protecting your wealth and legacy planning.
3) It is deeply research backed!! Not a single page in the book is wasted on fluff.
4) It does something very rare for money books and balances wealth with well-being, something that's become more important to more people post pandemic.
5) It includes 12 relatable interviews from people from different ages (20s to 60), different ethnic backgrounds, different stages of the money journey,
6) It appeals to couples and singles and appeals beyond the UK and appeals both to UK readers and international readers too. Read the editorial quotes and testimonials from other international Bestsellers who have read and reviewed this book like JL Collins, Cate Flanders, etc from the US, Canada, etc.
7) It is written without jargon! You will understand everything written. PLUS, every week with summary of lessons learned and spaces in the book to write practical reflections as you work through small tasks in the book.
This book is a GAMECHANGER even for me as someone who has read many money books. It is empathetic, inspiring, practical, non-judgemental and literally answers all the questions (including what to do depending on your tax situation) and more.
You will NOT regret buying and reading this book. I've already gifted 5 more to my siblings and friends and cannot shout out this book enough. Happy reading!
Here is why: 1) It is written from the lived experiences of the couple who have achieved Financial Independence in their 30s including mortgage-free in 7 years having overcome so much as immigrants and more.
2) It is a 10-week plan that's accessible to everyone no matter your stage of the money journey, that way, you'll find it very helpful even if you're complete beginner or if you're further on. Each week covers extensively everything from designing your life of Financial Joy, habits and behaviours, getting out of debt, navigating behavioural biases (something rarely seen in money books), managing day to day finances, investing in the stock market (very detaied!), side hustles and growing your money (the best I've ever seen in any money book, even better than books about side hustles), preparing for retirement (including rarely the strategies for also doing it via property investing) and finally a very emotional final week on protecting your wealth and legacy planning.
3) It is deeply research backed!! Not a single page in the book is wasted on fluff.
4) It does something very rare for money books and balances wealth with well-being, something that's become more important to more people post pandemic.
5) It includes 12 relatable interviews from people from different ages (20s to 60), different ethnic backgrounds, different stages of the money journey,
6) It appeals to couples and singles and appeals beyond the UK and appeals both to UK readers and international readers too. Read the editorial quotes and testimonials from other international Bestsellers who have read and reviewed this book like JL Collins, Cate Flanders, etc from the US, Canada, etc.
7) It is written without jargon! You will understand everything written. PLUS, every week with summary of lessons learned and spaces in the book to write practical reflections as you work through small tasks in the book.
This book is a GAMECHANGER even for me as someone who has read many money books. It is empathetic, inspiring, practical, non-judgemental and literally answers all the questions (including what to do depending on your tax situation) and more.
You will NOT regret buying and reading this book. I've already gifted 5 more to my siblings and friends and cannot shout out this book enough. Happy reading!
June 10, 2024
This is my favourite financial book! Enjoyable, easy to read, knowledgeable, comprehensive, practical and my favourite part is each chapter has actionable steps to follow. This is key!
It's more than a book it's an actual plan, a road map. If you complete each chapters actionable steps this book well and truly will unlock financial freedom exactly as they claim.
I have implemented so much since reading it and now have a solid plan. This makes me feel excited, safe and secure. Thinking of finances and financial planning is now a joy.
To list a few of the things implemented as a result of reading this book: I have followed the % mentioned and put my money to work whilst putting aside a weekly fun budget, which for me has massively relieved any spending guilt as I know what I am spending is accounted for and purposely put a side. Set up a separate account for said budget and also numerous pots for places I now put my money. Went through my existing side hustle costs and reduced my expenses therefore making more profit. Started a second side hustle, downloaded a spending app and task/reminder app and have all my tactics, financial reviews and investment checks scheduled (it's amazing how even with the best intentions how many things you can forget...not anymore!) Remortgaged our house (we actually started this before reading this book however the book definitely kept me motivated through the very tiresome and lengthy process and kept me persevering) we now have a much, much better rate meaning we can make bigger overpayments and pay our mortgage off quicker!
There has been much more in between but in summary I now feel confident and I know what to do next and how to do it. If you use this book it is a game changer! Thank you for making this available and an enjoyable experience!
It's more than a book it's an actual plan, a road map. If you complete each chapters actionable steps this book well and truly will unlock financial freedom exactly as they claim.
I have implemented so much since reading it and now have a solid plan. This makes me feel excited, safe and secure. Thinking of finances and financial planning is now a joy.
To list a few of the things implemented as a result of reading this book: I have followed the % mentioned and put my money to work whilst putting aside a weekly fun budget, which for me has massively relieved any spending guilt as I know what I am spending is accounted for and purposely put a side. Set up a separate account for said budget and also numerous pots for places I now put my money. Went through my existing side hustle costs and reduced my expenses therefore making more profit. Started a second side hustle, downloaded a spending app and task/reminder app and have all my tactics, financial reviews and investment checks scheduled (it's amazing how even with the best intentions how many things you can forget...not anymore!) Remortgaged our house (we actually started this before reading this book however the book definitely kept me motivated through the very tiresome and lengthy process and kept me persevering) we now have a much, much better rate meaning we can make bigger overpayments and pay our mortgage off quicker!
There has been much more in between but in summary I now feel confident and I know what to do next and how to do it. If you use this book it is a game changer! Thank you for making this available and an enjoyable experience!
August 21, 2024
Given the current climate and my own personal circumstances I started off this book with a little side eye. I was thinking that of course if I could go back about 20 years and make different decisions then yep I too could be financially joyful. However, I soon found that the book is packed full of useful tips and quite detailed information about how people at all stages in their financial journey, can really start to improve thier relationship with money. The Okoroafor's are an inspirational couple who have a strong sense of Faith and keep spirituality at the center of thier money management. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me this was really impactful. I have now checked out the humble penny and look forward to seeing how I might move closer to financial joy as a result. This is a must read for everyone.
September 1, 2024
Excellent book on Financial Joy
This book covered a wide range of topics in relation to finances and presented them in a way that made them simpler to understand. It also provided you with exercises you could do as well as tips to implement in your own life, which I found very helpful. A cherry on top was that it mentioned a few biblical ideas / principles. I would definitely recommend this book for those who want to achieve financial joy and those who are open to educating themselves in the world of finances.
This book covered a wide range of topics in relation to finances and presented them in a way that made them simpler to understand. It also provided you with exercises you could do as well as tips to implement in your own life, which I found very helpful. A cherry on top was that it mentioned a few biblical ideas / principles. I would definitely recommend this book for those who want to achieve financial joy and those who are open to educating themselves in the world of finances.
October 25, 2025
Don’t wait, reach for it!
I had pleasure to attend Mary and Ken’s Humble penny workshop and I was inspired to continue my financial education, so getting their book was a next step, the best decision ever! This book should be on every book shelf of any one who tries to learn about financial independence and understand all the jargon of financial world. I cannot thank them enough for guiding me. I started my journey already and heartily invite you to not waste your time anymore and get into it!
I had pleasure to attend Mary and Ken’s Humble penny workshop and I was inspired to continue my financial education, so getting their book was a next step, the best decision ever! This book should be on every book shelf of any one who tries to learn about financial independence and understand all the jargon of financial world. I cannot thank them enough for guiding me. I started my journey already and heartily invite you to not waste your time anymore and get into it!
July 3, 2024
This is a Monster of a Book, I will say again This is a Monster of a Book, a must-read life-changing book. If you want Joy with your Money, Mind and Life, just get the book. It's fun how the book connects finances and fun while pursuing personal happiness. It's a very smooth blend of emotions that you can bring into your life.
November 9, 2024
Definitely a must read, if you want to get your finances in order. Must say it’s the best finance book I’ve read so far for someone who lives in the U.K. covers everything you must know and do to get your finances in shape and living a fun and fulfilled life
November 25, 2025
Such Good Advice
This book really sets out all aspects of money management. It helps you find ways to manage debt and accumulate wealth. Ken and Mary are knowledgeable and supportive in their approach.
This book really sets out all aspects of money management. It helps you find ways to manage debt and accumulate wealth. Ken and Mary are knowledgeable and supportive in their approach.
July 5, 2024
A very insightful book that combines personal stories with real world evidence - it is well structured and has provided myself with a good foundation to go about planning my financial life!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews