How To Not Work Forever: Start Investing and Build a Life You Love

by Natasha Etschmann, Ana Kresina

If you want to live your dream life tomorrow, you need to make the right investing choices today

If money wasn’t an issue, how would your life be different? The truth is that relying solely on your day job won't guarantee a life free from financial stress. The average nine-to-five might pay your bills, but there’s a gap you need to fill if you want to get to a financially free lifestyle you love. The key is to start start small, and start now. The good news? It’s not as hard as you think! With How to Not Work Forever, you’ll discover how to make your money go further and grow faster — by investing in shares and ETFs.

How to Not Work Forever breaks down the info and tools you need to keep up with inflation and grow your wealth. Tash (aka @tashinvests) and Ana, money experts and hosts of the popular Get Rich Slow Club podcast, walk you step-by-step through setting your goals and getting started in the sharemarket. They share simple, practical advice that can help you create long-term financial freedom — the kind of freedom that lets you seize new opportunities and embrace a life that fulfils you.

Through hands-on strategies and real-world stories, you’ll discover how and what to buy, when to sell, and how to handle taxes and fees.

Find money to invest by revisiting your budget and boosting your earning power Learn why buying and holding index funds is something everyone can (and should!) do Understand how ETFs (exchange-traded funds) can help you build a diversified portfolio Factor your superannuation into your plans for your future Discover how to balance risk and reward for a strong share portfolio Confidently build your own personalised investing strategy
Take control of your money today. If you want to secure your financial freedom and future-proof your life, this is the book for you. In How to Not Work Forever, Tash and Ana make investing easy to understand and simple to action. You’ll learn how to make a plan, start investing, and build a life you love.

How to Not Work Forever is authored by general advice accredited financial educators.

Genres: Finance, Nonfiction, Self Help, Money, Audiobook

304 pages, Paperback

Published July 29, 2024

Reviews

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book so I’m definitely biased, but if you want to learn how to invest in shares in Australia, this is the book for you! It’s super practical with example portfolios and we have case studies with real people sharing exactly how much they invest and in what. ☺️☺️

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've read the Barefoot Investor and need to take the next step when it comes to your finances, this book is for you! You'll learn how to find money to invest, the basics of investing, and how to build a life you love.

Of course I'm biased because I wrote this book, but I would absolutely share this with anyone starting out on their finance journey.

[Nell Keeping · Rating 4 out of 5]

Idk I still feel like Sportsbet AFL Multi’s are more in line with my values and who I am as a person

[Amanda Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for anyone just getting into investing. I especially loved the last few chapters which show how simple the math really is to calculate how much you’ll need to not work forever. It’s an inspiring and helpful read and I’d recommend for any Aussies looking to get a hold on their long term financial planning. I’m excited that I now know exactly How Not to Work Forever 🤪

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an associate adviser doing my professional year in Perth I thought this book explained holistic financial areas very well. I would recommend this book to any of my clients and friends to help them get a better understanding of investing and financial concepts. I found it extremely motivating for my own personal goals. I follow both Tash and Ana on Insta and love their updates! Next I want to start listening to their podcast. Thanks ladies, you are making a big difference in people's lives.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating : 5/5
Best finance book I’ve ever read. It’s so accessible, written in an easy-to-digest way! It’s a book that’s balanced, realistic and guides readers in a gentle way into their investment journey. Brilliant!
I don’t rate books 5/5 often but this hits the mark!!

[Naomi Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

100% recommend if your new into investing , the authors make it so simple! And way better book then the barefoot investor! More current! Loved it , even read it in one day!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assessable information for beginners. I personally got more out of the Glen James investing book but this clearly explains the basics

[Serena Mevissen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an adequate book for beginner investing. It is very clear in the writing that it was written by 2 people (for example, labouring the same point in different paragraphs which feels disjointed). It reads as a transcription of a podcast.

[Richard F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book from the shelf after I saw some glowing reviews on Goodreads. But a few chapters in I realised I might have made a mistake. Put simply, this is a book for beginners, or even pre-beginners (the investor-curious), and I am really moving more to the intermediate stage (I already invested in ETFs and I'm interested more in single stocks now). But that does give me a chance to critique this from a different perspective.

A few years ago I picked up 'Invested' (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...), which gives similar information but in a more story-like setting. In short, I would much rather have had Natasha & Ana's book then than that book. This is because I'm more of a straight-shooting information kind of guy and "HTNWF" is more of that kind of book.

Having said that they also deal in slightly different topics since "invested" goes straight to how to choose and invest in companies, whereas HTNWF deals with ETFs. As it happens that is the topic I'm more interested in now but "Invested"s style of storytelling is a little off-putting for me and it makes it hard to actually find the information that you need (I ended up transcribing the useful bits to my own notes)

HTNWF is a more information-focused type of book but told in an easy-to-read way with visual guites and case studies to make the reader more comfortable and it does that well. There is a lot to be said for making the reader comfortable with their choices when persuading them to start investing (even now I will still have the occasional panic if I see my investments drop). HTNWF does this well but for some (like me) it may seem to be a little too gentle with a few things repeated. But again, I'm coming from a perspective of having already invested.

My overall opinion is that the book spends too much time on "getting ready", and I would have preferred to replace one of those early chapters with something a little more advanced later on. But the information is thorough and there are definitely plenty of good tips about this stage (some of which I even took on the board as a reminder). When it gets to the actual investing part, the information is still very sound and does offer important advice. More importantly this advice is for Australians and deals with Australian tax issues and things like Super. (opposed to 'Invested' which is written by an American).

So if you are thinking of investing, this book is definitely a good choice. My own advice would be to not dwell too much on the first half of the book, but heed the advice of Natasha & Ana and many other investment books: just get started!

[Mathilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a great start to investing and very general information about finance. If you're curious about investing and basic budgeting advice and not sure where to start when it comes to research this is a great book to read.

Unfortunately, I found this book to be too basic even for me. A majority of chapters went over simple budgeting advice (cutting unnecessary subscriptions, meal prepping, opting for public transport, etc.). While this information is helpful and arguably an important stage into starting your investing journey; finding basic budgeting advice is easily accessible and readily attainable for free online and was something I wasn't looking for in a book advertised as an introduction into investing. I found myself skipping a huge portion of this book due to those reasons and felt that these chapters were at times overly explained and were only included to extend the length of the book.

However what I most enjoyed from this book was the introductory levels they had when it came to debt (what is high interest debt, and should you pay debt off quickly) I found this to be really helpful. I had already known what an emergency fund was before reading this, and it definitely encouraged me to start saving for one.

If you intend to purchase this book because investing sounds confusing for you and you're unsure where to start, or what you should do before you start investing, this is a great book to read and has improved my confidence in this topic. Additionally, I would recommend you visit the Aussie FIREBug blog if you'd like to learn more about budgeting and finance tips from an Australian perspective.

[Lenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really broke down the basics of investing for me, and I found the break down of the maths helpful, especially when talking about paying off personal loans first, and being able to balance high interest savings vs. Investing. My one complaint is that it still felt very "salesy" - I'm already reading a book about investing, I don't need you to pitch every other chapter how easy and necessary it is.
Additionally, I found Kresina's sections more tolerable than Etschmann's - don't get me wrong, both are clearly knowledgeable, however, Tash's perspective just felt so young and privileged 😅

[Jasmine Banister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently purchased How Not to Work Forever, and it’s been a game changer. This insightful book teaches you how to make your money work for you, both now and in the future. The language is incredibly accessible, and the layout is perfect for someone who has never invested before. The section on ETFs is particularly well done—it’s by far the clearest explanation I’ve come across. Tash and Ana have done an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts in an easy-to-understand way. Thank you both for writing such a user-friendly and informative book!

[Daniele · Rating 3 out of 5]

How To Not Work Forever is a decent primer on investing, though much of the content may feel familiar to those with prior knowledge in the field. The book is particularly geared towards an Australian audience, with many specific recommendations and discussions about ETFs and Superannuation funds that are relevant primarily to Australia. While it provides a useful overview, readers outside of Australia or those with more advanced investment knowledge might find it less applicable or insightful.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great for someone like me, who is brand new to investing and needed a step by step guide and break down of options. I’m not sure how formally educated the authors are, because a lot of the tables and figures didn’t make a whole lot of sense in the context, especially where axes weren’t labelled and it was impossible to figure out what exactly they were trying to illustrate. I still got what I needed though, and will start listening to the podcast for more information.

[Casey Finigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If like me you are bad at maths, don't understand finance AND dont want to sell your soul to the corporate overlords forever BUT also don't want to be poor - this book is for you! It's easy to read, understand and is super practical. Highly HIGHLY recommend!
Barefoot investor helped me pay off my debts, this book has helped me pave a way forward to enjoy my life!

[heidiv zero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it , very similar to the barefoot investor - but perhaps a more updated version and doesn’t put as much focus into paying off debt. This book mostly talks about investing into ETFs. I follow tashinvests on Instagram and most if not all of this info is also on her Instagram - but I loved the book anyway.

[ebony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it’s a really good book for people without much knowledge of investing - I wouldn’t say I’m a pro but I’ve educated myself, and I didn’t learn anything from this. Not to say it’s a bad book because I think it explains investing and breaks things down in a really easy to read and understand way, and it’s a book I’ll be lending out to my friends. 2.5/5 from me.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

When complex financial advice and concepts can be broken down into bite-sized easy to understand pieces you can tell the authors really know their stuff. No matter what your financial knowledge is I highly recommend reading this book to enhance your knowledge of investing.

[Tessa Flenley · Rating 4 out of 5]

First finance book I’ve read so can’t really compare it to anything but the thing I love most about this book is it is genuinely very very realistic and attainable - I don’t feel overwhelmed or like I need to be at a certain level already to do what’s in the book!

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

To me, this book does not offer anything new. Kinda copy and paste from similar books in this space. They mentioned a few Vanguard products but they may not help the reader as they may not apply to them.

[Brandon Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ana. She’s the best.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good guide for beginners

[Isabella Modra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! So easy to read and understand, an incredibly handy tool to begin my investment journey.

[Kim Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was easy to read and one thing I really liked was how much they reinforced was that: you can lose money and that past performance does not mean guaranteed future returns.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a bloody great A-Z guide on investing: the what, the how, the where... but most importantly the why. A must read.

[Carolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the Audio book. It was interesting, a lot of general finance information and investing knowledge.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great foundational knowledge for those interested in increasing financial literacy. Relevant to Australia

[Jennifer L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good easy to read book for beginner investors in easy to understand ways with actionable tasks and homework inside. Great advice!

[An · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the good ones in the personal finance genre, and a great intro to investing.