Enough?: How Much Money Do You Need For The Rest of Your Life?

by Paul D Armson

How much money do you really need for the rest of your life? Research shows that the majority of people have no idea where they are heading financially. They may have assets, investments, and/or high levels of income, but most people have no idea what it all means, or what sort of financial future awaits them. What we all need to know "How much is ENOUGH? How much money do I need for the rest of my life?" This book helps you discover how much is enough - for YOU. Having an insight into how much we actually need can be enlightening. It can put you in control. Knowing how much is ENOUGH will give you the freedom to live your life smarter. After all, life is not a rehearsal, it needs to be lived to the max. Paul introduces you to the concept of Lifestyle Financial Planning - a way to help you find this freedom. Using simple step by step instructions this book will guide you through the process of developing your own financial plan. Written in an inspiring, simple, non jargon style, you’ll find this book easy to read from cover to cover, and by the end of it you might know more about good financial planning than many financial advisers.

Genres: Personal Finance

200 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2016

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
I'm mid fifties so looking at the next ten years it was a refreshing way to look at your money.... More importantly why die a money rich fool??

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

you don't need to tell me twice I'm going to spend spend spend! great lifestyle advice

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great for the beginner of managing their money. I'm sure, a couple of years ago, I would have learned loads from this

[Elis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been reflecting on people who have built great fortunes, who are wealthy in an unfathomable way and who hardly have to worry about the future. Like me, you might have imagined what it would be like to be in their shoes, enjoying great vacations, pursuing hobbies you don’t have the time or energy to do, and having stimulating conversations with interesting people.
Alongside this idealistic view of the lives of the happier and the wealthier—which I am sure is not as sunny nor as green as pictured—I have this one recurrent question that comes to my mind: Why would someone continue to pursue wealth beyond what they need?
This insatiable desire for accumulating things - power, influence and material possessions - is often glorified by the media as a sign of ambition and progress. But I wonder if it is all just an obsession in each person’s playground.

This is how I came across the book “Enough? How much money do you need for the rest of your life”. Let me tell you straight away: as I should have suspected, the book didn’t address my questions. And although I was disappointed, the book has some interesting ideas. It wraps up the basics of personal finance around the idea that the time you spend pursuing wealth is the time you lose on doing something entirely different. Thinking about wealth in this way is, in my opinion, a compelling communication strategy because it highlights the most critical resource: time. That is the only thing we can’t get more, no matter how successful or wealthy you become.

The author focuses on helping readers identify whether they have enough resources to retire and by when. Unfortunately, the book was more geared towards those who had already accumulated sufficient wealth and considered retiring earlier. However, if, like me, you still have a long working-life journey ahead, the book might not offer any practical suggestions on maximising your chances of building sufficient wealth and retiring earlier.

Despite this, I appreciated the book’s underlying message, which encourages us to reflect on the invisible trade-offs that rob us of valuable time and might lead to redundant outcomes.

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Returned to Amazon for full refund as didn't answer the question in the title. Just a puff piece promoting his subscription website that apparently has some ready-made Excel files. Has some basic information for those that don't understand the difference between a liquid asset and a capital asset. To answer the actual question, simply work out what you spend each year, multiply that by how many years you expect to live, and, bingo, there's your answer. Simples.

[Iain Girling · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read particularly if you are not sure about your personal finances. The author is very insistent that when pension or retirement planning, find an 'Independent Financial Planner' who is interested in getting to know you and understand your hopes and dreams for the future.

An easy and enjoyable read.

[Sarah P · Rating 1 out of 5]

It doesn't answer the question on the front cover, it's more "why is it important to know how much money you need for the rest of your life?".

He basically spends 200 pages explaining the benefits of "lifestyle financial advisors", you only get one life so live it, and that everyone fits into one of three categories: not enough money, too much money, and just the right amount of money.

[Vaibhav Negi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unnecessarily stretched. 75% of the book repeats the same message - "you have to know how much is enough", but it doesn't do enough at all to help you get it. In the end it basically says find a good lifestyle financial planner and points to its website. Very poor use of time to read this book.

[Fred Mcbreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple concepts, simply expressed. Makes you think about what’s important. Key take-outs are that you need to plan to live your best life and if you have ‘enough’ maybe take less risk with it. There’s no point having too much left when you die. You may as well spend it and enjoy it while you can.

[Paul Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The point of the book is that managing money is simple, and is often over-complicated by the industry in order to confuse - and sell more products. Its simplicity is what makes it such a good book.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thought provoking and relevant book with a fresh approach to financial planning. Has certainly made me rethink my next steps