The Broke Diaries: The Completely True and Hilarious Misadventures of a Good Girl Gone Broke

by Angela Nissel

“People always say I’m going to look back on these days and laugh — why put it off?”

When Angela Nissel found herself struggling financially while in college, instead of sulking, she decided to entertain herself by creating an online journal that chronicled her day-to-day trials and tribulations. Written with humor and intelligence, her “Broke Diary” quickly found an audience as people wrote to Angela to empathize with, console, and laugh with her about her experiences and even share their own. The Broke Diaries is the first complete compilation of her experiences, written in a voice that is funny, unique, and dead-on.

On buying ramen noodles: I am sooooooo embarassed. I only have 33 cents. I (please don’t laugh) put the money on the counter and quickly attempt to dash out with my Chicken Flavored Salt Noodles. The guy calls me back! I look up instinctively, I should have run . . . Why didn’t I run???!! He tells me the noodles are 35 cents. I try to apologize sincerely. I thought the sign said 33 cents yesterday, so that’s all I brought with me. Could he wait while I ran home and get the 2 cents? I show him my student I.D. to let him know I am not a thief. He shakes his head and motions either for me to get the hell out of his store and never come back again or get the money as do come back. I don’t know. He said something like “Nyeh” and swiped his hand in my direction.
I can’t translate hand motions well.
The noodles: tasty!!!

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Biography Memoir, Comedy, Chick Lit

212 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2001

About the author

Angela Nissel is author of the national best-selling comedic memoirs The Broke Diaries and Mixed. In addition to books, she is a co-executive producer and writer for NBC's medical sitcom Scrubs and executive producer of an in-development television project with Halle Berry and Vincent Cirricionne.

Angela was born a lower-middle class light-brown child in Philadelphia. She even stayed in that fair city for college, graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology. That degree led to a stellar career as a temp for the IRS, a "melter" in a metalworking shop, and as a "sleep apnea auditor" working the 12AM to 8AM shift at a local hospital.

She later started a dotcom, OkayPlayer.com, which is still alive and well, but she left it permanently to the care of its co-founder after The Broke Diaries was published. She decided to pursue writing full-time and finally ventured out of Philadelphia to Hollywood.

Upon arriving in Hollywood, she learned that just because someone's vanity plates read "PRDCR", doesn't mean he has the connections to make your book into a screenplay or even help you get a writing job.

Barely paying her rent through freelancing, she put a few possessions on Ebay for extra cash—the winning bidder of one item was a television executive who had read The Broke Diaries. She introduced Nissel to a television literary agent. This agent sent copies of The Broke Diaries to everyone hiring comedy writers and soon, Nissel had numerous job offers. She accepted a position as a staff writer on "Scrubs." She's been there for seven seasons and is currently one of the co-executive producers of the show.

This is the only job she's had where her medical anthropology degree comes in handy.

Reviews

[Ciara · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have very mixed feelings about this book. on the one hand, i like reading about how people scrape by with no income, & some of the problems that befall nissel are illustrative of the way the cycle of poverty keeps people down. for example, there's a story about how nissel went to new york city to visit a friend. he was late picking her up at the train station, so she found a phone booth that allowed her to make calls with her debit card. she assumed that the call just wouldn't connect if she didn't have the funds in her account to pay for it. she wound up making ten calls on her debit card & didn't think any more about it...until she got her bank statement, which included ten $30 overdraft charges--one for each call. her statement arrived on the same day her student loans were deposited, so the bank went ahead & took its $300 from that check, which she had been counting on to cover food, groceries, & other bills. nissel closed her bank account, but then couldn't open a new one because her former bank had reported her to chexsystems. so she had to start cashing her checks at a check-cashing place, which takes out tons of ridiculous fees with every transaction.

on the other hand, it's pretty clear that nissel is broke because she is putting herself through college, with a goal of using her degree to get a well-paying job & enter the middle class. i am less enamored with reading stories about temporarily poor people complaining about being poor. nissel has managed to go on & make a nice little career for herself as a television producer, & has spun her experiences as a broke college student into a little cottage industry, which includes writing this book & appearances on shows like "oprah," where she talks about scraping by with almost no income. millions of american scrape by with little or no income every single day & are not invited on "oprah" for their troubles.

there are also weird bits about how nissel just KNOWS her poverty is temporary because she's so damn smart--smart enough to be attending an ivy league university. she ignores the fact that there are a whole lot of other people that are just as smart as her, if not smarter, that never got the chance to attend college, in some cases because they were too poor. she equates poverty with stupidity way too often for me to sign off on this book. there's even a hint of it in the subtitle--the "misadventures of a good girl gone broke". as if to imply that a "good girl" lacking money is a strange occurence. like only "bad girls" are poor, even temporarily.

& while parts of the book had their funny moments, nissel is in general not really as funny as she thinks she is.

[Dana Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have probably read this book now about 20 times or so in the last decade and I still can't read it in public without looking like a total loon cracking up in the corner of Starbucks or wherever! The book started out as a blog Angela kept in college to try and find the humor in her broke-ness to keep her from getting down about it all. The right person found it along the way and got her published. And I am so glad they did! You have to read this book!

[Sheena · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars. Not sure how hilarious got thrown in the title, this book didn't really do it for me. It was ok at best and I thought about laughing a few times but it didn't happen. Ang is a broke college student who can hardly afford ramen noodles and she damn near steals them because she is a couple cents short. If she put all the time and effort of scheming free food, looking through free ads and all other desperate attempts to survive she would've had the time to apply and find a better job with more hours than the "little part time" job she had. Glad this is off my bookshelf, mostly a waste of time in my opinion.

[Darcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I ended up giving this one up after 50 pages. I thought it would be a fun book to read, but for me it wasn't. I found the author to be self deprecating. I have been in her situation, where you are doing the bill shuffle, where you eat cheap food, but it doesn't mean you have to be stupid about it. When you are so broke you are doing this you don't go visit friends out of stay incurring more expenses, call someone with a credit card, then bitch when your account is over drawn. At some point you need to grow up and accept that you are an adult and life with the consequences of your choices. In the end I just couldn't keep reading a book where a person can't do that.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a go-to reread for me in college. It's very funny stories about being a poor college student - particularly at an Ivy League school, surrounded by more affluent students - told in short journal entries (that I believe were first blog entries). It always cheered me up about being broke myself, because although I did have a few ridiculous poor person moments, nothing can top what this woman went through.

Weird sidenote: when I grabbed a new copy (gave my old one away) to read again, I realized that I have been telling one of the stories in this book as something that happened to a "friend of mine". Which is problematic because I shouldn't be inventing my own reality, but actually kind of comforting because that really is how I feel about the characters in books that I reread a lot. And when the book is a memoir, that means the author. Hi, Ang!

[Mrs Tupac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a funny comedic classic so relatable and understanding sista girl Ang has survial skills like no other !!! Damn I'm mad this isn't a television show this book is a UNDERRATED classic
Top funny moments of the book were
The check cashing waiting in line journal entry
The landlord falling asleep in the apartment and Ang letting the wife think otherwise
The repair man agreeing to keep her lights on only if she let him take her to breakfast
The guy who had prized chickens
The dude taking a crap at her crib and not flushing
And all her array of broke friends
Omg I need a price survival guide for this year

[Carol Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was chosen for my book club, but when we went to review all our books at our ten year anniversary, no one had read it. I kept telling everyone that we had put it on our list, but one woman said she didn't think it was appropriate so we dumped it and had a picking party instead, but no one would believe me.

So, in order to say I read all the books, I read this many years later. It was good to dump it. It wasn't really memorable, but I think this woman has a future as a humorous essayist. It does have some funny parts, and I felt really sorry for her.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was read when I wasn't a member, and while some parts may not be appropriate to read due to language (nothing worse that what you would hear on the bus). It was an excellent book, and far more entertaining than many other books. However, you would have had to be REALLY broke to understand and appreciate it, as opposed to the people who are "broke" and couldn't afford to get 2 mani-pedis this month.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reading this on my commute on a train and was laughing hysterically out-loud, in tears. I happened to look up and realized that I had half of the train car to myself, as everyone was crowded into the far half of the train car, looking at me like I was crazy. I proceeded to continue reading and laughed all the way to my stop. This book is a keeper and worthy of being re-read.

[Rachel Wagner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have heard Nissel on NPR and she's much funnier in person than in this book. Also, it might be kind of insulting to any person that has to deal with serious poverty. It treats it as kind of a joke.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and relatable for the most part, but also left a little bit of ick I can’t explain.

[bridgette larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s anything this book taught me it’s that it’s ok to snatch a book about being broke from an upscale neighborhood’s tiny library book exchange. I’m sure they had a good laugh about Angela’s adventures while I’m reading her entries thinking “she’s a genius.”

[Dot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty funny overall; it's a collection of diary entries written by a poor college student in Philly. The author now writes for Scrubs, so her days of brokeness are probably over.

The bad: She won't shut up about going to Penn and how Ivy League she is. Some of us who managed to somehow not be Ivy League grads are pretty darn smart and capable. I know this because I was accepted to Columbia but declined to go to my non-Ivy alma mater, and I don't think I could've gotten a more brilliant, funnier, more adept group of friends.

She also has terrible money management skills; like she talks about going to the club and buying drinks. Maybe I'm just a cheap bastard (something I've been accused of on more than one occasion) but I just can't imagine spending money I don't have on drinks at the club. Of course, I also don't drink, but even if I did... one drink is like eight bucks! Do you know what eight bucks can buy you? A couple of times I found myself completely dumbfounded by her decisions. But hey, it makes for good reading.

[Che · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I read this book, I laughed out loud page after page after page. This time around, I got in a few chuckles, but it wasn't nearly as funny as I remembered. I always recommended this book and gave it to a number of friends as gifts. I think a lot of my disappointment, this time around, came from the downgraded humor. It's still the same book. I've just outgrown it. I've always tagged this as a favorite and while I'm not read to knock it out of the running (because I'm sure most will enjoy it the first go round), I have decided to knock it down to a 4 star rating (from my initial 5 star.) I'd honestly give it 3 stars, if I'd read it for the first time during this phase of my life, but the memories and the chuckles collectively persuaded me to keep it at 4 stars. Share it with a college student in your life. I'm positive he or she will laugh out loud from seeing their lives on these pages.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very funny! Angela has such a wit and charm about her that makes any messed up or awkward situation sound hilarious and lighthearted. To be perfectly honest, this book made me extremely grateful for the life I have as of right now. As a current college senior, the same age as Ang in the book, I have been fortunate enough to have the funds and means to afford the things I need and then some. It's humbling to realize that not everyone is as fortunate and that you should truly appreciate what you have.

[J. Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hilarious!!! It's set in the form of a diary (as the title suggests). This diary could be the diary of any other female college student who hasn't been fed a silver spoon. I loved every bit of it, one of the few books I could stand reading more than once.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The girl is hilarious.
mainly just some hilarious stories, no more no less. she thinks she's cute, and funny, and she is, really.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

hilarious

[Ren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me laugh out loud at several points. I was a student. I've been broke. I can identify. Though I have to admit I was never quite as broke as Nissel seemed to be. I worked either full-time or close to it the entire time I was taking classes full-time and I paid for school myself. No debt afterward. She seemed to have quite a bit of down time that she could have gotten another part-time job at least. Heck, get a waitressing job where she could get a free meal too. The whole thing about no clean underwear? Um, you still have a sink if not enough quarters to do a load of laundry... I've washed out more than underwear in my sink before. I have no sympathy for her lack of reading material - go to the library! If you don't like the public library, the school has several I'm sure...

Odd, this book started out really funny. I think maybe she just grated on my nerves after awhile since looking back now, she's obviously bugging me. This girl is at an Ivy League school, can't feel too much for her. More than anything, she needed to set her priorities better. I didn't know anyone who actually had their own apt in college - efficiency or not. At one point, there were 5 of us living in a 2-bedroom apt to make ends meet. I also did a stint in a cabin with no water to save money. (Unfortunately, cabins aren't cheap around here anymore.) And what's her issue with going to a thrift store? Better than spending $70 you don't have on a suit you're just going to complain about. There are some really nice clothes in thrift stores! I'm finished with full-time school and working a decent job. I'm not so broke these days but I still have a budget. I still eat incredibly cheaply and can survive on very little when I want to. I splurge at times but I still love thrift stores, used book stores and inexpensive clothing stores (Ross, TJ Maxx and Burlington's were must-stops on my recent vacation!). Nissel just needs to suck it up. It's college. There's an end to the misery. She's doing just fine now. Funny how quickly she decided she wouldn't date anyone who was broke...

[Allison Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I worked as a library page in high school. One shift I was “reading” the nonfiction section and this title caught my eye. I have to admit, I started reading it right then on the clock and then checked it out and took it home with me.

At the time, I was envious of Nissel. Not because she was broke - I was too! But how she had so much humor about it, and such an engaging writing style. I remember taking the book to school and showing the girls in my math class and they passed it around and laughed at the entries.

I actually bought the exact copy I first found, years later after the library discarded it. It’s been on my shelf since, and I read Mixed too, but The Broke Diaries remained my favorite.

I wanted some humor in my life after all of...this, and I can’t believe that the book still cracks me up so much. Like laughing out loud reading on my front porch, because now it’s in the 60s after last week’s ice and snow. But I digress. This book is hilarious and makes me miss the 2008ish period of blogging because that’s exactly how it reads now, even though it was written way before then. You should read this. Then let’s laugh about it together.

Just to note, if you don’t believe me about Nissel’s humor: she’s been a writer on Scrubs, the Boondocks, and Mixed-ish.

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

The singularly most hilarious book I've ever read. I laughed so hard at practically every scenario that at times my stomach muscles actually ached from enjoyment. Of course, I was in college when I read this so her plight was truly my own at the time.I hated putting this book down when I had somewhere else to be. You really want to read the whole thing through once you get started, it's that good.

The book accounts, through short journal entries, the business of getting by on a daily basis when all you have is your resourcefullness, sarcasm, and a few cents clinging for dear life in your hole-filled pocket. Her writing is comical and positively sarcastic. Yet it's not a negative rant, it's more making light of and the best out of what life throws your way.

I would summarize the book in this Angela-esque modified adage; Sometimes when life hands you nothing, you have to steal a couple of lemons in order to make lemonade.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I’m surprised I made it to 70%. This book is absolute dog shit. I thought it was going to be a story of a girl who was broke with bad spending habits who got smart and learned how to manage her money. This is a story of a girl who whines about not having any money to buy food because the instant a twenty hit her pocket she was manipulating rides out of “friends” (i.e. people she uses) to outlet malls to burn it on some discount designer article of clothing. And then she would fuck with some poor guy who was crushing on her so he would buy her dinner. The author is a terrible person who thinks being irresponsible and using people makes for a humorous story. This book put me in a horrendous reading slump. Worst $2 I ever spent.

[Brunna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Na capa do livro está escrito "The Completely True and Hilarious Misadventures of a good girl gone broke". Eu acho que durante a leitura toda eu dei no máximo uma ou duas risadas, em nenhum momento eu achei esse livro "hilário". Enrolei pra terminar e me frustrei com a autora algumas vezes... Quero dizer; como ela (a escritora) faz planos pra sair da cidade (ou de casa) sem ter um tostão pra voltar e dependendo de "amigos"? Ela faz isso duas e vezes e nas duas vezes ela acaba se dando mal financeiramente. Na segunda vez eu já estava falando com o livro como se a autora pudesse me escutar e eu estava gritando: você não aprendeu nada da outra vez?. Mas.. loucuras a parte... o livro não é mal escrito, mas não é pra mim.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was difficult for me to relate to this book, but I did enjoy the ride. The open mike poetry night was especially hilarious- shake the bed,dying laughing, funny. Other memorable highlights- shopping for dress pants in a communal dressing room with no underclothes on for lack of laundry money; Fred the Ford and last, but not least, the bank/check-bouncing/check-cashing snafu. Also, the $1200 business line phone bill. Overall, Pretty funny but the vernacular got old quick.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An oldie but a goodie. I remember laughing out loud on the subway when reading The Broke Diaries for the first time back in 2003-2004. I decided to re-visit it, and although it definitely feels dated in parts (references to pay phones, long distance calls, and video cassette tapes abound), it also still made me laugh. Revolution forever!

2021 Reading Challenge Category: A book from your TBR list chosen at random.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and, sadly, relatable

This book is full of funny anecdotes that anyone who had to rub two nickels together in college will empathize with. Ms. Nissel is a talented storyteller, and I don't just say that because she's a professional comedy writer who sometimes laughs at my tweets.

[cat news · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having grown up near Philadelphia and being familiar with manyof the locations in this book, Ireally wanted to like it more. But the broke girl keeps a cat! If she can barely afford to pay for her own food, how can she feed a cat? At the end of the book when she gets a job and moves house, her cat isn't even mentioned!

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and smart, Nissel chronicles the highs and lows of being broke and just trying to get to the next day.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh- hilarious! I wish it was longer.

[Ursula Shelton · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was extremely funny about a college student and all she did when she was getting her education and money was in short supply. I would definitely recommend this book for a few laughs.