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You’re Not Broke, You’re Pre-Rich

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Never go out the week before payday? Have less than £1,000 saved? Does this sound all too familiar? If so, it's time to take back control of your bank balance.

One out of three millennials today will never be able to buy their own house. Does it have to be like this? You're Not Broke, You're Pre-Rich will tell you that it really doesn't; you can have your avocado on toast and stop renting and start saving too.

This essential handbook will help debunk the financial jargon and break the money taboo. Packed with actionable tips and no nonsense practical advice, You're Not Broke, You're Pre-Rich will teach you how to make your savings work for you, how you could invest your money, why you need to understand your pension, and why your financial health is just as important as your mental and physical health.

This indispensable manual will be your comprehensive guide to financial freedom, giving you the confidence and conviction to regain control of your bank balance and live a happier, richer life.

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2019

145 people are currently reading
2569 people want to read

About the author

Emilie Bellet

3 books7 followers

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5 stars
164 (34%)
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199 (42%)
3 stars
91 (19%)
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19 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Rachel.
118 reviews10 followers
February 5, 2021
This is the year I’m finally going to get a handle on my finances and Emilie’s book was such a great introduction to all things money. If you told me a year ago I’d be up until 1 am on a school night reading a book about finance, I would’ve laughed at you! It’s so readable, accessible and vital that even pensions don’t seem boring. I loved the chapters on attitudes and relationships with money and I genuinely feel like mine have already changed.
Profile Image for Anna.
10 reviews
February 27, 2020
This is a must-read book on personal finance and personal development altogether. Financial education is really poor among us, and it really helped me redefine my relationship with money (especially as I have left a job and relocated in the past few weeks), hacks on how to save and invest and build your personal wealth (which doesn't necessarily mean being rich - I am a journalist after all). Really recommended for those who like me used to struggle to save and let themselves go in terms of compulsive and irrational shopping.

Also, the author signed my book at a Vestpod event - Emilie Bellet is such an inspiration!
Profile Image for Caitlin.
23 reviews
August 4, 2019
This was so good! Really helpful and non patronising advice, and broke down some complex ideas like investing and mortgages in an easy to understand way. I really appreciated the chapter on examining our feelings around money, an essential thing to think about when we try and get "better" with money. Read a few similar US based books, and glad we have a great UK equivalent now. Left this book feeling really empowered about my finances.
Profile Image for Kirsty.
76 reviews12 followers
July 28, 2021
I'll admit that my habit of buying books and letting them sit unread on my shelf for a year has come back to bite me with this text. I bought it last year when I was unhappy in a low-paying job, didn't have a clue how to start saving, and knew next to nothing about the financial industry but wanted to learn. A year later, I now work in a bank, and a lot of this book contains information I have to relay on a daily basis. That being said, this book is an incredible tool when navigating the jargon and complexities that come with finance. Starting with a clear definition of finance and credit and leading up to a concluding chapter on what a full mortgage process looks like, this book leaves no stone unturned when discussing money. It gives amazing tips on investment and long-term saving, and I've picked up brilliant nuggets of information that I will be implementing going forward. My only regret is that I didn't read it sooner, as I can't begin to tell you how much it would've helped, though I'm so glad I'm able to start utilising the tips now.
Profile Image for Vanya Prodanova.
830 reviews25 followers
September 15, 2019
Тази книга беше златно попадение, тъй като е конкретно за UK, което като информация отдавна ми се искаше да имам. Истината е, че за европейските страни специфичните финансови книги са почти буквално несъществуващи.

Първите няколко глави на книгата са посветени на по-общите и mindset неща, свързани с управление на личните финанси. Беше ми малко скучно да си призная, но никога не вреди да си напомниш някои важни неща. Останалите глави до края бяха посветени конкретно на финансова информация относно UK и се размазах от кеф. Знанието е сила, особено когато става дума за финанси и макар някои принципи да са универсални и в тази сфера, има много специфични неща, които отговарят само за конкретното място, където живееш.
В това отношение американците са много облагодетелствани, тъй като има толкова информация за лични финанси и инвестиране за Америка, че в рамките на седмица може се чувстваш уверен кое как да почнеш, докато за UK и почти всяка друга европейска страна, си е доста тъмна материя. :)

Та, ако живеете в UK, и имате желанието да се погрижите за финансите си - това е страхотна книга, независимо, че насочеността й е предимно към жените. Полезна е за всеки жител на страната и на всеки етап от знанията ти за управление на личните финанси.


Profile Image for FlyingBulgarian Svetli H..
222 reviews6 followers
August 13, 2019
Really great starting point for 20somethings to start investing, saving and thinking about their financial health and future.

My only concern is that I should have read the £ sign and realised it's very UK centric - which is fine - and most of the advice is applicable internationally, but I should have paid more attention to the £ sign! :)

Profile Image for Alice Woodman.
101 reviews
August 18, 2020
Plodded my way through this one - not because of lack of interest but because it was my non-fiction/self help on the side. I LOVE Emilie and I love vestpod. Their work is something I’m super passionate about as someone who has always been obsessed with savings and my bank accounts but never having been taught anything about it.
This is an absolute essential for any young women who want to take control of their finances as each chapter explores a different part of saving/investing/budgeting. It works it’s way through getting control of your budget all the way through to owning a property, and is definitely one to have on your shelf for when each chapter becomes applicable to you.
The resources are vast and helpful, and it’s written in a familiar tone that makes the dull stuff like pensions sound awesome🤩
Profile Image for Isobel Maddock.
3 reviews
December 13, 2020
Must read! I feel like this should be given to everyone leaving school. It teaches especially young girls how to become financially free.
Profile Image for Ellen.
37 reviews
March 30, 2021
Some helpful ideas in here, one that you'd definitely go back to like a manual when it becomes relevant.
(emojis don't belong in books though sorry)
1 review
September 18, 2019
(ExpatsavinginThailand)

Relieved to find not only a UK centric book all about personal finances, but one written by a woman. It’s broken up into user friendly chapters in a style both accessible to linear and non-linear reading approaches.

The investment chapter broke it down to ‘never’ level so made it easy and engaging to understand. I can’t lie, I even liked the little emojis used to classify her points!

In particular, her exploration of money behaviour in the form of ‘money scripts’ is not only helpful, but gives a springboard to allow others to communicate to friends and loved ones about opening up more about money. It’s so true about it being a taboo- and she’s right! We are more likely to discuss sexual relations over personal finance. It makes sense to be just as supportive in both areas. I hope there will be a cultural shift to being more open with money the less it’s associated with the value of a person. Which of course is rubbish - your value as a person is NOT linked to your monetary worth. This ideology needs to be banished from the implicit realm it dwells in..

Anyway! I would very much recommend this insightful, clear and informative narrative around money.



The one chapter that could have been added, and maybe could be in future edits, is also to encourage benevolence with money. Saving and spending money are great, but being charitable lends a deeper satisfaction too. This could potentially have its own chapter towards the end :)
Profile Image for Kaja Trees.
84 reviews15 followers
October 28, 2019
A great book for someone in UK, who knows next to nothing about money

I am not from UK and I already have some level of knowledge about investing, so this book is not for me. I took it up on a suggestion and I was disappointed by its level of information. However, I can see that it would be a great, clearly written starter guide to managing one's money. Especially in UK, as big part of information is very UK-specific.
Profile Image for Catherine Harris.
40 reviews3 followers
October 27, 2024
I have struggled to find a book on personal finance that is not based on the financial climate and services in America. So I was thrilled when I discovered this British centered book.
It provides a very well rounded view of personal finance with a lot of good pointers to more information on a wide range of topics. It can be a bit overwhelming to read in one sitting so I recommend taking your time and working through the exercises. It's a book I will continue to refer back to for many years.
79 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2020
Generally good and easy to read, but unfortunately quite UK centric (although lots is applicable in other countries, and it's not the author's fault she has a target audience in mind of course). It was a bit patronising at times in my opinion. I don't think women need the smiley face and the sad face beside positive and negative sentences to understand that those sentences are positive or negative...
Profile Image for Dimi.
58 reviews2 followers
October 6, 2019
Indispensable! I love the fact that it is both contemporary, and UK-oriented. As a non-Brit libing in the UK, it helped me get clarity on lots of acronyms, institutions and services. Thank you, Emilie.
Profile Image for Kene.
26 reviews
February 1, 2020
Must read

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Useful for budgeting, saving, investing, pension, buying a house, financial literacy, women empowerment, etc.!

Highly recommend and will read it again to remind myself of its useful information.
Profile Image for Alex Pearl.
36 reviews
January 3, 2022
Now and again you read something that can actually change your behaviour and improve your well-being. This book is it! It does for feminist financial well-being what ‘Nudge’ and ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ do for behavioural economics.

Any book that opens with an account of how earnings and investments operate to significantly exclude and disadvantage women from different backgrounds, immediately had me hooked! Over 50 years since the Equal Pay Act in the UK, and women still experience significant disparities in income, access to financial services, pension wealth and investments. Emilie notes that these disparities are likely as high as 51% between women from ethnic minorities and white males. A sickening reality.

‘You’re Not Broke’ is a no nonsense, clear, helpful and essential guide to how to help achieve financial well-being for women, regardless of their financial situation. Covering issues like debt management, buying a house, understanding different forms of financial products and how to invest (should you wish to), this incredible book should be essential reading for everyone. It explains so much about how pensions work, the difference between types of bonds and mortgages etc. There is no fluff, no self-importance, no pretence. It is a masterpiece of insight and practical help in 133 essential pages!
Profile Image for Derneeks.
46 reviews13 followers
July 16, 2020
I haven’t been reading as much as I usually do this year but I picked this book up on a whim & boy am I glad! As soon as I started reading, I was hooked. A great source of invaluable knowledge that is delivered in an accessible way. Not the typical dense jargon expected from these types of books & definitely not the wishy washy tips that you can get on the other end of the spectrum. This book gives you real facts, advice and guidance with actionable steps. I have already recommended this to family members and friends and have taken away so much that will help me with my finances. I also love the fact that this book focuses on the UK. Amazing read, defo pick it up if you need an intro to investment and financial planning.
Profile Image for Kay.
40 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2021
I really enjoy the content on Vestpod and the tone of this book was similar but heck, it was a slog to get through. I guess half of it wasn't relevant to me, so I should have skipped more.

The 'gamification' of showing virtual coin rewards (like stickers for toddlers) doesn't really work in a printed format. If you were reading this online then it would make more sense (e.g complete a module and earn your rewards). Ditto on using icons to delineate content types (tips, resources, actions etc - I couldn't remember what the icons were meant to represent)

If you're in the UK and new to learning about money, then this book might answer a lot of your questions.
Profile Image for Emma.
552 reviews
January 4, 2021
I do think this was a fairly useful book although if you know the saving and budgeting basics the first few chapters will be fairly repetitive for you. I was most interested in the investing and property ownership sections and they were very useful for me and something I will come back to again and again.

This book is very easy to understand and is 100% something you will revisit if you find it useful.
54 reviews
January 7, 2021
Best random purchase so far

I had not come across the author of Vestpod before reading this book. It was very much a random purchase. However, I'm glad I bought it as a 50yr old man starting again, it has given me very helpful advice for the future. I would especially recommend this book for those that when finance is mentioned - there eyes glaze over. The book almost holds your hand whilst you through the chapters.
7 reviews
April 20, 2020
Hands on book that enabled me to get real with my money situation, plan for short middle and long term goals and feel more secure about the way I handle my assets.

I recommend reading this book to anyone that want to start investing but don't know even which budget they could / should allocate to it.
Profile Image for Katie.
168 reviews6 followers
October 20, 2020
This book was so helpful! I struggle with impulse buying and saving money so this has definitely given me motivation! Also the chapters on buying a house was super informative, I didn’t realise all the extra costs that are involved!🙃 would definitely recommend this to all young people wanting to get a hold of their finances!
Profile Image for Ebony.
45 reviews5 followers
October 3, 2021
Enjoyable & very readable intro to taking control of your finances. I'll definitely be looking into more of Vestpod's resources after this. It was a bit more in depth than other intro guides I have read before and didn't feel like it was repeating basic info, which I appreciated a lot. Definitely recommend for good insights into home ownership and investments especially 👌
7 reviews
January 3, 2021
Necessary reading!

For anyone looking to understand the basics of money management. Clear explanations, practical advice, and helpful reference and tools to get you started. Definitely worth a read!
Profile Image for Surreptitious Bookworm.
157 reviews
October 8, 2023
Some noteworthy tips and information. Bit “dry” towards the end and this ended up with me taking long breaks between putting it down and picking it up again. A little outdated now for 2023 in places but the basics are the same and it definitely helped me think about my financial goals.
Profile Image for Siji Joseph.
62 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2023
Coming from someone who is severely financially illiterate, I am so grateful for this book. It covers all aspects of finances and breaks them down into digestible and interactive sections. I’m especially a fan of all the exercises within the book!
Profile Image for Kat.
101 reviews3 followers
January 10, 2020
Loved it! I have been looking for a while for some information about UK finance etc. and this was perfect! It explains everything you need to know jargon-free.
Profile Image for Anne Macnamara.
74 reviews
February 24, 2020
Reads like an Alvin Hall guide for the 2020s, full of information and strategies for making your money work for you. 50-20-30 is such a simple idea which have seen elsewhere too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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