What do you think?
Rate this book
Work Your Money, Not Your Life: How to Balance Your Career and Personal Finances to Get What You Want
Your all-in-one guide to getting your career and finances in order -- for greater clarity, happiness, and peace of mind.
Studies show that if you're like the majority of young professionals, you feel dissatisfied with your job, your finances, or your overall station in life. It can seem impossible to disentangle the work stuff, the money stuff, and the personal stuff, because they're all inextricably linked. But the good news is, you don't have to go at it alone: Work Your Money, Not Your Life is your all-in-one guide to achieving both your career and financial goals so that you can get where you want to be.
In his debut book, Roger Ma, an award-winning financial planner and a publisher strategist at Google, offers secrets on how you can craft a meaningful career, gain financial comfort, and achieve a greater sense of purpose. And the premise behind it all is this: money affects every part of our lives. Simply by sorting out your personal finances (and it isn't as bad as it sounds!), you can build a foundation from which you'll be able to find the right career path, visualize your desired lifestyle, and turn your dreams into a reality.
You'll learn how to:
Relieve yourself of the work, money, and personal stressors that keep you up at night Dispel the job myths that are preventing you from a more rewarding career Apply the fundamentals of personal finance to your unique situation, without all the confusing jargon Prioritize and balance your career and money needs through exercises and easy-to-use templates, launching yourself on the path to the life satisfaction you desire When the life you're living and the life you want to live don't match up, everything feels off balance. Where do you begin trying to connect the dots? Start with this book. Through accessible, practical advice, you'll learn the career and financial strategies you need to live the life you deserve.
Studies show that if you're like the majority of young professionals, you feel dissatisfied with your job, your finances, or your overall station in life. It can seem impossible to disentangle the work stuff, the money stuff, and the personal stuff, because they're all inextricably linked. But the good news is, you don't have to go at it alone: Work Your Money, Not Your Life is your all-in-one guide to achieving both your career and financial goals so that you can get where you want to be.
In his debut book, Roger Ma, an award-winning financial planner and a publisher strategist at Google, offers secrets on how you can craft a meaningful career, gain financial comfort, and achieve a greater sense of purpose. And the premise behind it all is this: money affects every part of our lives. Simply by sorting out your personal finances (and it isn't as bad as it sounds!), you can build a foundation from which you'll be able to find the right career path, visualize your desired lifestyle, and turn your dreams into a reality.
You'll learn how to:
Relieve yourself of the work, money, and personal stressors that keep you up at night Dispel the job myths that are preventing you from a more rewarding career Apply the fundamentals of personal finance to your unique situation, without all the confusing jargon Prioritize and balance your career and money needs through exercises and easy-to-use templates, launching yourself on the path to the life satisfaction you desire When the life you're living and the life you want to live don't match up, everything feels off balance. Where do you begin trying to connect the dots? Start with this book. Through accessible, practical advice, you'll learn the career and financial strategies you need to live the life you deserve.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2020
About the author
Roger Ma
1 book1 followerRoger Ma, CFP is a Business Director of Strategy & Analytics at Capital One. He was named one of InvestmentNews' "40 Under 40" in financial planning in 2017, and one of the top 100 Most Influential Financial Advisors by Investopedia in 2018-2020. Roger's personal finance advice has appeared in numerous publications, including Bloomberg, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Roger previously worked at Google and Morgan Stanley, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University. Roger lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Jenn; son, Owen; and two cats, Josie and Junebug.
You can learn more about Roger at lifelaidout.com.
Roger previously worked at Google and Morgan Stanley, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University. Roger lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Jenn; son, Owen; and two cats, Josie and Junebug.
You can learn more about Roger at lifelaidout.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Read
May 18, 2020Roger’s book is perfect for anyone looking for clarity on how to reach a state of financial security while finding a fulfilling career. He provides clear direction on how to build out the financial runway needed to craft the life/career that fits your values. He takes you through the step-by-step process (with easy to use templates) required to assess and manage career and money decisions. There are no complex/fancy strategies- it’s all very straightforward and actionable advice that has already helped me gain more confidence around my career and money management.
He provides specific strategies on how to evaluate your current job satisfaction, test out career paths that align with your values, and practical ways to start your own side-hustle (my favorite part). I’ve already implemented many of his tips and have shared them with friends who are looking to make career transitions. I've gained much more clarity on how to think about/spend/save/invest my money to maximize my quality of life and pave the way for my long-term goals.
This is an excellent guide to gain peace of mind and get yourself on track, both from a career and finances perspective! Highly recommend to all!
He provides specific strategies on how to evaluate your current job satisfaction, test out career paths that align with your values, and practical ways to start your own side-hustle (my favorite part). I’ve already implemented many of his tips and have shared them with friends who are looking to make career transitions. I've gained much more clarity on how to think about/spend/save/invest my money to maximize my quality of life and pave the way for my long-term goals.
This is an excellent guide to gain peace of mind and get yourself on track, both from a career and finances perspective! Highly recommend to all!
Read
February 25, 2020Roger Ma (TPR'95), Author
From the author:
Your all-in-one guide to getting your career and finances in order — for greater clarity, happiness, and peace of mind.
Studies show that if you’re like the majority of young professionals, you feel dissatisfied with your job, your finances, or your overall station in life. It can seem impossible to disentangle the work stuff, the money stuff, and the personal stuff, because they’re all inextricably linked. But the good news is, you don’t have to go at it alone: Work Your Money, Not Your Life is your all-in-one guide to achieving both your career and financial goals so that you can get where you want to be.
In his debut book, Roger Ma, an award-winning financial planner and a publisher strategist at Google, offers secrets on how you can craft a meaningful career, gain financial comfort, and achieve a greater sense of purpose. And the premise behind it all is this: money affects every part of our lives. Simply by sorting out your personal finances (and it isn’t as bad as it sounds!), you can build a foundation from which you’ll be able to find the right career path, visualize your desired lifestyle, and turn your dreams into a reality.
You’ll learn how to:
**Relieve yourself of the work, money, and personal stressors that keep you up at night
**Dispel the job myths that are preventing you from a more rewarding career
**Apply the fundamentals of personal finance to your unique situation, without all the confusing jargon
**Prioritize and balance your career and money needs through exercises and easy-to-use templates, launching yourself on the path to the life satisfaction you desire
When the life you’re living and the life you want to live don't match up, everything feels off balance. Where do you begin trying to connect the dots? Start with this book. Through accessible, practical advice, you’ll learn the career and financial strategies you need to live the life you deserve.
From the author:
Your all-in-one guide to getting your career and finances in order — for greater clarity, happiness, and peace of mind.
Studies show that if you’re like the majority of young professionals, you feel dissatisfied with your job, your finances, or your overall station in life. It can seem impossible to disentangle the work stuff, the money stuff, and the personal stuff, because they’re all inextricably linked. But the good news is, you don’t have to go at it alone: Work Your Money, Not Your Life is your all-in-one guide to achieving both your career and financial goals so that you can get where you want to be.
In his debut book, Roger Ma, an award-winning financial planner and a publisher strategist at Google, offers secrets on how you can craft a meaningful career, gain financial comfort, and achieve a greater sense of purpose. And the premise behind it all is this: money affects every part of our lives. Simply by sorting out your personal finances (and it isn’t as bad as it sounds!), you can build a foundation from which you’ll be able to find the right career path, visualize your desired lifestyle, and turn your dreams into a reality.
You’ll learn how to:
**Relieve yourself of the work, money, and personal stressors that keep you up at night
**Dispel the job myths that are preventing you from a more rewarding career
**Apply the fundamentals of personal finance to your unique situation, without all the confusing jargon
**Prioritize and balance your career and money needs through exercises and easy-to-use templates, launching yourself on the path to the life satisfaction you desire
When the life you’re living and the life you want to live don't match up, everything feels off balance. Where do you begin trying to connect the dots? Start with this book. Through accessible, practical advice, you’ll learn the career and financial strategies you need to live the life you deserve.
October 15, 2020
Cannot recommend this highly enough. As someone who has struggled with navigating an alternative path post a full-time corporate career, my only regret is not having had access to this book sooner (as it definitely would've saved me a lot of grief over a couple pretty hard lessons learned)! I so appreciated Roger's straightforward, no-nonsense, but thoughtful approach in breaking down critical concepts and providing tactical actions. I have read a lot of personal finance and career books and have not found any that truly captured the connection between work, money and happiness in such a fresh, succinct and compelling manner as Roger has.
February 5, 2021
About 70% of the book was basic 101 stuff that I've read many times before, but 30% was truly unique & interesting content. I really enjoyed the chapter full of reflection questions to evaluate the quality of your job beyond the salary and benefits and the final two chapters about psychological and interpersonal tips for getting the most out of your life. I especially loved the concept of "diversifying your identity," that is, focusing on multiple interests and values so that you aren't entirely emotionally devastated if one aspect of your life goes poorly, such as if your identity were 100% invested in your job and professional standing.
September 21, 2020
Excellent Book! This book provides an excellent guide to follow for someone who is trying to figure out their personal finances as well as their career. The author provides insightful analysis and actionable recommendations in an easy to follow manner.
January 14, 2026
Excellent book for somebody feelings stuck and wanting more out of life. I loved how he gave practices, advice and shared a lot of wisdom making easier for somebody like me who is just starting out to understand.
February 12, 2021
OK. Pretty generic advice. Lots of American investment tips. Not sure I was in the correct headspace for it. Better for someone unhappy with job .
March 7, 2021
Basically this book is teaching the methods for inconsistency!
September 13, 2021
If you are thinking of changing jobs, just starting out and want to create a stable financial plan, or find yourself in a financial situation you are not happy with, this is a great resource.
October 24, 2021
That was a mic drop of a final line
February 10, 2025
I like the different perspective in the book. More about balance than about "making it" financially.
April 17, 2022
More than just finance!
This book did a great job of walking through all the different financial instruments to ensure you make a sound plan for the future of you and your family. On top of that, the framework described to evaluate your current job an future calling is excellent. It really helps one break things down to and total quality of life calculus rather than just looking at balance statements.
This book did a great job of walking through all the different financial instruments to ensure you make a sound plan for the future of you and your family. On top of that, the framework described to evaluate your current job an future calling is excellent. It really helps one break things down to and total quality of life calculus rather than just looking at balance statements.
July 25, 2020
I did find a few interesting tips and the book made be reflect on a couple of choices I have made. The downside is that the book is highly US focused with a a lot of information not applicable if you are in Europe (health care, 401k pension)
July 4, 2024
Really enjoyed the author’s life philosophy with respect to finances and being realistic about one’s personal expectations. He encouraged me to take a cold hard look at what I’m doing with my career and finances in the long term, and suggested relevant tweaks and improvements.
August 4, 2023
Overall pretty good and comprehensive overview of work and finances. You can find all of the advice and perspectives elsewhere, but it’s a good consolidation of these topics.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews