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Talk Money to Me: Save Well, Spend Some, and Feel Good About Your Money
Learn how to save and spend wisely, feel good about money, and start living a more balanced life.
No matter your age, salary, social or relationship status, money is an important part of your life. Yet, somehow, talking about your money situation is hard. Why is it that you know more about what goes on in your friend’s bedroom than with their bank account? Do you know if your parents have a will or or if they’ll leave a legacy? How many of your colleagues are still paying off student debt but are jet-setting around the globe on multiple credit cards?
Since no one is talking about it, you can’t be expected to learn how to manage your money on your own. With years of experience as a personal finance advisor and educator, Kelley Keehn will answer your most burning questions about money and will talk you through how to avoid mistakes along the way. You can gain control of your debt, learn to save for your future, have a life, and feel good about money all at the same time. And—spoiler alert—you don’t need a budget to do any of this! You’ll learn:
-How to build good credit (and get rid of bad credit—especially credit card debt)
-What all these dreaded acronyms mean and how they can work for you—TFSA, RRSP, RESP, CFP, CPP
-How and when to invest for your future
-How to talk about money with your partner—and everyone else in your life
-How to save for a mortgage and then work towards being mortgage-free
-How to have fun, splurge once in a while, and still save money
With her unique blend of empathy and no-nonsense candor, Kelley takes you through the basics of personal finance with relatable anecdotes that expose the most common money pitfalls—and how to avoid them—so you can make financial decisions that are right for you.
No matter your age, salary, social or relationship status, money is an important part of your life. Yet, somehow, talking about your money situation is hard. Why is it that you know more about what goes on in your friend’s bedroom than with their bank account? Do you know if your parents have a will or or if they’ll leave a legacy? How many of your colleagues are still paying off student debt but are jet-setting around the globe on multiple credit cards?
Since no one is talking about it, you can’t be expected to learn how to manage your money on your own. With years of experience as a personal finance advisor and educator, Kelley Keehn will answer your most burning questions about money and will talk you through how to avoid mistakes along the way. You can gain control of your debt, learn to save for your future, have a life, and feel good about money all at the same time. And—spoiler alert—you don’t need a budget to do any of this! You’ll learn:
-How to build good credit (and get rid of bad credit—especially credit card debt)
-What all these dreaded acronyms mean and how they can work for you—TFSA, RRSP, RESP, CFP, CPP
-How and when to invest for your future
-How to talk about money with your partner—and everyone else in your life
-How to save for a mortgage and then work towards being mortgage-free
-How to have fun, splurge once in a while, and still save money
With her unique blend of empathy and no-nonsense candor, Kelley takes you through the basics of personal finance with relatable anecdotes that expose the most common money pitfalls—and how to avoid them—so you can make financial decisions that are right for you.
240 pages, Paperback
Published December 17, 2019
28 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 18, 2022
I thought this book was okay, but I found it to be quite a bit more simplistic than I expected. It taught a lot of, what I consider, well known concepts, like how credit cards build credit history, and the like. Overall, it was just all information I already know reiterated, but perhaps I wasn't the target audience. I would rate this book as being for a super beginner in finance. It could be helpful for a school aged child to learn some basic concepts, but if you know anything about finance, this probably isn't the right book for you.
January 18, 2020
Personal financial books / blogs / courses are so tricky. We all would benefit from them 20 years ago but 20 years ago we weren’t motivated or interested in our personal finances. I’m not sure what the answer is to this challenge? This book is excellent, albeit basic. If the 20 year younger me had been engaged and read this book, it could have had a significant impact but now it is mostly a confirmation that we’ve done ok overall financially. One thing it did reinforce for me is the possibility of taking advantage of carryover RRSP room. That I will look in to further. And I suppose if we each only get 1 hot tip from a book.... then it’s worth the read?? A good book... that I will recommend.
March 23, 2020
I work in the financial services industry so books like this catch my eye. It's always interesting to see how others talk about retirement, budgeting, finances, etc. and I always look forward to learning something new.
The chapters are:
* Cash or credit?
* Shopaholic Anonymous
* Leaving money on the table
* All show
* The car trap
* Sharing is caring
* Burn your mortgage
* Going solo
* The sandwich generation
* Where are you now?
There is a glossary at the end.
Each chapter begins with scenarios with various situations, along with missteps. There are solutions followed by where they are now.
I found the information in this book was at a basic level so it's good for someone who doesn't know a lot and gives them something to think about about building your credit rating, saving for retirement, don't spend more than you have, etc. It seemed, though, that the solution to each situation was to hire a fee-for-service Certified Financial Planner, which I don't think was needed every time. Don't overspend. Don't live beyond your means. Don't try to keep up with friends. If you don't need it but want it but can't afford it, don't get it.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/03...
The chapters are:
* Cash or credit?
* Shopaholic Anonymous
* Leaving money on the table
* All show
* The car trap
* Sharing is caring
* Burn your mortgage
* Going solo
* The sandwich generation
* Where are you now?
There is a glossary at the end.
Each chapter begins with scenarios with various situations, along with missteps. There are solutions followed by where they are now.
I found the information in this book was at a basic level so it's good for someone who doesn't know a lot and gives them something to think about about building your credit rating, saving for retirement, don't spend more than you have, etc. It seemed, though, that the solution to each situation was to hire a fee-for-service Certified Financial Planner, which I don't think was needed every time. Don't overspend. Don't live beyond your means. Don't try to keep up with friends. If you don't need it but want it but can't afford it, don't get it.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/03...
January 26, 2020
"Talk Money to Me" is full of easy to understand practical advice. The audience is not just for those who are working, but even young people starting off in their careers. Relevant charts are employed to emphasize certain points for making some changes. Overall, a great read for yourself or anyone who may need a reminder about how to best handle money !
Thank you to Simon and Schuster, Canada for the book.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster, Canada for the book.
January 20, 2021
"There is power and joy that comes from financial independence and knowledge."
So good!!
So good!!
December 18, 2023
Great tips! but i think it's more suitable for the young generation . I will buy one for my kids when they turn 18! It talks about bad debt, mortgage, good and bad credit, etc. I still catch a few tips and it's an easy read!
April 16, 2020
I saw this book at the library several weeks ago and it caught my eye because 1) the cover is pretty, 2) it was brand spanking new, and 3) it’s a book about money! I love learning about finances.
I think this would be a good little book for those who don’t have a lot of financial knowledge or find talking about money stressful. It’s pretty basic, and gives lots of different financial scenarios.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book is written for Canadians! There are a lot of financial resources out there but most seem to be focused on the USA, so you have to figure out what the equivalent is in Canada (i.e., an IRA to an RRSP). There was no need to do that with this book, and I absolutely loved learning exactly what is available to me as a Canadian.
Overall, it was a good book and a soft landing into the world of finances for newbies, however I only gave it 3 stars because I REALLY disliked a couple pieces of advice the author gave, including using a line of credit as an emergency account. For a book that talks a lot about debt repayment, that seems so backwards and unwise.
I think she could have been a lot more stern in her writing, but instead she took a very soft approach of “it’s okay that you’re in debt, lots of people are in debt.” If you’re in debt and you want someone to call you out for spending money that you don’t have to buy things you don’t need, then this probably isn’t the book for you. It’s very simple and recommends visiting a fee-only financial planner A LOT, but doesn’t go a whole lot deeper than that.
I think this would be a good little book for those who don’t have a lot of financial knowledge or find talking about money stressful. It’s pretty basic, and gives lots of different financial scenarios.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book is written for Canadians! There are a lot of financial resources out there but most seem to be focused on the USA, so you have to figure out what the equivalent is in Canada (i.e., an IRA to an RRSP). There was no need to do that with this book, and I absolutely loved learning exactly what is available to me as a Canadian.
Overall, it was a good book and a soft landing into the world of finances for newbies, however I only gave it 3 stars because I REALLY disliked a couple pieces of advice the author gave, including using a line of credit as an emergency account. For a book that talks a lot about debt repayment, that seems so backwards and unwise.
I think she could have been a lot more stern in her writing, but instead she took a very soft approach of “it’s okay that you’re in debt, lots of people are in debt.” If you’re in debt and you want someone to call you out for spending money that you don’t have to buy things you don’t need, then this probably isn’t the book for you. It’s very simple and recommends visiting a fee-only financial planner A LOT, but doesn’t go a whole lot deeper than that.
May 29, 2020
A good read for those really starting out and needing a deep dive into the foundation (liked the case based approach that was in each chapter) from a Canadian financial perspective. Not so applicable for me personally - few areas of interest (home buying, overall budgeting) and that was pretty much it. Boasted CFPs too much.
January 22, 2021
I made it a goal to be more financially savvy in 2021, and decided to pick this up because it was written for Canadians specifically (where a lot of personal finance books, blogs, and videos are created by and for Americans). It was honestly a little too basic and "soft" in my opinion, and I'm really not sure who this book is for. The book covers the concept of credit cards and establishing credit, all the way through to getting a mortgage and shopping for a car. My assumption would be that anyone looking for a mortgage or a car likely knows how a credit card works. It also felt a bit gimmicky with each chapter's solution effectively being "get a Certified Financial Planner to figure out how you can save x amount of money."
I picked this book up at the library so I luckily didn't spend any money on it. Most of the insights and advice you can get you can find for free on r/PersonalFinanceCanada, the personal finance sections of your favourite newspapers/magazines, and Google searching. I wouldn't recommend this book frankly unless you are a complete and total newbie; most of the advice in the book can be summarized as "try to live within your means" and "have conversations in your family about money", as well as "do your research."
I picked this book up at the library so I luckily didn't spend any money on it. Most of the insights and advice you can get you can find for free on r/PersonalFinanceCanada, the personal finance sections of your favourite newspapers/magazines, and Google searching. I wouldn't recommend this book frankly unless you are a complete and total newbie; most of the advice in the book can be summarized as "try to live within your means" and "have conversations in your family about money", as well as "do your research."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2020
I loved this book and I learned so much from it! I’ve always been wary of tackling my financial goals because I felt like I didn’t understand anything about how finances work. I was scared of messing up so I just didn’t do anything. Buying and reading this book was my first step in taking control of my financial future. This book made personal finance so easy to understand without making it feel condescending. As a young professional, a lot of the advice was relevant to my current life, and I can see how the rest will be valuable as I progress through the different stages of my life. My only regret is not reading this book sooner. I’m very excited to start putting what I learned from this book into practice!
December 18, 2020
Pretty basic info. Some good nuggets of info:
In 10 years how old will you be? What will you be doing? Who will you be spending time with? What does your life look like? Do the same for 20. (How much money will it take to reach these goals?)
When making big purchases do your research (consumers report is a good resource - they do an issue every year)
In the next five years - what vacations do you want to go on (how much $?) what upgrades will you do to your house ($?) do you have an emergency fund?
Ask bank directly what financing rate would be, might be cheaper than car dealership.
Rent a car first before you buy
Go at the end of the day at the end of the month most likely to get a deal
In 10 years how old will you be? What will you be doing? Who will you be spending time with? What does your life look like? Do the same for 20. (How much money will it take to reach these goals?)
When making big purchases do your research (consumers report is a good resource - they do an issue every year)
In the next five years - what vacations do you want to go on (how much $?) what upgrades will you do to your house ($?) do you have an emergency fund?
Ask bank directly what financing rate would be, might be cheaper than car dealership.
Rent a car first before you buy
Go at the end of the day at the end of the month most likely to get a deal
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2023
I appreciate that this is written for the Canadian context. Keehn's case studies of the different ways money can be managed and mismanaged in different seasons of life may not resonate with everyone, but she does a good job of laying out clearly some of the options that Canadians may not know are at their disposal.
Even if you're already fairly financially savvy, Keehn's contextualized scenarios may help you think through the importance of timing when it comes to planning, investing and saving for the future. I read the updated version of this book that has 2 chapters specifically on how to recover / manage the financial insecurity and chaos Covid-19 caused for many families and individuals.
Even if you're already fairly financially savvy, Keehn's contextualized scenarios may help you think through the importance of timing when it comes to planning, investing and saving for the future. I read the updated version of this book that has 2 chapters specifically on how to recover / manage the financial insecurity and chaos Covid-19 caused for many families and individuals.
July 21, 2022
Highly readable with useful tips for managing money - and your relationship with it.
The Wealthy Barber recommended it to his kids, but this is more than a primer.
Figure out how many points you need to earn on your credit card to break even on the fees. Strike an anti-budget for a month. Engage in a future self exercise to identify what you can do now to to help your future self. Discover what your time is worth. Do a time audit.
One of my favourite tips was for buying a car - buy it at the end of the day, end of the week, end of the month, when salespeople and dealerships need to hit their targets they may also be more willing to make a deal.
The Wealthy Barber recommended it to his kids, but this is more than a primer.
Figure out how many points you need to earn on your credit card to break even on the fees. Strike an anti-budget for a month. Engage in a future self exercise to identify what you can do now to to help your future self. Discover what your time is worth. Do a time audit.
One of my favourite tips was for buying a car - buy it at the end of the day, end of the week, end of the month, when salespeople and dealerships need to hit their targets they may also be more willing to make a deal.
February 26, 2020
I've been searching books about financial education in a Canadian settings for a long time, glad this book was in full display at the library for me to snatch it out.
The bottom line is the process of being rich is a boring monthly habit of a.) living within your means, b.) saving a monthly/ bi weekly portion of your salary- at least 20% multiply this with the compounding effect of inflation, viola before retirement you saved enough to live, no magic pill just plain old boring habit of setting aside.
The bottom line is the process of being rich is a boring monthly habit of a.) living within your means, b.) saving a monthly/ bi weekly portion of your salary- at least 20% multiply this with the compounding effect of inflation, viola before retirement you saved enough to live, no magic pill just plain old boring habit of setting aside.
April 5, 2020
This book is so easy to read and super helpful! I always thought that I'm good with my finances but this book made me realize and taught me that I need to be in better financial health. An eye-opener. I feel better educated about my personal finance that I was prior to reading this book. I finished this book with to-do / action items and being able to check off things on that list makes me feel really good and even more motivated to be put myself in a position where I can be financially heathy. Thanks Kelley!
October 15, 2020
This is a great beginner’s guide to personal finance! The author lays out a variety of financial missteps and offers advice on how to fix them. Also of note, this is written specifically for the Canadian market, which I really appreciated as there are not a lot of books out there on personal finance that are specific to the Canadian context!
While this book doesn’t go into a lot of detail, I think it serves its purpose as an accessible overview, and I would recommend it as a jumping off point for anyone who wants to learn more about their personal finances.
While this book doesn’t go into a lot of detail, I think it serves its purpose as an accessible overview, and I would recommend it as a jumping off point for anyone who wants to learn more about their personal finances.
December 21, 2023
Pretty okay,
Good read if you're a Canadian with no financial literacy and want to start somewhere. Teaches good spending habits and general rules of thumb to follow when starting to take your finances into your own hand.The only part I dislike is the fact that it is teaching you to save money to become financially free in your retirement... which is fine because it doesn't claim to be a get rich fast book like many others. Honestly, if you want to live a decent life as an average citizen then this book gives a good standard to follow.
Good read if you're a Canadian with no financial literacy and want to start somewhere. Teaches good spending habits and general rules of thumb to follow when starting to take your finances into your own hand.The only part I dislike is the fact that it is teaching you to save money to become financially free in your retirement... which is fine because it doesn't claim to be a get rich fast book like many others. Honestly, if you want to live a decent life as an average citizen then this book gives a good standard to follow.
August 28, 2020
This book gives basic important money advise. I am a banker employed by one of Canada’s big 5 financial institutions~ I breathe, hear and speak these concepts daily but it is nice to read about it from an expert not affiliated with my company. This book best helps young adults just starting to work on their finances but it also depicts money concerns in different life stages. Overall a good read.
December 12, 2023
I very much enjoyed some of the advice that was provided in this book. Though some of it did not apply to me (example, the chapter where it explains how to teach your kids about money - I don't have kids), it was an enjoyable book that is specific for Canadians. Easily explained, and pleasant writing style.
January 23, 2025
3.5 stars. Some topics weren’t covered as in depth as I was hoping, but I think this is a fantastic intro to learning about feeling comfortable with your finances and how to identify areas to work on. Also happy to read a Canadian finance book, since so many from the US don’t apply here! Will definitely look into more from Kelley Keehn.
July 17, 2025
I don't think I am the target audience for this book at all. It is fairly basic, although very sound advice.
A bit like a Canadian equivalent of Rich Dad Poor Dad but geared towards personal finance management moreso than understanding business and cash flow principles.
Would recommend to someone with low financial literacy and looking to change that
A bit like a Canadian equivalent of Rich Dad Poor Dad but geared towards personal finance management moreso than understanding business and cash flow principles.
Would recommend to someone with low financial literacy and looking to change that
March 6, 2020
This book was okay. I found it didn't really have anything new or groundbreaking to say, but it's a good starting point for people looking to take control of their finances. My biggest gripe is that it felt like a 200 page ad for hiring a Certified Financial Planner.
August 29, 2020
I saw this book mentioned in Canadian Money Saver magazine. Lots of common sense advice. Not sure if I agree with everything in it though. But could be worth the read depending on where you are financially.
September 6, 2020
This book is perfect for a personal finance beginner like me. It is well researched with realistic and complex Canadian examples. Sometimes this kind of reading can be dry but I found this refreshing.
October 29, 2020
For Canadians mostly. If you don’t know anything about finances and/or have a lot of debt this might be the book for you. Author is knowledgeable and book is well written but didn’t offer anything I didn’t already know.
March 3, 2021
This book is easy to read and practical. Gives great advice in a conversational manner. Brought up some things I didn’t know or thought of before. I definitely recommend this book. Learning better financial literacy is essential for everyone and is unfortunately not taught in schools.
April 11, 2021
Definitely an easy read and although useful info any many cases, I found a lot of the info directed towards the Canadian economic system. Also, I was aware of a lot of the info, so I didn’t really learn anything new as I was hoping.
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February 17, 2022This is geared towards an older Canadian audience.
Wtf is a toonie? I assume a dollar or something but yeah I'm not preparing for my elder care or having kids but did learn about an antibudget which might be helpful
Wtf is a toonie? I assume a dollar or something but yeah I'm not preparing for my elder care or having kids but did learn about an antibudget which might be helpful
July 22, 2020
My first book about finance in Canadian society. Quick read but also information provided is an easy google search away. Maybe helpful for someone who has no idea about finance and trying to learn.
October 12, 2020
Good primer to people needing to understanding money, debt and saving. It was a good reminder for me. Confirming the good things I am doing and to get back in line on some other areas.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews