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Money with Jess, Award-Winning Book of the Year: Your Ultimate Guide to Household Budgeting
**Winner of the Book of the Year, Winner of the Personal Development Book of the Year and Finalist of the Finance and Investment Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards 2022**
Learn how to get money, how to spend it and how to save it. Does thinking about money make you feel overwhelmed, confused or anxious? That ends now. Join one of Australia’s most loved and respected economics journalists, Jessica Irvine, as she helps you strip away your negative money thoughts and teaches you the real meaning of how to get it, how to spend it and how to save it. Whether you want to buy a home, retire comfortably, sleep well at night, leave a job you hate or borrow to build your wealth, learning to budget your money is the foundation of all good money decisions. Money with Jess unpacks the unique and simple system Jess created for organising, tracking and investing her own money. You’ll also Money doesn’t have to be intimidating. With Money with Jess, you can forget the fear and learn to make money decisions with confidence.
Learn how to get money, how to spend it and how to save it. Does thinking about money make you feel overwhelmed, confused or anxious? That ends now. Join one of Australia’s most loved and respected economics journalists, Jessica Irvine, as she helps you strip away your negative money thoughts and teaches you the real meaning of how to get it, how to spend it and how to save it. Whether you want to buy a home, retire comfortably, sleep well at night, leave a job you hate or borrow to build your wealth, learning to budget your money is the foundation of all good money decisions. Money with Jess unpacks the unique and simple system Jess created for organising, tracking and investing her own money. You’ll also Money doesn’t have to be intimidating. With Money with Jess, you can forget the fear and learn to make money decisions with confidence.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2022
25 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 19, 2022
To be fair to Jess, four stars is the most I could *ever* give a finance book, something I have struggled with all of my life. That said, this book came out at a transformational time for me personally and socially- everyone is concerned about the state of money at the moment and the unknown factors are daunting. There were also some editorial errors and what I perceive as editorial pressure to bulk out the book with all of the tips.
Jess' approach has three particular strengths. First, she reinforces the truth that finance is personal. I have struggled with my personal finances and with looking for help from other sources that always felt like prescriptions or diets, not something that I could realistically apply to my own situation. Jess' methods are not about telling you what to do, other than to recognize what is important to you and how to make adjustments around those values. A+
Some people may find Jess' attention to detailed spending over the top, but the fact is she did this for two reasons: to get control over her own finances and to get material for a book. You don't have to count every penny or categorize exactly as she has, but you can see how not including the 'small' things can distort the reality of your budget. My one suggestion would be for spreadsheet versions of all the resources.
The second strength was the iteration of time sensitivity. Income and spending can change in a moment, thus changing our best laid plans. Additionally, Jess has done well to include the various priorities and challenges that are faced by different generations. For this reason, Money with Jess will stand longer than many other books in the category.
Finally, the most important concept in this book is that by planning and tracking your income and expenses, and spending a bit of time reviewing your daily patterns, you can increase the control you have of your finances. This goes beyond asking for a raise or implementing tax-time tips. This is actual control. I appreciate how Jess notes that people with much less money often have greater understanding of their finances, and are thus less stressed about money. For me, having a bit "too much" has often been my excuse for not taking the reigns, and it has brought me trouble and stress.
But not anymore. Because I am now in control of this part of my life- the money and the story. Thanks Jess. XO
Jess' approach has three particular strengths. First, she reinforces the truth that finance is personal. I have struggled with my personal finances and with looking for help from other sources that always felt like prescriptions or diets, not something that I could realistically apply to my own situation. Jess' methods are not about telling you what to do, other than to recognize what is important to you and how to make adjustments around those values. A+
Some people may find Jess' attention to detailed spending over the top, but the fact is she did this for two reasons: to get control over her own finances and to get material for a book. You don't have to count every penny or categorize exactly as she has, but you can see how not including the 'small' things can distort the reality of your budget. My one suggestion would be for spreadsheet versions of all the resources.
The second strength was the iteration of time sensitivity. Income and spending can change in a moment, thus changing our best laid plans. Additionally, Jess has done well to include the various priorities and challenges that are faced by different generations. For this reason, Money with Jess will stand longer than many other books in the category.
Finally, the most important concept in this book is that by planning and tracking your income and expenses, and spending a bit of time reviewing your daily patterns, you can increase the control you have of your finances. This goes beyond asking for a raise or implementing tax-time tips. This is actual control. I appreciate how Jess notes that people with much less money often have greater understanding of their finances, and are thus less stressed about money. For me, having a bit "too much" has often been my excuse for not taking the reigns, and it has brought me trouble and stress.
But not anymore. Because I am now in control of this part of my life- the money and the story. Thanks Jess. XO
July 8, 2022
As someone who enjoys budgeting and personal finance I really enjoyed this book and reading someone else’s way of tracking their spending. I also really enjoy reading Jess’ columns and following her on Instagram, so I knew in advance what to expect from her book. I will definitely be tweaking my budgeting and tracking methods and adding some of Jess’ techniques.
July 5, 2022
I read this cover to cover so god damn it I'm counting it towards my reading challenge
fight me and my new budget highlighters
fight me and my new budget highlighters
March 5, 2024
I really enjoyed the empowering thinking outlined in the beginning of the book, but I found Jess' method far too onerous. I don't have the time to write out and categorise every single spend, particularly not by hand as Jess insists upon.
I did give categorising a chance but converted her worksheets to a google sheet spreadsheet. I still found I dropped the habit swiftly as it is only marginally less time consuming typing in each item and applying the cell shading for the relevant category.
Her approach would have more merit, or fit in better in my life, if it could be done with technology, if there were an app that could import transaction records and categorise it, then tally up in her format for me.
Sorry Jess, but glad I didn't run out and buy those highlighters.
I did give categorising a chance but converted her worksheets to a google sheet spreadsheet. I still found I dropped the habit swiftly as it is only marginally less time consuming typing in each item and applying the cell shading for the relevant category.
Her approach would have more merit, or fit in better in my life, if it could be done with technology, if there were an app that could import transaction records and categorise it, then tally up in her format for me.
Sorry Jess, but glad I didn't run out and buy those highlighters.
May 9, 2022
Most thorough, helpful budgeting book I've ever read! If you haven't read this book yet, do yourself a favour.
March 25, 2025
I-LOVED-IT! It's engaging, funny, practical and SOOO helpful! My hubby and I are using her budgetting spreadsheets by hand atm and are IN love with the color-coding too! (Esp me, I get to highlight it on our spending tracker book, such a nerdy thing, haha). Anyway, if you're looking for a relevant, practical and even funny book on budgetting this is THE one. I love the way she uses examples, engages with her readers by using humor and how comprehensive and complete is the BIG 10 categories for budgetting. You can customize it and adapt it to your own lifestyle and what works for you! Plus, the best part it's Aussie-oriented and not from the USA so totally relevant for those who live Down Under in Oz.
Anddd...I found her budgetting hacks helpful and interesting to consider! BONUS: Her budgetting spreadsheet, spending tracker, annual budget and future fund spreadsheet are available on her website COMPLETELY free both in pdf and digital formats.
Plus, I TOTALLY loved a colorful budgetting book with pictures and emojis here and there and Jess makes it quite PERSONAL too, it feels like talking to her rather than reading. It keeps you motivated and reading!
As someone who has always felt like a failure at budgetting (and maths as a kid), this book has TOTALLY changed my confidence with money as I manage our household as a wife and mother of one. It has truly helped me personally my dreaded pending subject of creating and sticking to a budget.
Anddd...I found her budgetting hacks helpful and interesting to consider! BONUS: Her budgetting spreadsheet, spending tracker, annual budget and future fund spreadsheet are available on her website COMPLETELY free both in pdf and digital formats.
Plus, I TOTALLY loved a colorful budgetting book with pictures and emojis here and there and Jess makes it quite PERSONAL too, it feels like talking to her rather than reading. It keeps you motivated and reading!
As someone who has always felt like a failure at budgetting (and maths as a kid), this book has TOTALLY changed my confidence with money as I manage our household as a wife and mother of one. It has truly helped me personally my dreaded pending subject of creating and sticking to a budget.
July 7, 2024
The book starts off with - My name is Jess and I'm good at money. Like, really good. Not really true - Some years ago I read in her weekly columns where she was paying gym fees but never bothered going to the gym. That's not being good with money? It appears her habits have changed.
There are some good tips and tricks but not sure about the methods. Easy to read but long and tedious to follow her method. A lot of tips (or hacks) are available free on the internet, but it's a good reminder for anyone to have a budget and stick to it.
Average - three of our five stars.
There are some good tips and tricks but not sure about the methods. Easy to read but long and tedious to follow her method. A lot of tips (or hacks) are available free on the internet, but it's a good reminder for anyone to have a budget and stick to it.
Average - three of our five stars.
August 14, 2022
Enjoyable and straightforward to read and understand which is crucial for this sort of book.
Sort of the opposite of the barefoot investor approach, this book talks about budgeting by doing detailed examinations of your finances and setting up sinking funds (“future funds” in the book) for anticipated but irregular expenses.
Well laid out and easy to follow and understand.
Overall: recommended.
Sort of the opposite of the barefoot investor approach, this book talks about budgeting by doing detailed examinations of your finances and setting up sinking funds (“future funds” in the book) for anticipated but irregular expenses.
Well laid out and easy to follow and understand.
Overall: recommended.
August 6, 2022
Jessica Irvine's budget is a lot of work but I actually really love it. It's my favourite method I have come across. The money hacks aren't that great - nothing new or groundbreaking.
Read
February 9, 2023📝
January 25, 2025
A quick read with well explained methods to get and keep control of your finances. Well structured and easy to follow.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews