It's Not About the Money: A Proven Path to Building Wealth and Living the Rich Life You Deserve

by Scarlett Cochran

A new, holistic way to understand money and find your own path to financial freedom, from the wealth-building expert behind One Big Happy Life

You deserve to live your dream life. Mastering your finances and learning how to use your money to create that life is a nonnegotiable, because let’s be life costs money. The good news is that you can create a money plan that you actually enjoy sticking to—one that allows you to build wealth while spending guilt-free on a life that you love today.

Scarlett Cochran knows because she’s been there, from starting out as a single teenage mom living under the poverty line and working to put herself through law school, to becoming the founder of One Big Happy Life and teaching millions how to create the rich life that we deserve, on our own terms.

Do any of these “rules” sound familiar? Don’t buy that five-dollar coffee! Debt is terrible! Live below your means! Cochran’s approach is different. If you want a latte every day, go get it. You can have your lattes and your millions, too. Have big goals for your life, like buying your dream house, traveling the world, or leaving a meaningful legacy for your family? Your money can make all of that possible for you—and more. Cochran can help anyone, even those who think they’re “bad with money,” define their personal path to building wealth their way, including how


This is a book about money, but it’s not really about the money. It’s about the doors that open when you understand how to put your money to work to create the life that you want. It introduces a new way to understand personal finance—because the old ways just don’t cut it anymore. Empower yourself to truly own your money and make financial decisions confidently, based on your unique vision of what a good life looks like.

Genres: Finance, Personal Finance, Nonfiction, Money, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

Published February 14, 2023

Reviews

[Dannie Lynn Fountain · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 26%. We have a chronic issue in the nonfiction book world - it's a constant stream of finance books that never teach us anything new. This book falls into the same trap - talking about a number of financial concepts in the abstract without really providing anything new or meaningfully moving the conversation forward in any way.

[Kiona Meade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a pretty good book. Again, I like books with reflective exercises and action items to take on. I was a bit annoyed with the “we’ll cover X in chapter #” that seemed to be on every few pages…

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5, but I'm rounding up because it was an enjoyable reading experience for me, with short, focused chapters and some good accompanying action plans along the way.

Altogether, I just thought this was a really solid approach. Maybe not everything is applicable to everyone, and a lot of this was really about building blocks, but it was a good refresher with a great attitude to bring to personal finance. I could see this being really valuable for someone who is hesitant to look at their own numbers or is feeling discouraged about their progress. I've read some books that are all about hard numbers, and some that lean into woowoo feelings, and this one is a good middle ground.

I have watched a lot of Scarlett's videos over the past few years, so some of the material and personal anecdotes were familiar to me, but I'm still glad I picked this up.

[Tristan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book isn't bad - it's actually a lot of the things she talks about on her Youtube channel with a bit more information added. I really wanted to read this book because I thought I'd learn more about her life before her One Big Happy Life days, which she did talk a tiny bit about. Over all, the information in here is decent, especially the stuff on the one year spending plan. I came across her OYSP about three or so years ago and it totally changed my relationship with money.

But the thing I cannot get over are her problematic beliefs and advice about debt. This book is geared towards the everyday person and she doesn't really touch on the fact that most, average people are the victim of predatory lending and should not be viewing debt the way that someone as privileged as she does. Yes, you can use debt to leverage the things you want - but can't really afford - in a more convenient time frame. Debt can buy you time. But the problem is that those people can't afford those things and end up digging themselves into such big holes with debt that it takes years and years to dig themselves out, assuming they ever do. Yes, it is easy for her to manipulate the debt system, because she's practically a millionaire (I can't remember if she is or not but I believe she is? Or is at least pretty close?) with an excellent, multi-income household. But for people making just enough to scrape by each day, telling them its okay to use debt to get whatever they want is just messed up. Interest rates can be so detrimental to most people and can ultimately sabotage their finances.

I know. People are adults, they should know better, they should do whatever they want. But that's not what this book is about. Scarlett has influence on the everyday person and I'm wondering if she really realizes that? I do not like Dave Ramsey but the one thing I can't disagree with him on is his beliefs on debt and his approach to tackling debt. Do not allow debt to kill your progress.

I wanted to like this book, and for the most part I did, though I didn't really learn anything new. But her information on debt just left a very poor taste in my mouth.

[Rosalyn Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s what I loved about the book:

1. Holistic Approach: Cochran emphasizes that it’s not just about accumulating wealth; it’s about creating a life you love. She encourages readers to define their unique path to financial independence—one that aligns with their dreams and values.
2. Lattes and Millions: Unlike the usual frugality advice, Cochran advocates for balance. Yes, you can enjoy your daily latte and still build wealth! It’s about conscious spending and prioritizing what truly matters.
3. Enough vs. More: Cochran’s message resonates deeply: “Once you find out the true meaning of enough, buying yourself more than enough doesn’t really make you any happier.” It’s about understanding your personal definition of a good life.
4. Empowerment: The book empowers readers to take control of their finances confidently. Cochran dismantles old financial rules and introduces a new way to understand personal finance—one that’s relevant for today’s world.
I appreciate Cochran’s fresh perspective. Her practical tips, relatable stories, and actionable steps make this a must-read for anyone seeking financial independence. Whether you’re just starting your journey or already on the path, “It’s Not About the Money” will inspire and guide you toward a richer life.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rating of 3 stars is a bit misleading, as parts were 1 star and others 4 stars.
Staring with the 1 star reasons: I really dislike when authors plugged their programs and products every chapter, that's what your website is for. Right off in the introduction, which wandered and left gaps in her journey which left me trying to piece together the how of it, she had a promo plug.
The 4 star parts were in the ways she encouraged the rethinking of all aspects of money, from making it to simply having it. This isn't about the "live on crumbs to be debt free so then you can live and be happy" approach. She reinforces the "You don't get time back" concept while encouraging financial intelligence across a life time. She also doesn't write off readers who didn't start saving $100 from age 14 on. This is a start "where you are, let go of past financial oops, and be wise with your money and time" type of book.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why? One question I always ask when presented with financial information is why. Why do I want to do it this way? Why do I want to have wealth? What is the reason for spending it all, or saving it all, or somewhere in-between? How do other people just naturally seem to know the what's and whys of finances? I loved being able to hear Scarlett's story and how she started like myself with a dream of how things could be and how she learned to create a balanced financial life along the way. She gets behind some the of the psychology of the what's and whys of financial planning and then puts it into the readers hands to come up with their own personal outlook on what they dream up for their life. There is a solid plan toward the end of the book that provides the reader with structure to start moving toward and living their dreams.

[Heather Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the finance book I've been missing throughout my personal finance journey. I can't overstate how impactful and life altering these concepts have been for me. I read this book from a perspective of already understanding quite a bit about the mechanics of money. What is different about this book from the other finance content I've consumed, is the heavy focus on mindset combined with the mechanics. I can't even put into words how empowered I felt as I read each chapter. The stories we tell ourselves and how we let the world affect us matter so much around money. Scarlett isn't afraid to break those stories down and allow space to build new, better ones. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their relationship with money.

[Emily Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been following the author and One Big Happy Life for years now, and heavily attribute my current financial practice from what I learned from Scarlett over the years. What I most love about her work and thought leadership is that she treats the people she coaches / teaches / writes for with the utmost respect and trust — honoring and uplifting their intelligence, autonomy, and intuition in a way that a lot of public financial experts do not. This book captures that beautifully!

[Maddie Geller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was super excited about this book and preordered. It ended up taking me months to finish. I’ve watched most of Scarlett’s YouTube videos, and I feel like this book didn’t really share any new information. It’s filled with good motivational snippets, but is also quite abstract. It is also very much catered towards middle and upper class people with some level of disposable and discretionary income.

[V · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept listening to this audiobook in hopes of finding a few nuggets of financial wisdom. Sadly, there were none. The writing felt very scattered and offered nothing other than the authors’ lived experience / opinions. Not so much a finance book, but rather the authors autobiography and inner monologue about finance. Would not recommend.

[Rachelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's Not About the Money... this book is a motivational guide to encourage people of all ages to save money, and have money and grow money. It's meant to educate and provide good feelings about finances, without providing concrete examples of how to get there. Very abstract, rah-rah cheerleader style (you can do it! you can get there! you can achieve your dreams!) Just not the book I expected.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a lot of personal finance books and this one is different. Cochran's chapter on the true core principles of money was spot on, as was the chapter about money capacity. The book includes life planning and a practical path to get there, and she also has a different view of credit than many personal finance books do.

[Hannah Carmona · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a finance book I really enjoyed this. She has such a positive and well rounded outlook on money. This deals a lot with mindset and most refreshingly it was not preachy at all. A great alternative to the awful Dave Ramsey and a gentle introduction to many aspects of money.

[Regina And · Rating 1 out of 5]

No new information here or actionable steps

[Corrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good info and reframing thoughts on money.

[Niya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money dates are fun. In theory, great advice but it would be so nice to see a text that isn't rife with heteronormative examples.

[Shae Lifson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only personal finance book I've read that didn't put me to sleep or make me feel like a greedy sonofa