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Your Money: The Missing Manual
Keeping your financial house in order is more important than ever. But how do you deal with expenses, debt, taxes, and retirement without getting overwhelmed? This book points the way. It's filled with the kind of practical guidance and sound insights that makes J.D. Roth's GetRichSlowly.org a critically acclaimed source of personal-finance advice. You won't find any get-rich-quick schemes here, just sensible advice for getting the most from your money. Even if you have perfect credit and no debt, you'll learn ways to make your rosy financial situation even better.
Practical Tips for Saving Money from J.D. Roth 1. Saving is mental ... and easier if you avoid advertising One of the best ways to win the mental battle to save is to reduce your exposure to advertising. Fight this by ignoring ads, or by learning to question their premises. 2. Customize your saving (or, how to create your own Wii account) Each of us is different. We have different goals, we have different skills, and we have different mindsets. Don't think of saving as a chore. Think of it as the golden ticket to getting the things you really want. I set up what I call "targeted savings accounts" at my bank, and I use these to save for my goals. When I wanted a Nintendo Wii, I opened a separate savings account at my credit union and I called it "Nintendo account." The teller laughed at me, but she understood what I was doing. It helped me save. Each person needs to find a savings technique that matches her goals and abilities. If one method doesn't work, try another. Keep looking until you find a technique that works for you. 3. Starter vacations, cars and retirement A great way to develop the savings habit is to save for a vacation. We all love to take trips, right? Save for a fishing trip to Alaska. Save for a cruise to Belize. Save for a three-week tour of Paris. Whatever strikes your fancy. And once you've developed the saving habit, apply it to more practical things. Another great goal is to save for a car. Too many people allow themselves to be trapped by a lifetime of car payments. It doesn't have to be that way. Develop a system that allows you to pay cash whenever you go shopping for a new vehicle. Earn interest on your car money instead of paying interest to somebody else. And, of course, you should begin saving for retirement as soon as possible. This can be tough to do, especially if you're young. You think you've got decades to go, so why start today? You could use that money for a ski trip or a new iPad. But the sooner you start, the more time the extraordinary power of compounding has to help your money grow. If you don't think you can afford to (or want to) set aside 10 percent (or 25 percent, like my wife), then start small. Start with 5 percent. Or even 1 percent. Develop the habit and increase your saving with time. 4. Limit your long-term goals and keep track of short-term tasks I only set a handful of long-term goals at a time. In fact, this year I only have one long-term goal. If we set too many goals, we spread our attention, and we're less likely to accomplish any of them. But if we concentrate on just a handful of things at once, we're more likely to do what we dream. But while I don't have many long-term goals, I have a bunch of stuff I want to accomplish in the short term. To stay focused on these tasks, I use a simple but brilliant system I learned from Erica at erica.biz. I start on the first page of a spiral notebook. I make a brain dump of everything I have to do. Then I put the date at the top of the page. I refer to this list many times throughout the day, crossing things off the list as I go. If something else comes up that needs to be done, I add it to the bottom of the list. Every evening, I copy the list onto a new page and put the next day's date. This system works like a charm for me, not just for financial tasks, but for all tasks. 5. Memberships/subscriptions you can cancel It can be difficult to give up things that we might consider "vices." For you, that might be the daily latte. For me, it's always been comic books. (Sad, but true.) These are constant money drains, but they also bring joy to our lives. Instead of giving these things up, I encourage folks to find ways to reduce them, or to save on them. But to really save money, look for ways to reduce recurring monthly expenses. These are constant drags to your budget, and if you can reduce them, it's a great way to improve your cash flow. Some Cancel your cable television and start watching shows online at Hulu.com or similar services. Or, if that's too extreme, cut back from your deluxe digital package to bare minimum basic. I did this and saved over $600 a year.
Cancel your magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Yes, I know these industries are hurting, but so is your own budget.
Cancel your gym membership. Find cheap ways to exercise at home, including biking and running and yard work. Bodyweight exercises (like pushups and situps) are free and ...
Practical Tips for Saving Money from J.D. Roth 1. Saving is mental ... and easier if you avoid advertising One of the best ways to win the mental battle to save is to reduce your exposure to advertising. Fight this by ignoring ads, or by learning to question their premises. 2. Customize your saving (or, how to create your own Wii account) Each of us is different. We have different goals, we have different skills, and we have different mindsets. Don't think of saving as a chore. Think of it as the golden ticket to getting the things you really want. I set up what I call "targeted savings accounts" at my bank, and I use these to save for my goals. When I wanted a Nintendo Wii, I opened a separate savings account at my credit union and I called it "Nintendo account." The teller laughed at me, but she understood what I was doing. It helped me save. Each person needs to find a savings technique that matches her goals and abilities. If one method doesn't work, try another. Keep looking until you find a technique that works for you. 3. Starter vacations, cars and retirement A great way to develop the savings habit is to save for a vacation. We all love to take trips, right? Save for a fishing trip to Alaska. Save for a cruise to Belize. Save for a three-week tour of Paris. Whatever strikes your fancy. And once you've developed the saving habit, apply it to more practical things. Another great goal is to save for a car. Too many people allow themselves to be trapped by a lifetime of car payments. It doesn't have to be that way. Develop a system that allows you to pay cash whenever you go shopping for a new vehicle. Earn interest on your car money instead of paying interest to somebody else. And, of course, you should begin saving for retirement as soon as possible. This can be tough to do, especially if you're young. You think you've got decades to go, so why start today? You could use that money for a ski trip or a new iPad. But the sooner you start, the more time the extraordinary power of compounding has to help your money grow. If you don't think you can afford to (or want to) set aside 10 percent (or 25 percent, like my wife), then start small. Start with 5 percent. Or even 1 percent. Develop the habit and increase your saving with time. 4. Limit your long-term goals and keep track of short-term tasks I only set a handful of long-term goals at a time. In fact, this year I only have one long-term goal. If we set too many goals, we spread our attention, and we're less likely to accomplish any of them. But if we concentrate on just a handful of things at once, we're more likely to do what we dream. But while I don't have many long-term goals, I have a bunch of stuff I want to accomplish in the short term. To stay focused on these tasks, I use a simple but brilliant system I learned from Erica at erica.biz. I start on the first page of a spiral notebook. I make a brain dump of everything I have to do. Then I put the date at the top of the page. I refer to this list many times throughout the day, crossing things off the list as I go. If something else comes up that needs to be done, I add it to the bottom of the list. Every evening, I copy the list onto a new page and put the next day's date. This system works like a charm for me, not just for financial tasks, but for all tasks. 5. Memberships/subscriptions you can cancel It can be difficult to give up things that we might consider "vices." For you, that might be the daily latte. For me, it's always been comic books. (Sad, but true.) These are constant money drains, but they also bring joy to our lives. Instead of giving these things up, I encourage folks to find ways to reduce them, or to save on them. But to really save money, look for ways to reduce recurring monthly expenses. These are constant drags to your budget, and if you can reduce them, it's a great way to improve your cash flow. Some Cancel your cable television and start watching shows online at Hulu.com or similar services. Or, if that's too extreme, cut back from your deluxe digital package to bare minimum basic. I did this and saved over $600 a year.
Cancel your magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Yes, I know these industries are hurting, but so is your own budget.
Cancel your gym membership. Find cheap ways to exercise at home, including biking and running and yard work. Bodyweight exercises (like pushups and situps) are free and ...
334 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
128 people are currently reading
4175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
January 2, 2012
This is a guide to personal finance (getting out of debt, budgeting, managing big purchases, taxes, etc.). The author started a blog where he talked about money, what he was reading, and what he was doing, as he set about paying off $35k of credit card debt. That turned into a hit, and is now a business. Hence this book.
Hence, also, this book's style. It's full of references to other books. There's nothing original in this, just a collection of advice you have probably seen before. Still, there were a few interesting things I'd not heard of. For example, everyone tells you to pay off high-interest-rate debts first. An alternative approach is the "debt snowball" where you make the minimum payment all your debts, then put all extra cash into the smallest debt. When that's gone, peel off the next one. It gives you some quick wins and reinforces the behaviour. (Whereas sinking a few hundred a month into a many thousand dollar high-interest bill feels like you're not getting anywhere)
Two quotes I wanted to preserve for my future self:
Hence, also, this book's style. It's full of references to other books. There's nothing original in this, just a collection of advice you have probably seen before. Still, there were a few interesting things I'd not heard of. For example, everyone tells you to pay off high-interest-rate debts first. An alternative approach is the "debt snowball" where you make the minimum payment all your debts, then put all extra cash into the smallest debt. When that's gone, peel off the next one. It gives you some quick wins and reinforces the behaviour. (Whereas sinking a few hundred a month into a many thousand dollar high-interest bill feels like you're not getting anywhere)
Two quotes I wanted to preserve for my future self:
The average NFL player earns $1.1 million per year, and the average NBA player makes $4 million per year. Yet even these vast incomes sometimes aren’t enough to cover what players spend. In a recent issue of Sports Illustrated, Pablo S. torre described how and why athletes go broke (you can read his article at http://tinyurl.com/brokeathletes). He writes that after 2 years of retirement, “78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress.” Within 5 years of retirement, roughly 60% of former NBA players are in similar positions.
Beware of shopping momentum. Researchers at Stanford University warn that shopping can lead to more shopping: At first you deliberate over whether to buy something, weighing the pros and cons. But once you’ve made the decision to buy, you spend less time deciding on additional purchases. this phenomenon, dubbed shopping momentum, increases the likelihood you’ll buy more.
August 5, 2017
My Notes & Highlights: https://goo.gl/yqmx1J
The book is a combination of the useful extracts from famous personal finance books added to the author's personal experience in taking control of his finances and paying his 35k debt. Though it's mainly tailored for the american culture and laws, it's really useful for everyone beginning to take hold of his finance.
The book is divided into 3 sections:
-In the first part a blueprint for financial prosperity, how to plan for success in the long run. It covers the relation between money and happiness, how to set smart goals, how to budget.
-In the second part you learn about the cash flow. How to pay your debt, how to be frugal, how to save on food, power, medicine. Then it goes to ways to increase your income, how to choose your bank, accounts and credit cards, how to have fun cheaply, renting vs buying a house.
-In the third part there is an introduction to taxes, investing and retirement plans, then it shows you how to use your financial foundation to build a rich life.
The book is a combination of the useful extracts from famous personal finance books added to the author's personal experience in taking control of his finances and paying his 35k debt. Though it's mainly tailored for the american culture and laws, it's really useful for everyone beginning to take hold of his finance.
The book is divided into 3 sections:
-In the first part a blueprint for financial prosperity, how to plan for success in the long run. It covers the relation between money and happiness, how to set smart goals, how to budget.
-In the second part you learn about the cash flow. How to pay your debt, how to be frugal, how to save on food, power, medicine. Then it goes to ways to increase your income, how to choose your bank, accounts and credit cards, how to have fun cheaply, renting vs buying a house.
-In the third part there is an introduction to taxes, investing and retirement plans, then it shows you how to use your financial foundation to build a rich life.
May 22, 2017
A little-known fact about me is that a decade ago I was a very obscure personal finance blogger. But I exchanged correspondence with JD Roth several times, as well as Ramit Sethi, Kay Bell from "Don't Mess with Taxes," and several other bloggers who are probably not doing it anymore, and some who sadly are. My blog is no longer extant, but I remember those days well. It was a lot of work for no monetary compensation unless you were willing to overload your blog with Ads or shill products for sweet affiliate revenue. A few bloggers got decent sponsorship (ie, paid to blog) and others created various books or information products to differing levels of success. As I recall, JD wrote this book, then later stepped away from his blog and split from his wife, though not necessarily in that order. Apparently "The Missing Manual" is a book series, not unlike "The Complete Idiot's Guide to ____________", and I hadn't known that, but it makes sense of the generic nature of this book.
Yeah, this book is a pretty broad and basic overview of personal finance. If there's one particularly annoying thing about it, it's how he recommends books that hadn't been published when this one was. And lots of sales recommendations in general.
Yeah, this book is a pretty broad and basic overview of personal finance. If there's one particularly annoying thing about it, it's how he recommends books that hadn't been published when this one was. And lots of sales recommendations in general.
April 7, 2015
This book was mostly links to other references. It explained things at high levels but never felt like it dove into anything specific about personal finance. It is good as a reference for other things to read but if you looking at specific things to do it seems to fall short a bit. But I'd say it'd work as a book for someone trying to figure out personal finance for the first time.
September 28, 2019
بالنسبة لشخص ليس له الخلفية الكافية في مجال التمويل او الاستثمار الشخصي فهذا الكتاب يعتبر مدخل جميل جداً للراغبين في إدارة أموالهم بطريقة أفضل و خصوصاً لمن يطمح في بناء مصادر دخل أخرى.
ما أحببته هو طريقة الكاتب في الخوض في الموضوع بشكل مباشر و الابتعاد عن أسلوب الحشو و المماطلة.
حتماً أنصح به.
ما أحببته هو طريقة الكاتب في الخوض في الموضوع بشكل مباشر و الابتعاد عن أسلوب الحشو و المماطلة.
حتماً أنصح به.
July 21, 2022
Pretty good but it's so American
3.47/5
3.47/5
April 29, 2018
This is a must to read book, everyone should strive for a good financial education and this book does deliver!
June 11, 2010
I curled up last night with this book and a bowl of ice cream, and I only finished the book. =)
Seriously, it was phenomenal. I took notes, which I never do when reading. But there was so much good information backed into it that was applicable to me... selling your car, joint checking accounts, renting a room, how to make extra cash... I literally photocopied one page because I couldn't write down everything I wanted to keep handy! (is that even legal?!)
Anyway...I completely and with no reservations would recommend this to all my friends, no matter which stage in their personal finance journey. Now I'm off to the Missing Manual website for a list of links that were mentioned in the book!
Seriously, it was phenomenal. I took notes, which I never do when reading. But there was so much good information backed into it that was applicable to me... selling your car, joint checking accounts, renting a room, how to make extra cash... I literally photocopied one page because I couldn't write down everything I wanted to keep handy! (is that even legal?!)
Anyway...I completely and with no reservations would recommend this to all my friends, no matter which stage in their personal finance journey. Now I'm off to the Missing Manual website for a list of links that were mentioned in the book!
July 14, 2019
Great for an intro to basic money management and getting started with goal/life/financial planning. Lots of reference/resources included.
I really liked how this book lays out general ideas and steps. It defines no real specific solutions (except it does say mutual funds are better than hand picking stocks), and encourages readers to select options that best fit their needs.
*What I really enjoyed most about this book:*
When using hypothetical examples, this male author uses women pronouns every time, often placing women as the money holders. That's more of a bonus to reading it, but I thoroughly enjoyed the thoughtfulness of this simple act.
I really liked how this book lays out general ideas and steps. It defines no real specific solutions (except it does say mutual funds are better than hand picking stocks), and encourages readers to select options that best fit their needs.
*What I really enjoyed most about this book:*
When using hypothetical examples, this male author uses women pronouns every time, often placing women as the money holders. That's more of a bonus to reading it, but I thoroughly enjoyed the thoughtfulness of this simple act.
June 4, 2020
A great introduction to the very basics of personal finance for the absolute beginner.
It's chock full of useful advice and references to help get you out of debt and start accruing wealth. Though it's important to note that many of the resources (and some of the advice) are best-suited to American readers. Even so, the advice is as good as when my parents told them to me.
This opened my eyes to the extent of my financial illiteracy. Roth went to great lengths to ensure it would be easy to read. A fitting first of more books I will read on the subject.
It's chock full of useful advice and references to help get you out of debt and start accruing wealth. Though it's important to note that many of the resources (and some of the advice) are best-suited to American readers. Even so, the advice is as good as when my parents told them to me.
This opened my eyes to the extent of my financial illiteracy. Roth went to great lengths to ensure it would be easy to read. A fitting first of more books I will read on the subject.
February 25, 2021
The book is a good introduction to personal finance, targeted at those who do not have much experience with financial equilibrium, e.g. you are having your first job, or your deeply in debt and need to figure out how to improve your situation. Therefore, the book covers a wide scope of money related things, so some topics that were useful to me, e.g. budgeting, Frugality, banking, and others were completely irrelevant, e.g. retirement, Life insurance, Housing, Cars.
However, I got what I wanted from the book, which is to learn healthy financial habits. The book also refers to a lot of other books along the way e.g. when he says you can save money by growing your own vegetables and herbs, he tells how much money he saved doing that and what book he used to learn that. The author refers also to a multitude of other finance and investing book. It was easy to read but got a little irrelevant near the end.
However, I got what I wanted from the book, which is to learn healthy financial habits. The book also refers to a lot of other books along the way e.g. when he says you can save money by growing your own vegetables and herbs, he tells how much money he saved doing that and what book he used to learn that. The author refers also to a multitude of other finance and investing book. It was easy to read but got a little irrelevant near the end.
July 17, 2018
"The Best Insurance is Self-Insurance"
Started off a little common sense with budget and not spending more than you earn, but then it slowly moves to more obscure topics that no one teaches you - loans, investment, housing etc.
While it is written for an U.S. perspective with their specific finance issues, such as 401(k) and car loans, the concepts and knowledge can be applied to other countries and situations.
The good thing about this missing manual is that it covers a wide range of topic without getting bogged down, especially on specific issues such as student loans. Instead it provides further readings or sources if you are interested in exploring more.
But also don't try to read all the links or all the chapters for that matter, pick the ones most relevant to you and dive in from there.
Started off a little common sense with budget and not spending more than you earn, but then it slowly moves to more obscure topics that no one teaches you - loans, investment, housing etc.
While it is written for an U.S. perspective with their specific finance issues, such as 401(k) and car loans, the concepts and knowledge can be applied to other countries and situations.
The good thing about this missing manual is that it covers a wide range of topic without getting bogged down, especially on specific issues such as student loans. Instead it provides further readings or sources if you are interested in exploring more.
But also don't try to read all the links or all the chapters for that matter, pick the ones most relevant to you and dive in from there.
February 8, 2020
If you are starting out in your adult financial life by all means read this book and check out the resources that apply to your situation. If you have making aliving in the real world for 10 plus years, had a mortgage, bought a car or two and understand your companies 401k plan - Dont waste your time.
Full of the usual advice with nothing new that could not be learned by any one with a desire to make the most of their money and an average IQ. Another author with no formal background in personal finance who has made a very comfortable living espousing personal financial advise to the humble masses.
Full of the usual advice with nothing new that could not be learned by any one with a desire to make the most of their money and an average IQ. Another author with no formal background in personal finance who has made a very comfortable living espousing personal financial advise to the humble masses.
July 1, 2017
This is probably the most successful book in Missing Manual Series. It is all encompassing but introductory which makes it perfect for beginners who want to learn about personal financing. And it has tons of references to other books, articles, hyperlinks and websites on the topic, which is again everything a beginner can ask for. I recently came to know that Thomas Frank (college info geek Youtuber) has also included it in his 2017 Book Recommendations for students. So that should convince you if not my word-the book is good.
May 12, 2017
I always thought there is a golden algorithm for personal finance and I just need some kind of special knowledge to get better in it. Reading this book made me realize that personal finance is simply tracking, saving and spending frugally. At the least it stopped me from searching the golden formula.
It also has chapters on choosing bank and investment, but I skipped those since I am not ready for those steps yet. Someday when I get better at personal finance, I will come back to this book.
It also has chapters on choosing bank and investment, but I skipped those since I am not ready for those steps yet. Someday when I get better at personal finance, I will come back to this book.
March 25, 2021
This book is meant for absolute beginners. This is more like money 101 than a missing manual. There is a lot of high-level information but doesn't go into detail about anything. If you're in a business or personal finance field, this book is pointless. If you're in a lot of debt and don't how to get out, then it is a perfect book. The explanations are clear and in laymen's terms. It has simple action plans that can help you get out of debt.
June 16, 2025
This book is amazing. Exactly what is promises in the title, yet friendly and easy to read. It helped me a ton and I have gone back and reread sections at different times of my life, when those later chapters became applicable.
It is life changing if your parents weren't good with money and is criminally underrated at anything below 4.5. It gets a 5 from me. If you are in debt, buy it just for that chapter alone. Strong recommend and I have bought copies for several friends.
It is life changing if your parents weren't good with money and is criminally underrated at anything below 4.5. It gets a 5 from me. If you are in debt, buy it just for that chapter alone. Strong recommend and I have bought copies for several friends.
May 29, 2022
It’s really just a compilation of basic personal finance advice you’d find anywhere, nothing special. Perhaps useful for someone who’s never had any exposure to personal finance but just about any personal finance blog or out there could for you exactly what this book does. Nothing that makes it stand out amongst other books in the category so I wouldn’t recommend this over anything else.
August 20, 2017
This book is very extensive and informative. It was interesting to read what the writer had to say. I bookmarked a lot of things to check out online. For everyone who is struggling, and even to those who are not struggling financially, I definitely recommend this book.
January 16, 2018
Very easy to read with lots of real life examples. Great money tips and practical steps. I will be purchasing this book to keep as personal reference, as I can see myself looking back at many sections for years to come.
January 27, 2019
Picked up this book from the library to use as a framework to teach my 16 y.o. about personal finance. It served that purpose very well. Wouldn’t recommend it as an in-depth guide, but certainly a good place to start.
November 5, 2024
This book gives very basic information on various topics in personal finances. However, the author frequently presents his opinions on financial decisions as fact or as "the right way" without clearly indicating that he's stating an opinion.
July 25, 2018
This book has good advice. Lots of resources are available online.
November 25, 2018
Too much sources and links
November 22, 2018
I enjoyed the most the chapter on Budgeting. Good book, enjoyable, maybe a little too long.
February 2, 2019
A comprehensive by relatively basic introduction to the world of personal finance, specifically financial independence. Not a lot about the author's story itself but some good examples and resources.
October 27, 2019
A little out of date, but still good info
September 1, 2021
Great Introduction for managing your personal finances.
December 18, 2023
Some things are useful, some are not
March 1, 2017
I don't think I learned anything I hadn't learned from the personal finance reddit or the podcasts I listened to, but it is a nice little compilation. Worth the read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews