The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living

How a Spending Fast Helped Me Get from Broke to Badass in Record Time

By: Anna Newell Jones

Narrated by: Carly Robins

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Popular blogger Anna Newell Jones of AndThenWeSaved.com delivers this self-help manifesto that reveals how a "spending fast" will help you get on the road to living debt free.

In 2009, young photographer Anna Newell Jones was rapidly suffocating under the weight of too much debt. An inveterate spender, she was in way over her head, to the tune of almost $24,000. She knew her debt was only going to get worse if she didn't take action, but she didn't know where to look for help. On a whim, Anna decided to go on a spending fast - an idea she heard in passing but knew little about. Creating her own method, she learned what worked and what didn't and wrote about it on her blog, AndThenWeSaved.com. Amazingly, Anna was able to eliminate all $23,605.10 of her debt in only 15 months! She was interviewed in Forbes, Self, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, and the Chicago Tribune.

Anna's journey inspired people and showed them that they too could change the way they dealt with their own money woes. The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living takes listeners through a detailed, step-by-step plan on how to do a spending fast and get out of debt, including:

• Creating a personalized debt-free life pledge
• Understanding where your money is going when you're in debt and where it will come from to pay it off
• Learning why putting money into a savings account before (or while) paying off debt may not be the best idea for you
• Finding additional income sources and generating side gigs
• Reintegrating spending into your life once you're out of debt so that you stay out of debt

Filled with do-it-yourself ideas, insight from experts, and tons of motivational tips and real-life practical advice, The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living proves that you don't have to win the lottery or get a new job to change your life.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 Anna Newell Jones (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Minimalist Extremist!

Anna takes things a bit far and to a major extreme with suggestions like dumpster diving (which is not needed to get out of debt!). On the flip side, however, she offers a lot of resources such as websites to visit and a toll-free number to Opt-Out of those annoying "You're Pre-Approved!" credit card offers. So my plan is to take what I like (and what applies to my situation) and merging it with what I like from Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover to create a custom system for myself.

On a side note, I would highly suggest re-recording in Anna's own voice instead of using someone else. It would make the readers/listeners feel more connected to Anna, (when she is obviously trying to promote her website) and would give Anna the ability to make appropriate voice afflictions. This narrator sounded bland and boring, and that is because she obviously doesn't have a connection to the content.

Such an inspiring book!

I loved this. I was worried I wouldn't learn anything new since I've followed Anna's blog for so long. I was wrong, and now I have some action items to start on.

Unless you are a blogger/photographer mostly useless

One of the worst books I've ever read. I have an MBA, and it's not required for a "financial advice" book...but this was written by an amateur...not everyone has aspirations of becoming a professional blogger/photographer, and this author was so egocentric in thinking that what worked for them will work for everyone - because everyone wants to live the authors life right?! Not everyone is average or aspires to be average, and it seemed like it was mostly average to poor mindsets. Assuming the audience is completely ignorant, and needs this authors "success" advice is bad. Some people aspire for greatness. The technical advice provided burns so much emotional "energy" one wouldn't have any gas left if following most of the advice in this non-fiction advice book. Then the author goes on to recommend seeking a professional therapist, financial manager, spiritual teacher if you need any real help - in other words exonerating the self from any real professional responsibility. So it's just a cheesy story that "I had it bad now my life is okay so do what I did to be happy" - and this person's life sounds aweful. I'm mad because it's a best selling book and people are actually following a lot of the misguided advice out there.

Story - thumbs up / Narration - thumbs down

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Better narration. I felt like the narrator was putting on a dramatic performance rather than reading a self help book. I wish the author would have read it, would have been easier to listen to and more authentic.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

overall story was okay

How could the performance have been better?

less dramatic narration

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Spender's Guide to Debt-Free Living?

All of the testimonials scattered throughout the book.. it's not a bad program she is touting/selling but it gets a little sales pitchy at times

Lacks depth

We were looking for something to help us do a financial makeover. This isn’t it.

It has good advise

This book assumes you are actually making a decent amount of money. It is directed at people who are just squandering their money, and need redirection. I don't need to go on a "spending fast" (being underemployed did that for me for 2 years), but now that I'm making a full-time paycheck I don't want to get financially derailed by silly spending. This book teaches a few tactics that are good for that.

Kind of repetitive

a few good tips but it could have been 1/3 it's length. In between it was an effort to listen to

I loved this book. A+

This book inspired me to really take hold of my finances. My plan is to go on a spending fast starting tomorrow for a month :)

Outstanding!

The book itself was inspiring and the narration was engaging. I have started on my spending fast and am already seeing results❤️

Helpful and inspiring

Well read and we’ll written. Tools and encouragement for anyone who desires to get honest with themselves and get a handle on their debt.