Friday, November 11, 2011

Financial Book Review: The One Week Budget

Let’s face it. No one adores paying bills. As a matter of fact, most of us downright hate the mundane and tedious task of physically paying multiple bills. That’s why Tiffany Aliche, aka The Budgetnista, author of The One Week Budget stopped paying her bills all together.  Why do something you hate doing when you can spend the same time doing the things you love?

Aliche wrote The One Week Budget for anyone who wants to manage their day-to-day money without the day-to-day hassle.  Unlike most financial books which assume that you already have a money management system in place, The One Week Budget shows readers how to take small, daily actions to achieve massive financial success and then automate it all.  The step by step guide is literally broken into seven chapters, so that you can create your plan in seven days or less. Each chapter ends with an “Easy Action Steps” checklist for you to follow and generally includes a blank spreadsheet template that makes plugging in your own information rather simple.  As you follow the evolution of Bella the Budgetnista, the books fictitious character utilized in order to bring the process to life, you have a real example to compare your progression with.
 

Besides being very straight forward about her approach, The Budgetnista, weaves personal stories about herself or past clients throughout the book which reminds you that anyone is capable of changing their bad money habits and making wiser decisions if they so choose. According to Aliche, “money is attracted to those who manage it well and lost by those who do not.”  One of my favorite stories is about a client who is an African woman who helps support her family back in her native country.  She is completely overextending herself and giving to the point of jeopardizing her own financial foundation. The wisdom which Tiffany shares with her is “You never give more than you are able to give.” The way I express this to my own clients is “The worst thing you can do for a broke person is become one of them.” (Note to self: Tiffany is so much more politically correct than I am!)


In a society that treats the word budget like the “other B-word,” it’s refreshing to see someone take the term and turn it into something both cool and productive. I’m not going to lie; I don’t think anyone should read this book in one sitting. You’ll be tempted to jump ahead, but take this as your fair warning; I attempted to and my head almost exploded! Take your time and read one section at a time, only implementing what is suggested. Trust me, you’ll thank me later. And besides, I don’t want you to become so overwhelmed that you do nothing! Eh, we already know how that story ends, right?

So, if you’re ready to stop living the champagne life on beer money, read the book.

If you’re ready to adjust your new life to your new circumstances and stop living in the past and your “good ‘ol days,” read the book.

And if you’re tired of being as Aliche puts it, “fiscally challenged, i.e. broke,” then just read the book already!

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes which by the way, if you’re a quote junkie like me, they lead off each section . . .  (Happy dance!) “A  good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”

So again, READ THE BOOK ALREADY! And, learn more about Tiffany Aliche, aka The Budgetnista, and what she’s up to on her website, thebudgetnista.com.

Until Next Time,

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Seek Wisdom, Find Wealth & Be Blessed!

*I received no monetary compensation for this post. This post is based on my opinions and was not influenced in any way.*

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