Book Reviews
“Buy What You Love Without Going Broke” Book Review
Last month, while reviewing George Kamel’s book, I noted that I had learned about him through his appearance and my attendance at FinCon 2024. That’s the backstory with this month’s book selection: Buy What You Love Without Going Broke by Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni (hosts of the Frugal Friends podcast). In fact, after her moving keynote speech on the final day of the event, Smith mentioned that this book was coming out and shared her excitement for it. Returning home from FinCon, I pre-ordered the book on Audible and had a chance to listen to it upon its release last month. So was it worth the wait?
I’ll say that Buy What You Love Without Going Broke won me over early when the authors noted that most money advice is for those who already have money. That immediately let me know that this book was going to be different from others I’ve read as of late. But it was only a few short minutes before I found ever more to love as Smith and Sirianni stated that their book and philosophy was all about embracing nuance and living in the “radical middle.” Seriously — if I nodded any harder after hearing this, my neck might have snapped. Amen.
Contrary to what you might assume from a book like this, it’s not actually about budgeting. Instead, it’s all about values-based spending. In other words, while budgeting will of course play a role at some point, the goal isn’t just to choose random category numbers but to drill down and figure out exactly how you can make your spending match what’s most important to you. As the authors write, “No matter where you are, what you earn, or what you love, you can improve your spending.”
One of the first tips the authors present to readers to help them achieve this is a 90-day transaction inventory. From there, they recommend reviewing these purchases with “curiosity, not criticism.” This includes asking yourself a number of questions about what led you to spend on a certain purchase, what benefit you got from it, etc. (Obviously, this is a simplified recap, but the whole process sounds fascinating.)
Throughout the rest of the book, Smith and Sirianni hit on several other topics ranging from social media consumption and habit loops to minimalism and decluttering. Yet, they all fit perfectly into the larger message of the book.
Now’s also a good time to mention that while the authors also touch on some basic subjects, such as budgeting and investing, they are far from deep dives into those subjects. That’s why, for further learning, you can obtain a free resources list by signing up for their email list.
One of the things I loved most about this book was the tone. Smith and Sirianni do a great job of keeping the material breezy, and approachable. It also introduced me to new concepts that I could absolutely relate to such as “procrastispending.” I also appreciated the specificity and personal examples (such as pointing out that Starbucks Double Stars Day could be a spending trigger for certain people) found throughout the book. To me, these helped highlight the fact that these authors knew what they spoke of and “walked the walk” so to say.
If there’s any criticism I have of the book, it’s a single, silly, nerdy nitpick. In one chapter, the Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire is referenced and it’s stated that there were two animated Lizzies on her shoulder at all times. Maybe this was a specific scene but, otherwise, there was just a single animated Lizzie that highlighted the insecurities of actual, live-action Lizzie. Yes — that’s really the only problem I had with this fantastic read.
Of all the personal finance books I’ve read over the years, Buy What You Love Without Going Broke is easily the one that I’ve identified with the most. In particular, the chapter reflecting on contentment without complacency that highlights the battle between hustle and apathy many of us face was spot on. Overall, though, I just found the book to be incredibly inspiring and motivating. Even after all these years of writing about personal finance — not to mention even hearing about some of these specific concepts before — I now feel like I’m due for a full money reset. On that note, I already asked my wife to listen to the book as well so we can embark on this journey together.
In case it wasn’t 100% obvious at this point, I’d highly recommend reading Buy What You Love Without Going Broke — and then sharing it with your partner, friends, and anyone else who could use a positive financial change.
“Buy What You Love Without Going Broke” Book Review
“Buy What You Love Without Going Broke” Takes a Different, Friendlier Approach to Personal Finance
5
Authors
Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni
Formats
Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, audiobook
Pages
208 (paperback)
Unlike other personal finance books that are all about strict budgets or hustling, “Buy What You Love Without Going Broke” focuses on how to engage in values-based spending. This includes learning how to question your spending without criticism. In fact, that “without criticism” part sets the tone for the book as authors Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni come from a place of support rather than chastizing readers for their mistakes. In other words, this POV from the “radical middle” makes for a finance book that’s a breath of fresh air.
Pros
- Learn about values based spending
- The book’s tone is non-judgemental and friendly
Cons
- Those looking for more specific financial advice on investing etc. will want to look elsewhere
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