"Cashing Out" by Julien and Kiersten Saunders Audiobook Review
"Cashing Out" by Julien and Kiersten Saunders

Money at 30: “Cashing Out” Audiobook Review

It’s time yet again for another personal finance audiobook review. This month, I had the chance to check out Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away by Julien and Kiersten Saunders of the Rich & Regular podcast. Having seen this duo at past FinCon events and all over personal finance Twitter, I was excited to pick this one up on Audible and give it a listen during my latest road trip. Luckily for me, it delivered.

Cashing Out by Julien and Keirsten Saunders book cover

First, I should note that, as the authors point out, this book is particularly aimed at the Black community — of which I am not a member. Nevertheless, the information the book contains can be helpful to anyone regardless of background.

One thing I appreciated about the audiobook version of this title is how Julien and Kiersten traded off reading responsibilities for each chapter (except for a couple of chapters near the end that feature both of them for specific reasons). I really enjoyed hearing from both of them and — seeing as I was listening to this while driving a boring stretch of road — the hand-off in between chapters helped keep things fresh and keep me engaged. Plus, going back to one of the chapters where both appear, the “He Said, She Said” section felt made for the audiobook format (even though it wasn’t) and I loved every second of it.

To me, one of the most intriguing sections of Cashing Out is where the authors lay out the thesis that workers aim to spend just 15 years at their career before cashing out. That might sound a bit ambitious to say the least, yet Julien and Kiersten make a compelling case, complete with examples. On that note, bonus points to this book for featuring one of my favorite blogs: A Purple Life.

Another chapter I thought was intriguing was on community and surrounding yourself with like-minded people as a means of fueling your financial journey forward. To quote the book, “The math is the math but the magic is in the community.” While plenty of personal finance books have been known to give shout-outs to other bloggers, podcasts, etc., this is probably the first time I’ve heard such an emphasis put on this element of the FI movement.

While these specific sections stick out the most in my mind, the entire book is filled with moments that really grabbed my attention — even as someone who’s fairly well versed in a lot of these topics by now. Some examples include a deep dive into the purposes of income, a reflection on how education can only take you so far before courage is required, and more. Given the timing of the book’s release, there are also several references to the pandemic, which made the book that much more relatable for a listener in 2022.

At what’s listed at a six-hour runtime for the audiobook, Cashing Out was a bit on the short side — but also flew by while I was listening to it (in a good way). In hindsight, the book doesn’t have all of the step-by-step elements that some other books of this genre do. Personally, I think that works to its advantage as Julien and Kiersten instead spend the time laying out their unique perspectives and experiences while offering resources where readers can dive into more details.

Overall, just as I expected I would, I really enjoyed listening to Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away. Funny enough, in the book itself, the authors even note that around one-fifth of those consuming this title will do so via this medium. That might seem like just a random fact but it’s one of many details that are worked into Cashing Out and help to elevate it in my mind. So, whether you opt for a hard copy or listen to it as I did, I think you too will find something to learn from Cashing Out.

Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs or otherwise. (Note: advertising relationships do not have any influence on editorial content. Advertising compensation allows Fioney to provide quality content for free. All editorial opinions are those of the individual author and/or Fioney.)

Author

Kyle Burbank

Head Writer ~ Fioney
Kyle is the head writer for Fioney. He is a personal finance nerd, constantly looking for new apps and services to test and incorporate into his own financial game plan. In addition to his role at Fioney, he's written for other publications including Born2Invest, Lifehack, and Laughing Place, as well as his own site Money@30. He also creates personal finance and travel-related videos for Fioney's YouTube channel, which has garnered more than 2 million views. Currently, Kyle resides in Springfield, Missouri with his wife of 10 years. Together, they enjoy traveling (including visiting Disney Parks around the world), dining, and playing with their dog Rigby.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

Wawa credit card and app

New Wawa Mastercard Launches with FNBO as Issuer

The gas station/hoagie stop Wawa has announced a new co-branded credit card with a new issuer. About the New Wawa Mastercard: This week, Wawa and First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) unveiled the new Wawa Mastercard. As the convience store chain notes, this updated product is meant to bring savings and perks to loyal Wawa customers — although the card will also be accepted anywhere Mastercard is. Starting with rewards...
Bilt logo and Ken Chenault and Ankur Jain

Bilt Raises $250 Million, Announces "2.0" Card Line-Up

Bilt has not only announced another mega-round but also a fresh eleven-figure valuation and new expansion details. About Bilt's Latest Funding Round: Today, Bilt announced that it had reaised $250 million in new funding. Moreover, this new round values the company at $10.75 billion. The round was led by General Catalyst and GID with United Wholesale Mortage also partcipating with a $100 million investment. This follows a $150 million venture...
using a candle to look at the electric power meter

Lessons From a First-Time Home Buyer: Navigating Our First Serious Power Outage

Last weekend, following another brief but powerful windstorm, we were left without power. Although we've had our power go out for a couple of hours here and there since moving to our house, this was the first time that we and a large section of our neighbors were left sans electricity for several hours. And while we were fortunate to have power back after about 15 hours, others in our...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get the Latest News Delivered to Your Inbox

2025 SoFi Checking and Savings Review

 Ever since I started taking an interest in the FinTech sector, one company whose name I’ve seen pop up over and over again is SoFi. That was later sent into overdrive as the company has not only become a household name thanks to its stadium naming rights deal but also because of the company’s continued product expansions. The most interesting development in my mind is SoFi’s acquisition of Golden Pacific...
Travelers with two Best Western Credit Cards

Best Western Debuts Two New Rewards Credit Cards

After pausing applications for their previous rewards card, the hotel chain Best Western has unveiled a new pair of rewards credit cards with a new issuer. About the Best Western cards: Best Western is partnering with First Bank & Trust and Mercury Financial to introduce two new co-branded credit cards. First up is the no-annual-fee Best Western Rewards Visa Signature Card. With this card, customers can 4x points on Best...
Marriott Bonvoy card and a woman on vacation

Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card Launches Travel Contest

Chase and Marriott Bonoy have unveiled a special contest while continuing to offer its best-ever welcome bonus. About the welcome bonus and Bold Chat Court Contest: Marriott Bonvoy and Chase have launched a special opportunity called the Bold Chat Court contest. As part of this contest, 10 lucky travelers will be awarded 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (for a total of 5 million) as well as $5,000. For this contest, the...
Bilt and All Reward logos

Bilt Adds 2 New Transfer Partners Including First 3:2 Transfer Rate

Bilt is once again expanding its travel transfer rewards program — and is even breaking the mold with one new partner. About the new additions to Bilt: This week, Bilt launched partnerships with two more travel brands: TAP Air Portugal and Accor. As a result, Bilt members will now be able to transfer their points to Miles&Go and ALL Reward, respectively. In total, Bilt now has 18 transfer partners including 13...
Fioney Top 10 Must-Read Personal Finance Articles Septemeber 2024

Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — September 2024

Welcome to Fioney's look at the top 10 personal finance articles of the month. On the first Friday of each new month, we look back at some of our favorite posts published in the weeks prior and highlight them right here. This includes a mix of sites that have become staples of our lists as well as many first-timers. To start things off this month, we'll look at some articles...