I know I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction this year, but I’ll mention why I keep reading these finance and self-help types of books. I’m looking to write something in this general genre, specifically about publishing, and I’m trying to get my footing for what it should read like. And this one reads a lot like the rest.
You Need a Budget is something I know mostly as a budgeting app. The book gives a lot of helpful tips about the first steps you could take into creating a budget based on what your actual spending looks like, rather than applying blanket rules that your money should conform to. It’s very similar to what I did when I first moved out, so I know the strategy works well, and there are other useful tips throughout that are great for people at the start of their budgeting journey.
There are some specifics in here that feel very much like it was from a different era. Even in my day, I couldn’t go to school without loans or getting my parents to pay for it, even if I worked throughout1 and applied for scholarships, for instance. I get the feeling that this is just what happens with finance books. Specifics get out of date, but the overall ideas and messages remain good.
Overall, it’s a good read for someone looking to get started with budgeting. It is US-focused2 but the general strategies can be used just about everywhere.