What’s up y’all!

My boy Nick’s new book just hit the shelves this morning!

“The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life”

I don’t know if every book comes with one of these, but the ones he just mailed out to me came with some pretty epic bookmarks ;)

Genius, right?!

Which should come as no surprise as Nick’s always been so good at using his brain to help people with their money and conveying strategies so anyone can understand them… If you’ve ever read the blog, Of Dollars and Data, or read the best-seller “Just Keep Buying” – that’s all his work! Which I absolutely love.

And even more so now that I can read it with a $2.00 bookmark! Lolol…

Anyways, it just dropped on Amazon this morning (congrats dude!) and I’ve got TWO (SIGNED) COPIES to giveaway today – absolutely free.

All you have to do is use your cute little fingers to type out an answer to the below question, and you’ll automatically be entered to win.

Oh, I guess first you’d want to know what the book is *actually about* haha…. Okay here you go:

The Wealth Ladder:
Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life

By Nick Maggiulli

“Do you feel stuck financially? Are you working more, trying to spend less, yet still not seeing results? If so, the issue isn’t your effort—it’s your approach.

This is where The Wealth Ladder comes in. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme or a one-size-fits-all solution to your money problems. It’s a new philosophy for thinking about money altogether.

In a world where interest rates shift, careers take new turns, and desires evolve, our financial strategy must keep up. This is why The Wealth Ladder breaks wealth into six distinct levels, each demanding its own strategy. What works at Level 1 won’t cut it at Level 6—and vice versa. You’ll learn exactly how to handle your spending, income, investments, and more, with tailored advice for every stage. The result? Smarter choices, less stress, and a clear path upward.

Because building wealth isn’t just about hard work—it’s about applying the right strategy at the right time to focus on what matters most.”

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Look like something you’d like to read?

Tell me what *level* you think you’re at right now with your finances, 1-6, and let me know in the comments below (or via email if you’re reading this in my newsletter).

I know you don’t know what the levels are yet as you haven’t read the book – hah – but just guess and then if you win you can find out if you were right ;) And if you don’t win it you can always borrow it from the library and find out!

Drop your answer down below by the end of the week, and I’ll randomly select two winners to win a copy of this new book + the bookmark. U.S. residents only please so it doesn’t cost me more than the book to ship out to you! And if you’re already at level 6 and don’t need the book, take the free $2 at least and then hand it out to a friend ;)

Alright, good luck! And thanks again to Nick for shooting us over a few copies! I hope it flies off the shelves, brother

Your friend at level 4,

UPDATE: GIVEAWAY OVER! Congrats to Ryan and Jose for winning! Everyone else be sure to catch it at the library :)

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*Links to books are Amazon affiliate links

[This post, New Book Drop (& Giveaway): The Wealth Ladder!, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Good morning, friends!

Got another great book to give away today!

But first – wanted to thank you real quick for all the love and encouragement on our latest business launch I just posted about. We got a lot of great interest from the community so far as well as a handful of signups which is always promising when you put something out into the world – so thanks! :)

Also while I’m at it, we raised $2,000 for our Community Fund the other month – woo!! Half of which I’ve already disseminated into the homeless community to help feed them, clothe them, shelter them, paper them!, and much much more. It won’t solve all their problems of course, but it’s a nice reprieve from their daily lives and I know they appreciate every last kind gesture we do. So thanks for helping me turbocharge it! :)

• To donate more to it, click here: Community Fund
• And to learn more about my new biz, go here: YouBots.ai

*****

Now onto the giveaway!

“Inner Entrepreneur”
A Proven Path to Profit and Peace

This one’s an exciting one to bring to you not only because of the content (all us bloggers are solopreneurs – even if by accident! ) but mainly because it comes from a good blogger friend of mine, who’s as smart as he is NICE: Grant Sabatier.

You might recognize him from MillennialMoney.com, or his best selling book, “Financial Freedom“. And he also just launched a real life independent bookstore too if you can believe it!! This guy never sleeps! Haha… (Check out ClintonvilleBooks.com if you’re ever in the Columbus, Ohio area)

At any rate, super legit and genuine dude, and here’s what he says about his latest book – WHICH JUST DROPPED TODAY!!

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“Inner Entrepreneur contains everything I’ve learned over the past 15 years that has really made a difference in my businesses and life. There’s no fluff. No generic business advice. It’s packed full of actionable steps. I’ve held nothing back.

While there are many great entrepreneur books, there isn’t one like this – which presents a comprehensive view of how to go from finding a business idea to selling your company, acquiring, building a holding company, and more. Whether you’re curious about entrepreneurship or you’re already a pro, I’m confident you’ll get value from Inner Entrepreneur.

The book is built around 4 levels of entrepreneurship and I dive deep into exactly what to do, consider, and the trade-offs required at each level:

• Level 1: Experimental Entrepreneur
• Level 2: Solopreneur
• Level 3: Growth Entrepreneur
• Level 4: Empire Entrepreneur

Whether you’ve read my first book or not, this book is designed to help you build a business that gives you more freedom in your life.”

*****

• To learn more, go to: Inner Entrepreneur: A Proven Path to Profit and Peace
• Or download the first chapter (FREE) here: Chapter 1 of Inner Entrepreneur (PDF Download)

Want a free copy?!

I’ve got TWO free copies of Inner Entrepreneur to give away today :) All you have to do is answer the following question in the comments below (or via email), and you will automatically be entered to win.

What’s a dream business you’d love to build? Or a business you’re currently working on?

You don’t have to get too specific about it (“dog sitting” works), but feel free to elaborate too if you’re into it. You never know who will see it and could maybe help you out – or better yet, be a first customer! :)

If you’re fresh out of ideas and need a little push – peruse our Side Hustle Series and maybe something there will jump out at you. We’ve featured everything from Christmas tree stands to photo booth empires to worm harvesting to trash picker-uppers to even more erotic areas like phone sex operating ;) There’s a million things you can do for money, and this book by Grant can help you narrow it down and take action.

I’ll announce the two winners at the end of the week. GOOD LUCK!!

And thanks again to Grant for offering these up. You can learn more about his projects here: GrantSabatier.com

PS: You might also remember Grant if you were a member of the Rockstar Finance forums! He was a top resident there, always popping in and offering (free) advice. Fantastic person.

*Links to books are Amazon affiliate links

*** Giveaway Over! ***

Congrats to Eric S. and MEM for winning!! Books will be in the mail soon! For everyone else – be sure to check it out at your local library so you can still get the good stuff! :)

[This post, New Book Alert + Giveaway: “Inner Entrepreneur”, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Hi all!

So I’ve been working on a new project lately, and it’s officially live :)

It has nothing to do with personal finance (*gasp*), but it is something that could help save you a ton of money – and grow faster! – if you run a business. It also heavily relies on AI, so if you’ve been trying to figure out the best way to harness it in this brave new world this could be the trick.

Introducing….

YouBots.ai – A suite of advanced, powerful marketing tools powered by AI!

My partner in crime has been obsessed with AI this past year – to the point he even changed his entire career around it! – and after watching him build out customized “bots” for companies and selling them for thousands of dollars a pop, I asked him why he doesn’t just package them all up under one roof and offer them up to *everybody*? Kinda like the world’s first AI marketing agency, but only at a fraction of the price?

He paused for a few seconds leading me to believe it was massively stupid, haha, but to my surprise he eventually shot back with, “this is the best idea you’ve ever had – we need to build it.” Lol… Okay!

And just like that YouBots was born :)

Can’t say I ever imagined myself doing anything around AI, but it was one of those instances where it just clicked and I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t go for it. So we’ll see what happens! We already have a number of paying clients, and it’s been fun as hell working on the branding and building out the site…

Just look at these cute little robots!!

At any rate, if you run a business and wanna see if these bots can help YOU, check out our site and let me know what you think. It’s set up so that anyone on your team can use it without needing to know a thing about AI, prompt engineering, or even software development.

Our target audience is small-medium businesses who wish they had a bigger budget for hiring (both people and marketing agencies), so we’ve priced it with that in mind and one of our clients is already saving $4,000/mo. It’s beautiful.

Check it out –> YouBots.ai

We’re currently offering a one-week free trial, then 50% off the subscription cost while we’re in beta. No credit card required for the demo, and you can unsubscribe anytime.

So that’s what I’ve been up to over here! How about you? Anyone else dabbling in AI or working on a new project? Would love to learn all about it :)

Your long-time, non-AI powered, friend,

PS: I should note that while AI can do big huge amazing things to make your life and work better, I don’t believe it should be a substitute for YOU. To me it’s meant for *enhancing* your work, not replacing it.

PPS: If you came here today hoping for financial tips, check out my personal newsletter that just went out that features my favorite $$$ articles from around the community this month. There’s some really good ones in there, and you’ll find them in the bottom half of that page (as well as a current book I’m thoroughly enjoying). Feel free to subscribe to that newsletter here as well!

[This post, My Newest Project: YouBots!, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Morning friends!

A blogger friend of mine recently came out with a new book, and it’s centered around one of the things that occupies my brain way more than I care to admit ;)

The purpose of life.

And apparently I’m not alone, as this “purpose anxiety” apparently affects 91% of people! Crazy!

So odds are you’ve struggled with this too, which makes this book a perfect read – and giveaway! – for everyone today. It’s called, “The Purpose Code“, and here’s more about it via Amazon:

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“The Purpose Code”
How to unlock meaning, maximize happiness, and leave a lasting legacy

Purpose can change your life.

Having a sense of purpose has been scientifically proven to help people find happiness, longevity, and health.

But lots of us are also worried about purpose―purpose anxiety has been estimated to affect as much as 91% of people.

What’s going on? And how do we do purpose the right way―to unlock all its many benefits, set goals in life, make a mark and journey from anxiety to legacy?

This question set hospice doctor and writer Jordan Grumet on a quest, and The Purpose Code shares his remarkable findings to help you change your future forever. The result is a self-development book like no other.

It turns out that we fundamentally misunderstand purpose and the role it plays in our lives. In fact, there are two different types of purpose. One will lead to anxiety and disillusionment; the other will lead to connection and lasting legacy.

In The Purpose Code, Jordan will:

• Chart a course for you to reach happiness through understanding the deep human truths behind the concepts of Meaning and Purpose (including life review therapy and simple ways of healing generational trauma)
• Equip you with a practical and proven framework for unlocking your real purpose, and show you the life-changingly enjoyable way to climb to goals, regardless of your situation in life
• Arm you to differentiate between the two types of purpose when finding life purpose (and show you the hidden reasons why one is always more fulfilling than the other)
• Set you on the way to building a genuinely lasting impact long after you’re gone.

Finding happiness has never been about creating big audacious goals that we may or may not be able to achieve. True contentment comes from filling our lives with enriching activities that lead to connection and, ultimately, legacy. Swap grand but ultimately empty success books for this small goals book, and begin creating your true purpose today.

More info here –> The Purpose Code: How to unlock meaning, maximize happiness, and leave a lasting legacy

*******

Here’s how to enter for your chance to win one of TWO (free) copies:

Answer this question down below in the comments, or via email if you’re reading this there, and you’ll be automatically entered to win :)

How close are you, do you think, to knowing your purpose on this Earth?

Get your entries in by this Sunday at midnight, and I’ll randomly select the two winners the following day!

Personally, I think I’m around 70% at the moment. The one thing I feel called to do, and enjoy!, is helping others in some form or fashion, and it seems the more I do that the happier I tend to get. Thus, why I made it this year’s 10-2 Challenge! Maybe it’s not my ultimate purpose in life (if there even IS such a thing?) but it def. feels like I’m moving in the right direction, so I’m gonna keep on going until something stops me :)

How about you? What % do you think you’re at right now? Either way, keep waking up and doing your best to appreciate at least being alive!! It’s not always fun, but it sure beats the alternative….

Your friend, now and forever – even in death,

PS: I made that image up top through Midjourney :) I literally asked it to design me “the purpose of life” and it came out pretty cool!

*** Giveaway now over! ***

Congrats to Sheila S. and Ann for winning! Everyone else, be sure to look for it at your local library! I bet it ups your % soon after :)

*Links to book are Amazon affiliate links

[This post, “The Purpose Code” – New Book and Giveaway!, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Hello my financially voracious friends!!

If you’re looking for some new reads to sink your teeth into, let me present 6 new ones from our community that have recently hit shelves, covering everything from stoicism, to money paths, to millionaire habits, to even something I bet you haven’t ever heard before: “the energetics of personal finance” ;)

Some of these are new-new, some are a few months old as I tagged them during my accidental sabbatical and missed the promo time, lol, and another won’t hit the shelves until two weeks so you’re gonna be one of the first to hear about it!

And the best part? We’re giving away TWO COPIES of each book here! So scroll to the end to see how to enter, and hopefully you’ll be one of the lucky winners to snag one

Here’s what we’ve got:

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The Stoic Path to Wealth:
Ancient Wisdom for Enduring Prosperity

I’ve been a fan of Darius’ blog for a number of years now, so was super stoked to learn his latest book focuses on the more emotional side to investing and growing wealth. Something most of us struggle hard with!

He has some other classics too around productivity, forming better habits, and generally just living well, but this is the first book I believe to focus on *money* specifically. Even the OG Morgan Housel gave a testimonial on it!

Here’s a clip from its Amazon page:

“The Stoics understood that if you can control your reactions and manage your emotions, you can achieve success. The same principles apply to our financial lives today. The greatest investors approach the markets with discipline, emotional distance, and self-mastery—lessons that the Stoics have been teaching us for thousands of years.

Combining ancient wisdom with practical investment strategies drawn from analysis of the greatest investors of all time, The Stoic Path to Wealth will teach you how to:

• cultivate an investing edge by managing your emotions and developing your unique skills and talents
• develop the discipline to ignore short-term market fluctuations and avoid living in the future
• foster a mindset that allows you to enjoy what you have and avoid greed
• create a sustainable approach to trading”

To learn more or purchase: The Stoic Path to Wealth

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Millionaire Habits:
How to Achieve Financial Independence, Retire Early, and Make a Difference by Focusing on Yourself First

This is the first book from long-time blogger, Steve Adcock, of Millionaire Habits, and while you’ll probably either love this one or hate it as Steve can get pretty feisty, lol, the overall message here will always remain true: when you become financially free you have more time, and energy, to give back to not only yourself but those around you too. But first you must focus on yourself!

Here’s more about the book per Amazon:

“In Millionaire Habits, popular personal finance educator Steve Adcock delivers a fun, insightful, and hands-on discussion of how to build financial security, retire early, and give back to the community. You’ll learn to focus on yourself and your family first, creating personal wealth for the purpose of giving back to others.

In the book, the author explains that “saving money” isn’t a goal in and of itself, but rather the end product of the personal wealth equation: Wealth = Income + Investments – Lifestyle. You’ll discover how to pay yourself first with concrete guidance and practical advice drawn from people who built wealth on modest incomes.

You’ll also find:

• Strategies for maintaining your physical and financial fitness so you can maximize the value of your assets
• Ways to turn your existing wealth into even more valuable investments that generate continued, passive income
• Methods to help you retire early and enjoy your financial independence at a young age

Perfect for young professionals, working families, self-employed people, and anyone else seeking to increase their net worth and get more out of life.”

To learn more or purchase: Millionaire Habits

[You might also recall Steve’s name from the Rockstar Finance days as he was the brains behind all of our tech, allowing us to expand and add features at lightning speed – at one point launching new endeavors with each passing month, whether it was the Blog Directory, the Forums, or the Feed Database where anyone could read any blog post being published across the world! It was fun times, and I owe a lot of the success of the project to Steve. So thanks for everything, buddy – always enjoy working with ya ]

PS: Steve also has an FI Accelerator course if you learn better through action-oriented tasks: FI/Accelerator: Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving Financial Independence

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The Get Ready Blueprint:
A 52-Week Guide to Changing the Way You Think About Money

This book comes from Tony Steuer who recently had me on his podcast, and if the book is anything like the fun conversations we had there I think you’ll enjoy it. I haven’t personally read it, but I’m always a fan of books that not only tell you the *why* behind stuff, but also the *how*. And this one seems from afar at least that it merges both of them nicely.

If you win it you’ll have to let me know if I was correct! ;)

Here’s a clip from Amazon:

“The Get Ready! Blueprint is an essential 52-week planner that helps you understand your financial goals and create and achieve your own strong financial decisions. With this easy-to-use road map and clear action steps, you’ll gain an overall view of how everything in your financial life fits together and how to maintain it.

You’ll begin by building useful habits, then put them to use in planning, calculating, and reviewing key financial information. With Tony Steuer’s proven “Get Ready Method,” you can

• understand your big financial picture
• find clarity to evaluate whether financial products meet your goals
• establish the essential eight habits that will empower you with your money
• use the innovative calendar system to help you keep all areas of your financial life up to date and on track”

To learn more or purchase: The Get Ready Blueprint

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Provider Money, Pleasure Money:
The Energetics of Personal Finance

Okay – now to the “energetics” one :) Which is brought to you by long-time blog reader, and blogger herself, Christine Luken. Another book I have a feeling you’ll either love or hate, but even if you’re just a little into the energies of the world, or into yoga or reiki or any of those more “woo” practices on the fringes I think you’ll appreciate this one. At the very least to get a *different* perspective that you might not have otherwise considered. You never know what might click!

Here’s a snippet from Amazon:

“We often think of money as bills and coins, checking and savings accounts, paychecks and passive income. Yet, at its essence, money is financial energy; that’s why it’s called “currency.”

There are two distinct and complementary energies, the yin and yang, in personal finance: Provider money and Pleasure money. Discover the nature of these two energic forces and how they overlay the entirety of your personal finances. Seeing your money through this energetic lens is a paradigm shift, a philosophy of money rather than a strict how-to guide.

After reading this book, you will have the knowledge and confidence to balance Provider and Pleasure energies, creating a financial life that supports your happiness and peace of mind.”

To learn more or purchase: Provider Money, Pleasure Money

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Plan Your Money Path:
A Guide to Create Your Own Financial Plan

This one comes from long-time reader and frequent publisher, Bill Hines, who’s always kind enough to offer up some free copies to us here. His last book you might recall was “Kiss Your Money Hello!: (And Financial Stress Goodbye)” and just an overall passionate and great guy.

Here’s more about the book from Amazon:

“Imagine how well you’d sleep at night knowing your boxes are checked—everything the kids will need, all your dreams right on through early retirement, when you’re young enough to enjoy those dreams.

This book shows you how to take control and build your own financial plan, using high fidelity, inexpensive software, not the dumbed-down financial/retirement planning tools you find all over the internet.

I’ll take you through some important general financial planning context, and then through the steps to building a financial plan for a sample family. Along the way, we’ll discuss the different inputs and assumptions required for any financial plan, as well as how to interpret the results and put your plan into action.”

To learn more or purchase: Plan Your Money Path

[FYI: This one hasn’t hit the shelves yet, but we’ll get the winners a physical copy by the end of Sept!]

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The Wealth Paradox:
Navigating Money, Free will, and Success: How Unconventional Thinking Influences Your Financial And Personal Life

Lastly, a new book from Alain Guillot – a long-time friend of the blog! This one has only been released as a *Kindle* book, however Alain was kind enough to shoot me a PDF version of it so the two winners will receive that for easy access.

Here’s more about it per Amazon:

“This book is a culmination of years spent navigating the complex landscape of personal finance, entrepreneurship, and self-discovery. It’s about the lessons learned from both success and failure, and the lessons I learned from the experiences of others, including some of the most successful minds of our time.

The book is composed of 10 chapters in which I share my ideas on managing money, yourself—your mind, your habits, and your expectations. We’ll explore topics that challenge conventional wisdom, such as the role of gender in success, the myths surrounding investment choices, and the often-overlooked impact of childhood experiences on our adult lives.

As you turn the pages, you’ll move from basic financial knowledge to ideas of what it means to thrive in a world that often feels uncertain.”

To learn more or purchase: The Wealth Paradox

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Okay! Which ones of these do you want?!

Let me know in the comments below (or via email if you’re reading this there), and you’ll be automatically entered to win! Feel free to enter for as many of them as you wish

The giveaway will end this weekend at midnight, so get your entries in by then and we’ll announce the winners shortly thereafter at the bottom of this post here, as well as on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook – where you can also follow me throughout the week as you wait for a new blog post to hit ;)

Thanks for reading! Good luck!

And also huge thanks again to all the generous authors for providing us free copies here. Super kind of each and every one of you, and perhaps one day I’ll repay the favor if I ever come out with a book that even closely rivals yours :)

Happy reading!

// Links to books and courses above are all affiliate links

[This post, 6 New Books on The Scene! [GIVEAWAY], was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

It’s funny how you can make anything into a game.

On gym days I’ve started doing this thing where after our boot camp I reward myself by grabbing a basketball and shooting around for a while, patting myself on the back for making it. But then I started feeling guilty for having fun when I’m supposed to be “working out,” so I made this arbitrary rule that I can play for however long I want, but I’m not allowed to *leave* until I make a half-court shot :)

Which in itself is pretty hard of course, but then I added a twist where when I miss it I have to RUN AFTER THE BALL and try over and over and over again, running back and forth from opposite sides of the court, until finally making it. And when that got easier because I’m now better at making shots!, I upped the game to making THREE half-court shots before leaving, and then after each one I drop to the ground and do 15 pushups for good measure

I often wonder what the people around me must think watching this lunatic running around launching balls into the air and then falling to the floor, but it’s made my gym days 3x more exciting while still accomplishing the mission.

I thought of this when I got the following message, only instead of silly basketball games it’s a savings one!

Years ago you shared a simple grid which my husband and I call the bingo sheet – each square contains a dollar amount to put away each week and at the end of the year, if done faithfully, results in saving an extra $1k.

I use this every year, but with a twist: I try to double or even triple the amount each week to save even more. This year I’m on track to hit $4k… it’s really a fun way to save, so thank you for sharing that!!

– Denise B.

Beautiful!! She made savings fun by taking on the challenge, and then when she was ready to up the game she threw in a twist! Because why not?! Life is boring playing it straight… Sometimes you gotta shake it up!

Here’s that “bingo sheet,” made by the fabulous Jamie from MediumSizedFamily.com:

[Click to download]

As Denise mentioned, the game is pretty straightforward: each week just pick a new square, then throw in the corresponding amount right into savings – and BOOM! You’ll have an extra $1,000 by the end of the year, which just so happens to be the amount you should spend on me for Christmas ;)

And if you really want to *see* your results, open up a brand new savings account and start saving fresh so it doesn’t get muddled with all your other dollars! You want to SEE and FEEL your progress as much as you can so it continues to motivate you. Then when you’re done, empty it out and challenge yourself next year with a twist!

It really can be as easy as that. This stuff isn’t complicated, but oftentimes our *emotions* can be. I don’t know why we’re wired like we are, but keep trying new ways to keep it fun and fresh, and with a little luck you’ll be FIREd in no time…

Thanks for reading today! Have a very merry holiday season, and we’ll see you out there on the courts (like a wild man)

PS: If this challenge doesn’t dingle your dongle, here are 8 more to try on.

[This post, The Bingo Sheet 💰, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

What’s up y’all!

The Godfather of FI has released a new book, and as his favorite Godson I of course was given a couple of copies to give away today – to my Godchildren! Lol… (is that creepy?)

JL is the author behind the uber popular book, and blog, The Simple Path to Wealth, which you’ll typically see pop up on peoples’ Best Lists and which 100% needs to be on your bookshelf as it’s a classic.

In fact, hell, why not give a copy away of that one today too? I think it’s necessary

• So giveaway #1 today (2 copies): Pathfinders
• Then giveaway #2 (1 copy): The Simple Path to Wealth

Here’s a closer look at both of them, then drop by the comments (or email me back if you’re reading this in my newsletter) by Sunday night and tell me which one you want! You can choose one or both of them, but sadly you have to live in the US for this one, sorry :(

(These would make for a FANTASTIC Christmas present for someone you love too!! Especially someone that needs a not-so-subtle hint!! )

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Pathfinders:
Extraordinary Stories of People Like You on the Quest for Financial Independence―And How to Join Them

From JL himself:

Pathfinders has been two years in the making and it is a book I have wanted to bring to you since 2016 after The Simple Path to Wealth was published.

Within months of that book’s release I began to receive incredible stories from people all over the world telling me how they had taken the approach laid out and applied it to their own unique lives, location and circumstances.

Since contracting with Harriman House to publish Pathfinders, we’ve collected more of these stories and in these pages present ~100 of the very best.

As the stories rolled in, they mostly self organized into these nine sections that make up the core of the book, along with my preface, introduction and commentary on each.

1. Freedom
2. Debt
3. Saving
4. Lifestyle Inflation
5. Investing
6. F-You Money
7. Staying the Course
8. Family
9. Endgame

This is the ultimate companion for your own journey to financial freedom―and the true and lasting wealth that lies at the end.

More from Amazon: Pathfinders: Extraordinary Stories of People Like You on the Quest for Financial Independence―And How to Join Them

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The Simple Path to Wealth:
Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life

Again, from JL:

This book grew out of a series of letters to my daughter concerning various things—mostly about money and investing—she was not yet quite ready to hear.

Since money is the single most powerful tool we have for navigating this complex world we’ve created, understanding it is critical.

“But Dad,” she once said, “I know money is important. I just don’t want to spend my life thinking about it.” This was eye-opening. I love this stuff. But most people have better things to do with their precious time. Bridges to build, diseases to cure, treaties to negotiate, mountains to climb, technologies to create, children to teach, businesses to run.

Unfortunately, benign neglect of things financial leaves you open to the charlatans of the financial world. The people who make investing endlessly complex, because if it can be made complex it becomes more profitable for them, more expensive for us, and we are forced into their waiting arms.

Here’s an important truth: Complex investments exist only to profit those who create and sell them. Not only are they more costly to the investor, they are less effective.

The simple approach I created for her and present now to you, is not only easy to understand and implement, it is more powerful than any other.

Together we’ll explore:

• Debt: Why you must avoid it and what to do if you have it.
• The importance of having F-you Money.
• How to think about money, and the unique way understanding this is key to building your wealth.
• Where traditional investing advice goes wrong and what actually works.
• What the stock market really is and how it really works.
• Why the stock market always goes up and why most people still lose money investing in it.
• How to invest in a raging bull, or bear, market.
• Specific investments to implement these strategies.
• The Wealth Building and Wealth Preservation phases of your investing life and why they are not always tied to your age.
• How your asset allocation is tied to those phases and how to choose it.
• How to simplify the sometimes confusing world of 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA and Roth accounts.
• TRFs (Target Retirement Funds), HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) and RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions).
• What investment firm to use and why the one I recommend is so far superior to the competition.
• Why you should be very cautious when engaging an investment advisor and whether you need to at all.
• Why and how you can be conned, and how to avoid becoming prey.
• Why I don’t recommend dollar cost averaging.
• What financial independence looks like and how to have your money support you.
• What the 4% rule is and how to use it to safely spend your wealth.
• The truth behind Social Security.
• A Case Study on how this all can be implemented in real life.

More from Amazon: The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life

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[JL Collins]

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Want one of these?!

Let me know which one in the comments below (or via email) by Sunday @ midnight and you’ll be entered to win! You can enter for one or for both, but you must have a US address for us to ship ’em too.  GOOD LUCK! And big congrats, JL!

Your Godfather in Sexiness,

UPDATE: Forgot to mention – the winners will be *randomly* selected, so no more bribes please ;)

*** GIVEAWAY OVER! *** Congrats to Jon Dickson and Lauren K for winning “Pathfinders”, and congrats to Don T. for winning “The Simple Path to Wealth!” For everyone else, be sure to check your local library so you can still read these bad boys!

———–
*Amazon links above are affiliate links

[This post, New Book Alert (And Giveaway!): “Pathfinders” by JL Collins, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Another spreadsheet success story!

I’ve been using your simplified early retirement spreadsheet now for the last 8 years. I have obviously tweaked it some to reflect our income and estimated expenses, but it still works great! I have also shared this with friends!

Yes!! Brilliant! Especially that last part. As a good friend of mine likes to say, “never keep knowledge to yourself – share it!”

I asked Kristy if she’d be willing to share her tweaked spreadsheet for us to gander, and she not only obliged but also gave us some juicy background on along with it :)

• You can find her spreadsheet here: Kristy’s Early Retirement Spreadsheet
• And my original one here if you want to compare: J$ FIRE Spreadsheet

SPOILER ALERT: Her and her husband’s net worth is right around $1.5 Mil (nice!!) and looks like they’ll hit FIRE at 58 (they’re in their 40’s now).

Take it away Kristy!

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I graduated college in 2000 and started working as a chemist making $36,000 per year. I had met my husband the year before, just a boyfriend at the time. We decided to quit the corporate world and move to the beach!

He worked at a liquor store and I waited tables for a few months. Then I found an apprenticeship job, as a real estate appraiser trainee. I decided to go for it and become a real estate appraiser as I hated the chemistry field and there were no jobs at the beach for chemistry at that time. My husband ended up managing the liquor store where he was just an employee and has been doing that ever since!

I got the education, experience, etc working as an appraiser for two years. Then I decided to switch and start appraising commercial properties. I continued my education and eventually received my MAI designation. This is the highest designation for real estate appraisers. This was in 2009.

I stayed with my company for 11 more years. I made pretty good money for a commercial appraiser, though it varied from $90,000 to $120,000 per year. In 2020 I quit my job and started my own real estate appraiser firm. I make about the same and work half as much… it’s awesome!

My husband went to college and obtained a finance degree. He worked at Vanguard for about a year (J$: Dream job!! :)). He started us investing in retirement at our first jobs. He taught me about finances, saving, investing, etc. over the years. Eventually we hired a financial planner. I know about the fees, but it has been worth it for us. We just don’t have the time anymore to handle our investments.

Current age: 44, my husband is 46. We have two kids, 17 F and 14 M. We will not be paying for college for both kids, but have been saving money since they were babies for college. We were able to save roughly $50,000 per kid.

We do have a house within walking distance to the beach and it’s our only debt. No car payments, no CC debt, no other debt.

I have attached the spreadsheet I have been using. Have fun with it!

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What a journey! From chemist to beach to waiting tables to apprenticeship to business owner! Not to mention a hearty mix of liquor and finances in there from her hunky husband, haha…

Always interesting what life has in store for us despite our own plans :) And of course, as they show, how much power WE have to change our own direction as well! Nothing stopping us from making big moves TODAY if we really want something. And it doesn’t even have to be something major either like a move to the beach or cross-country trip or whatever… Sometimes just taking that first step to *anything* feels good. And the flow might take you exactly where you need to go from there!

Awesome story, and awesome spreadsheet. Thanks so much for sharing with us, Kristy. And again, you can find her spreadsheet here if you want to download and tweak it yourself: Kristy’s Early Retirement Spreadsheet

To first steps!

PS: Here’s the original article if you missed it years ago –> The Early Retirement / Financial Freedom Spreadsheet. I created a *super* simple spreadsheet to tell me generally what I was looking at FIRE-wise, and then my man and fellow $$ blogger Go Curry Cracker got a hold of it and made some of his own tweaks which you can also find included there. Hope it helps!

[This post, Kristy’s Early Retirement Spreadsheet, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

What’s up everyone!

Haven’t done a good giveaway in a while so let’s change that today…

Got a stack of books just waiting to find a new home, so if you’re feeling lucky be sure to enter and I’ll drop them in parcel post!

(Speaking of parcels, we played “pass the parcel” this weekend at a kid’s birthday party and my son won the prize at the end, haha… had never heard of it before but apparently if you watch Bluey (and I seem to be the only one who doesn’t these days?!) it’s a popular game from there… (Lucky’s Dad’s Rules, of course))

Alright here’s what we’ve got today – if you want any of them just drop a note in the comments and you’ll be entered to win!

May the Book Gods shine down on you!!

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Gonzo Capitalism:
How to Make Money in An Economy That Hates You

Just got this book in the mail from blogger/hustler/entrepreneur extraordinaire, Chris Guillebeau, and if it’s any indication of his past best-sellers this should be a good one too. You might remember Chris from the Art of Non-Conformity blog back in the day or his popular book, The $100 Startup.

Here’s a clip about it from his website:

“A fascinating tour of this brave new world where novelty and creativity are currency, and the creators are in control. From the community of gamers getting paid to play, to the armchair pundits beating the bookies in online prediction markets, to TikTok “Sleepfluencers,” AI artists, and the band of renegade investors upending the rules of finance, in the world of Gonzo Capitalism, anything goes.”

Learn more here (Amazon) –> Gonzo Capitalism

Since I have this one in hand, I’m happy to autograph it too…. Unless it’s weird autographing *someone else’s* book?!

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How to Get Rich:
One of the World’s Greatest Entrepreneurs Shares His Secrets

This one my best friend SWEARS BY, which is saying something since he *hates* money books, but in a way it’s more of a “business/hustling” book than it is money…

I tried reading it after he gave me his copy, but my mind is no longer in the “get rich and powerful!” mentality so perhaps it’s better suited for someone else :) It was super interesting though which kept my attention for the first few chapters, so if you’re looking for some tough love motivation or just want something *different* to read (it really is different!) you’ll want to check it out…

More here (Amazon): –> How To Get Rich

PS: For those of you who don’t know who Felix Dennis is (I didn’t), he was the founder of Maxim Magazine and a bunch of other super popular computer mags back in the day… He also randomly loves poetry which he made sure to scatter all throughout it which makes for an interesting juxtaposition (I told you it was different!)

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Your Future Self:
How to Make Tomorrow Better Today

Now this one was brought to my attention by Hal Hershfield himself looking to get the word out and just recently dropped this summer. I haven’t had the chance to skim it yet, but he does seem to be a legit dude and the topic very much applies to what we’re about here.

Here’s a clip from his website to see if you like it:

“We’ve all had the desire to travel through time and see what our lives will be like later in life. While we want the best possible future for ourselves, we often fail to make decisions that would truly make that a reality. Why do we choose steak over vegetables at dinner, waving off concerns about high cholesterol? Why do we splurge on luxury cars rather than save for retirement? Why can’t we stick to our exercise programs? Why are so many of us so disconnected from our future selves?

Based on over a decade of groundbreaking research, Your Future Self explains that, in our minds, our future selves often look like strangers. Many of us view the future as incredibly distant, making us more likely to opt for immediate gratification that disregards the health and wellbeing of ourselves in the years to come. People who are able to connect with their future selves, however, are better able to balance living for today and planning for tomorrow. Your Future Self presents the science, describes the mental mistakes we make in thinking about the future, and gives us practical advice for imagining our best future so that we can make that a reality.”

Amazon –> Your Future Self

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Kiss Your Money Hello!
(And Financial Stress Goodbye)

Here’s another new book that just dropped in June, and similarly Bill Hines reached out to offer up a free copy. It’s already hit the top lists of Personal Money Management, Investing Basics, College Financing, and Home Buying/Selling so seems to be resonating with people!

More from Amazon:

“This book is the way to financial peace, to relieving the number one stressor in our lives and relationships. It’s the guide to living every day on your own terms, and never having to go to a job you no longer love, of never having to miss those important life events. I’ll keep it simple—just the way your personal finances should be! The first word of the title is no coincidence. KISS means Keep It Simple Silly! Maybe I’ll even make you laugh. Your household should measure success in ‘happy’, not some corporate financial metric.”

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Financial Fives:
The Top 325 Ways to Save, Earn, and Thrive to Retire Before 65

This one comes from fellow $$$ blogger Gary Grewal of FinancialFives.com, whose graciously given me a copy to give away here (thanks dude!). Haven’t read it yet, but love how actionable it sounds :)

More from Amazon:

“The goal of Financial Fives is to provide easy-to-follow tips in areas of personal finance that are applicable to the average reader, to absorb ideas effectively, and also refer back to for easy reading. This book can help you retire early, negotiate a pay raise, save money on home renovations, save money on your wedding, buy a home, become debt-free, and more! And unique chapters on things like saving money at festivals, getting the most money out of travel and hotels, even how to make the most of launching your business idea!

Some chapters include:

• 5 Ways to Save Money on Car Maintenance
• 5 Guilt-Free Ways to Invest in Yourself
• 5 Ways to Save Money on Throwing a Party
• 5 Questions to Ask Your Realtor
• 5 Ways to Save Money on the Dating Scene”

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Wealthy Doc’s Guide to Achieving Financial Freedom: Transform Your Physician Salary into Wealth

Next we have Wealthy Doc‘s new book which comes in both Kindle version as well as print. It just dropped in May, and like my other blogger brethren he’s kindly offered up a free copy to give away here

Here’s more from Amazon:

“In Wealthy Doc’s Guide to Achieving Financial Freedom, author Brian Foley, MD, MBA, shares his journey from poverty to financial freedom through a career in medicine and investing. With over 30 years of experience, Foley is known as Wealthy Doc and runs a successful blog at Wealthydoc.org.

In his book, Foley outlines a step-by-step approach to help readers achieve financial independence. He begins with the importance of having a dream and making a financial plan, then covers topics such as managing debt, mastering emotions and money, maximizing income, investing, and real estate. The book also includes tips on how to protect your wealth, avoid taxes, and retire comfortably.”

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Raising Money-Smart Grandkids:
A Guide for Grandparents: Unlock the Power of Financial Wisdom For Your Grandchildren

Lastly, up for the taking is Paul Vasey’s latest book! Which the title says it all, but for good measure here’s a snippet from Amazon:

“From investing and building wealth to cultivating a spirit of philanthropy, this book covers a wide range of topics aimed at creating financially responsible individuals.

Ultimately, “Raising Money Smart Grandkids: A Guide for Grandparents” enables grandparents to leave a lasting legacy of financial wisdom and empowerment. By taking an active role in their grandchildren’s financial education, grandparents can help shape a generation of individuals who are confident, knowledgeable, and equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern financial landscape.

What sets this guide apart is its emphasis on intergenerational learning and the role of grandparents as money mentors.”

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Interested in any???

Let me know which one(s) in the comments below (or via email if you’re reading this in my newsletter), and you’ll be automatically entered to win. You can enter for as many as you like, and we’ll choose the winners at the end of the weekend.

Good luck!!

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” And there’s a ton of knowledge up in here!

*All links to Amazon are affiliate links

*** GIVEAWAY NOW OVER ***

Congrats to the following winners!

• Gonzo Capitalism: Mark Emrick
• How to Get Rich: Jacki
• Your Future Self: Whimsy
• Kiss Your Money Hello!: Cathie 
• Financial Fives: Niccole Hyatt
• Wealthy Doc’s Guide to Freedom: Tammy Hardin
• Raising $$$-Smart Grandkids: Dale

[This post, Take these books off my shelf!, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Got this note recently, and it reminded me what a difference adding a little color to things can make ;)

Hi Jay,

I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the free template that I found on YouTube.

I think this will get me to value money a lot more and I really like how you used “sexy income” because I think it’s a great mindset shift to make when valuing money and finance.

Thanks again. I’m really looking forward to using this everyday! I think I might add-on a daily log of my expenses and also even enter notes as to why I decided to take on that expense.

Take care.

David

Love it!

And as you can see from the snapshot up top the spreadsheet is nothing fancy, but boy – look at all that color!! Literally and figuratively! Lol..

I remember seeing a similar one 15 years ago before I even started this blog and wow did it make all the difference in the world to me. Again, not because it was set up differently or better or anything, but just because it was so bold and happy and *inspiring* looking! It taught me you don’t always have to stick with the tried and true (and boring!) with this stuff. It’s fine and it’ll work, but you’ll have a MUCH better chance sticking with it if you have some fun along the way :)

And how cool this guy wants to take it a step further and add in expense logs* to it?! It’s all about adapting it to your own needs for better motivation… In fact, this entire spreadsheet was built out of that same one I found all those years ago, just tweaked more to my liking with the colorful words and addition of a built-in net worth tracker! Which was the element that REALLY kept me going year after year, until I eventually just focused on that part only and got rid of my budget altogether

At any rate, you can check out this spreadsheet, and download it (for free), below if you’re looking for a new one… I always recommend *manually* tracking your finances for at least 3 months until you get a good sense of it all before moving to more automation:

J’s Financial Snapshot Spreadsheet

And be sure to tweak it away! There are no rules with this stuff – it’s your world, baby!! Do what you need to do to stay motivated

*The expense logging reminded me of another idea: adding notes to your net worth timeline! Here’s what mine looked like back in April of 2019 – it’s an interesting exercise to go down :)

And here some other juicy extras you can track in your spreadsheet as well:

• Your FI date
• Your credit score
• Your Debt-to-income ratio
• Your Lifetime Wealth Ratio (Net Worth ÷ Total Lifetime Income Earned!)
• Net Worth forecasts
• And my personal favorite –> the years left until your expected death ;)

Happy tracking!!

[This post, Sexy income., was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]