Over the last week, I had a chance to sit down and read Millennial Money Makeover by Conor Richardson. Because I ended up getting so much value out of this book, I wanted to share my thoughts on it with you all!
So, I’ll jump right in. Here are a few things I loved about Millennial Money Makeover:
Millennial Money Makeover tackles a variety of financial obstacles and teaches you how to handle every single one.
This book addresses the full, financial spectrum, from getting you out of debt and budgeting to helping you build your savings and learn to invest. This book tackles:
- Paying off your debt (like credit card debt or student loans)
- How to budget
- Building an emergency fund (and how big it should be)
- How to buy big-ticket items like an engagement ring, a car or a home
- Saving beyond your emergency fund
- Investing to build wealth and retire
- Automating your finances
And much, much more.
Millennial Money Makeover makes you think hard about your financial decisions.
One thing I really liked about this book are the facts within it that really make you think about your financial decisions. For example, when discussing buying engagement rings, this book notes the cultural maxim that one should spend two to three months of salary on an engagement ring. What does Conor think of that, though? He says that’s just too much and notes interesting research from Andrew Francis and Hugo Mialon of Emory University who found that “the more you spend on the engagement ring, the more likely you are to have your marriage end in divorce” – wow. Likewise, when discussing wedding costs, this book notes that “According to TheKnot.com, in 2015 the average wedding cost $32,641.” I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a lot of money to me. No matter how you feel about these facts or findings, I’m sure they made you think a little bit. And that’s what I love about this book; it certainly has the ability to challenge your perspective and make you think a little harder about your financial decisions.
Conor Richardson truly cares about helping you with your finances.
As I read new books, I tend to write notes in the margins, and one of the notes I wrote in the margins of Millennial Money Makeover was “I feel like a friend is trying to help me” – and that’s exactly what it felt like reading this book. I felt like I was being guided by a knowledgeable, caring friend or mentor, who truly believed that I’m more than capable of improving my finances. Conor’s passion for personal finance and his desire to help you achieve financial success is evident throughout this book.
This book is jam-packed with truth-bombs that’ll inspire you to take your finances seriously.
There is no shortage of honest, practical advice in Millennial Money Makeover. Here are a few pieces of this book that I loved and made note of, but really, this book is riddled with gems like these:
- Realize that paying off your student loans quickly is a temporary discomfort for a lifetime of knowledge.
- When you realize that being in debt sucks, a lack of savings breeds anxiety, and that your future is purely in your hands, action is required.
- Once you cross the debt-free line, you will remember your life in two parts: before being in debt and after. After is better.
Summary
When it comes down to the question, “So, do you recommend this book?” My answer is yes, absolutely. I really enjoyed it, learned a TON, and ended up reading it in just about 3 days! I think this book is perfect for you whether you are just starting to understand your finances, or if you’ve been working on your finances for quite some time now – it really has something for everyone.
If you’re interested in reading this book too, you can find it on Amazon at this link: Millennial Money Makeover on Amazon.
Reading it would make a nice quarantine activity, too! ?
If you end up reading it, please tell me how you liked it – I would love to know what you think!
If you want to learn more about the author of Millennial Money Makeover, Conor Richardson, you can visit his website at http://conorrichardson360.com/ or follow him on Instagram at @ConorRichardson360.
