How To Get Your Financial Life Together (+ Giveaway!)

How To Get Your Financial Life Together (+ Giveaway!)

If you’re reading this blog, there’s probably at least one aspect of your financial life where the phrase “get your financial life together” still very much applies. (Hi, it does for me too, so we’re all in this together.)

But actually doing the things, and taking the first step, can feel hella overwhelming when the media’s all “THE STOCK MARKET!” and your parents (and me) are all “But saving for retirement though,” and something about credit scores was in there too?

That’s where Broke Millennial comes in to save the day with the choose-your-own-adventure guide to money we’ve all been waiting for.

Who – or what – is Broke Millennial?

Broke Millennial is an epic blog founded by Erin Lowry, a millennial personal finance expert who earned (some of) her street cred by making it in NYC while working as a page on late-night TV, and supplementing her income with babysitting and barista-ing.

Yeah. I know. Side hustle game strong.

Since then, she’s turned a “useless” degree into an epic career helping other millennials manage their money, and as of yesterday, she’s an official published author!

I mean OK, she was before yesterday, but her book is now available on Amazon, and I’m literally holding it in my hand as we speak!

And I’m planning on giving my copy away, because I already ordered a second one.

Why you 100% want this book

So the challenge I find with a lot of books is that you need to do Chapter X before you start Chapter Y.

Like, you need to learn how to get a mortgage, before you can pay off your mortgage. Or you need to start saving for retirement before you can learn how to invest that money.

It makes cracking open the spine on Chapter One of a Learning Experience feel like a big commitment, to be honest. And this is coming from a self-professed book lover! (Sometimes, you just want to read ten pages and be better off for it, yaknow?)

But when you start Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together, you only have three chapters to go before you get to fixing the issues you actually have with money – and Erin even encourages you to pop around to the chapters that are relevant to you.

Plus, those first three chapters, in order, are named…

• Money Isn’t The Worst! Seriously.
• Is Money a Tinder Date or Marriage Material?
• Do You Have a Gold Star in Personal Finance?

Yeah, I’m so here for this.

So… do I have a gold star in personal finance? (God I hope so, this is going to be so awkward if I don’t.)

My personal money choose-your-own-adventure

When you get to the gold-star chapter, Erin walks you through an assessment of where you’re actually at in terms of your money. The options, if you’re curious, include…

• You’re Living in Your Parents’ Basement Forever
• You Get a Participation Trophy, But There’s Still Work to Do
• You Get a Financial Gold Star!
• You Went Viral

If you’re more Parents-Basement, you’ll identify with her self-assessment statements like “You don’t have a savings account” and “You keep quitting full time jobs because they aren’t fulfilling.”

As you read through, when you find a category that accurately describes your situation, Erin will suggest which chapters of the book you should start with to… you know… get your financial life together.

When I read through, I breathed an admittedly giant sigh of relief that I checked off most of the boxes in the “You Went Viral” category, but Erin still has chapter suggestions for me.

What’s next on my money to-do list?

Even though I’m saving aggressively and do net worth updates every month, I’ve still got room to up my financial game.

Specifically, for people in the “You Went Viral” camp, Erin suggests things like considering whether it’s time to see a financial planner (give me like a year, Sandi Martin, and I’m all yours) and getting financially naked with your partner.

She’s got chapters to handle those two things, along with negotiating a higher salary and buying a home too.

And if you do end up more in the “Parents’ Basement” category, she recommends you start with the basics – like getting rid of your debt, and getting a handle on your budget. Both of which yes, also have specific chapters to help you do them!

Bottom line: you want this book

There aren’t many books that are well-written, accessible, and don’t require a full-on commitment to learn everything, all at once. But Broke Millennial hits all of those marks, and is fun af to boot.

Whether you’re a newbie personal finance-er, or a dyed-in-the-wool money nerd, you will love this book. And I’m giving away my copy, fo’ free!

Update: the giveaway ended!

I’ve got an email out to the winner, and unless they’re not cool giving their address to some sketchy lady on the internet, it’s spoken for! Thank you to everyone who entered, and I hope you guys all tackle your finances like the champions you are.

And remember: you can still buy your very own copy of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together on Amazon now!

Desirae is on a mission to demystify and un-boring financial info for millennials, so that we can all save more money, spend on stuff that matters to us, and still have a latte or two along the way. Money is literally why we can have nice things, and Desirae is committed to helping make sure you know just enough to make the right calls for you. (She’s also committed to her expensive dog, her side hustle, and her retirement fund.)

Original article and pictures take www.halfbanked.com site