All the Money in the World: What the Happiest People Know About Getting and Spending

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All the Money in the World: What the Happiest People Know About Getting and Spending

by Laura Vanderkam (Goodreads Author)

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 · rating details · 200 ratings · 64 reviews

How happy would you be if you had all the money in the world? The universal lament about money is that there is never enough. We spend endless hours obsessing over our budgets and investments, trying to figure out ways to stretch every dollar. We try to follow the advice of money gurus and financial planners, then kick ourselves whenever we spend too much or save too littl...more How happy would you be if you had all the money in the world? The universal lament about money is that there is never enough. We spend endless hours obsessing over our budgets and investments, trying to figure out ways to stretch every dollar. We try to follow the advice of money gurus and financial planners, then kick ourselves whenever we spend too much or save too little. For all of the stress and effort we put into every choice, why are most of us unhappy about our finances?

According to Laura Vanderkam, the key is to change your perspective. Instead of looking at money as a scarce resource, consider it a tool that you can use creatively to build a better life for yourself and the people you care about.
For instance, the average couple spends $5,000 on engagement and wedding rings, making these pricey purchases largely because everyone else does. But what if you decided to spend $300 on rings and apply the rest to future date nights, weekend getaways, and thinking-of-you bouquets over the next ten years? In he long run, what would bring more joy to your marriage? Likewise, will owning a home with a pristine lawn and a two-car garage—the American Dream—really make you more satisfied? Or are you saving up for this investment just because financial planners tell you it’s worth it?
Vanderkam shows how each of us can figure out better ways to use what we have to build the lives we want. Drawing on the latest happiness research as well as the stories of dozens of real people, Vanderkam offers a contrarian approach that forces us to examine our own beliefs, goals, and values.
Among her advice:
Laugh at the Joneses: It’s human nature to compare yourself to those around you, but you can create lifestyle hat rings you personal satisfaction without copying your neighbors.

Give yourself the best weekend ever: Studies show that experiences often bring more pleasure than material goods. With a little planning and creativity, you can give yourself a memorable getaway without leaving town or going broke.

Embrace the selfish joy of giving: Giving back not only helps you build karma, it also helps you build a community—which is much more fulfilling than a tax deduction. All the Money in the World is a practical and inspiring guide that shows how money can buy happiness—if we spend it wisely.(less)

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published March 1st 2012 by Portfolio Hardcover

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Oct 08, 2012 Sterlingcindysu rated it 3 of 5 stars

A 3-star rating here doesn't mean it was average. It means it zig-zagged between good writing and research to some pretty wacky ideas. If the point of the book is to make you really think about how you spend your money, then it's 5 stars. If you *really* want a latte, can swallow the calories, support a local business, not running late to work, can enjoy it, then go right on and have it. But then Vanderkam states how a person can get used to luxuries and they don't mean anything, so what's up?

I...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Ciara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, self_help_y

i really enjoy reading books about money, & i was enjoying this book, despite its occasional wackadoo suggestions, right up until the end. but in the very last chapter, she writes about phil cooley, who owns slows BBQ in detroit. she casts him as someone who is making all the right financial decisions & turning them into community dividends, running a successful restaurant in a depressed urban area & using the profits to buy up abandoned buildings & transform them into artist's l...more i really enjoy reading books about money, & i was enjoying this book, despite its occasional wackadoo suggestions, right up until the end. but in the very last chapter, she writes about phil cooley, who owns slows BBQ in detroit. she casts him as someone who is making all the right financial decisions & turning them into community dividends, running a successful restaurant in a depressed urban area & using the profits to buy up abandoned buildings & transform them into artist's lofts.

seriously, just read that sentence again & ask yourself some hard questions about whether the answer to massive state disvestment, race-based economic discrimination, & complete industrial collapse is really ARTIST'S LOFTS. come the FUCK on. all artist's lofts will do is spur a little bit of gentrification, which is probably really great for cooley's restaurant, but not exactly the recipe for saving detroit. & let's not pretend: cooley DOES think that somehow his mix of chicken wings & art colonies is going to save detroit. & vanderkam bought right into his little narrative.

in retrospect, it's not surprising, because there are many things about this book that are slightly bananas. vanderkam has a very off-the-beaten-track attitude toward finances. her primary recommendation for a person who is having trouble making ends meet isn't "cut back on your spending" or "find some ways to save on what you need". instead she suggests "making more money". as if it's that easy? she's a freelance writer, & while most freelancers will tell you it's not exactly the easiest gig in the world & you have to hustle a lot just to get a single assignment, especially when you're just starting out & have no relationships with editors or name recognition, vanderkam has a couple of published books under her belt & probably has an easier time than most adding a few extra assignments to her monthly tally. what about people that work fixed income jobs? what about people struggling to find work at all? vanderkam makes some insightful points about how the time spent clipping coupons & driving to a different grocery store on the other side of town might save a few dollars here & there, but could potentially be better spent in some money-making endeavor. she just seems very naive about a person's actual access to said money-making endeavors.

she also goes on & on & ON about how most personal finance literature focuses too much on helping a person save for retirement. they encourage people to take money that they are making now & sock it away somewhere inaccessible so they will be able to live idly once they are old. vanderkam's argument is that everyone should find a job that they love & just do it until they die, no retirement necessary. which is all well & good for a freelance writer (who apparently can't imagine that she might someday get sick & lose some of the faculties that are necessary to sustaining her career). but what about, say, a firefighter? someone with a very physically demanding job that they simply are not going to perform when they are 73 years old? even someone like my partner, who loves his work as a historian & hopes to become a professor, which is certainly a job that someone can keep well into their twilight years, thanks in no small part to the perks of tenure, acknowledges the economic realities that oldsters eventually have to leave the job market to create space for young people to contribute to & benefit from the economy. it's not that people want to retire because they hate their jobs & are toiling away for fifty years in misery. it's that people recognize that their health isn't going to last forever, & most people do have other interests in life outside of what they do for money, even if they absolutely love what they do for money. it's also worth remembering that the people that are generally in the best financial position to retire are the people who enjoy their jobs the most. someone who slings burgers at mcdonald's most likely won't report much job satisfaction, but will also have a harder time cobbling together the savings to retire.

if you take some of vanderkam's bizarre financial arguments to their ultimate logical conclusions, it all becomes something of a randian dystopian nightmare. like, can't pay both your mortgage & your electric bill? clearly you're just not trying hard enough to make money! want to retire one day so that you can travel & see your grandchildren & maybe the pyramids? well, REAL economic contributers work until they're DEAD, mr. lazybones! have a health issue that prevents you from entering the traditional workforce? no one understands why you're such an enormous waste of carbon.

vanderkam's writing is certainly lively & entertaining, but also, you know, crazy.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Eustacia Tan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Most people I know have some form of problem with money. If you're a student, you probably don't have enough of it. This book doesn't sound like there's much of a link to Japan, but read on and I'll try to explain my thoughts.

The book isn't meant to be a directional book, in fact, the author says that the book is meant to be taken as a series of essays, rather than a "do this and your life will be easier" book. And in this book, I found one line that I had to share.

"More important, though, by f...more Most people I know have some form of problem with money. If you're a student, you probably don't have enough of it. This book doesn't sound like there's much of a link to Japan, but read on and I'll try to explain my thoughts.

The book isn't meant to be a directional book, in fact, the author says that the book is meant to be taken as a series of essays, rather than a "do this and your life will be easier" book. And in this book, I found one line that I had to share.

"More important, though, by figuring out what matters to you, you can start to figure out ways you might be able to use money in a satisfying fashion."

You see, being a poor struggling student in Japan (it's a category that almost all my friends in JLC fall under), money problems are a really big issue. I'm lucky because so far, I haven't run out of money by the end of the month, but I defintely feel stress over the need to manage my monthly expenses and save money. Right now, what I'm doing is that I bought a little expense book to record all my expenses.

One interesting thing part of this excercise is that I realised that my book buying habits were not as bad as I had imagined. It's fairly constant, and doesn't reach 10% of my monthly spending (it's more like 6%). While this doesn't give me the liscense to start buying books everytime I step into a bookstore, it does mean I can feel less guilty whenever I buy a book.

In addition, I realised that if I have to cut down on expenses, the easiest and completely non-painful way is to resist buying clothes. My clothing expenses are the most variable part of my budget (the lowest is 0% because I was on a no-clothing diet and the highest is close to 20%) and you know what? I don't get as much utility/happiness out of clothes than I do from books. What this suggests is that if I buy less clothes, I can buy more books and overall, feel happier.

Like the book says:
"Money spend on one thing is money not spent on something else, and these choices have consequences for our happiness and the happiness of those we vow to love."

The book is divided roughly into three parts (There's a fourth, but it's more like an epilogue): Getting, Spending and Sharing. In the three parts and nine chapters, the book explores a variety of topics that made me think about how I'm using my monthly allowance in a new way. I can't try to earn more (school regulations for the year), but I can change the way I spend money and how I feel after I spend it. And that, I think, is a good start.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review

First posted at With Love from Japan, Eustacia (less)

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May 15, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love the premise of this book, but Vanderkam does not stick with it. The first three chapters she goes into the research of happiness and money, but then after those chapters the book takes tangents and she does not pull them together. I also did not agree with her on quite a few points..such as not everyone needs to be a 1099 employee. It can be more flexible, but there are downsides as well such as healthcare, accounting and taxes and other legal issues. She exemplifies the contracting lifes...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Maryellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

All The Money In The World is predicated on the idea that, if you had all the money in the world, how would your life change, and how would that money buy you happiness? Vanderkam wants you to consider both the dream purchases and the practical, everyday impacts that money would create...and then find the ways to start building that life here and now, with the money you currently have. In a similar vein to 168 Hours Vanderkam illustrates the control we have on our finances-- that how we spend ou...more All The Money In The World is predicated on the idea that, if you had all the money in the world, how would your life change, and how would that money buy you happiness? Vanderkam wants you to consider both the dream purchases and the practical, everyday impacts that money would create...and then find the ways to start building that life here and now, with the money you currently have. In a similar vein to 168 Hours Vanderkam illustrates the control we have on our finances-- that how we spend our money is choice, that one dollar spent on something is one dollar not spent on something else. This mindset enables one to think more carefully about where their money is going, and if it is being used to build a happy life. Vanderkam starts almost immediately with reframing the idea that money can buy happiness....if you make smart, personal choices with it.

While Vanderkam avows that she is not a financial guru, her book still gives practical, sensible and usable advice on how we get, spend, share and feel about money. She encourages people to play "offense and not defense" with their money-- thinking how you can make more, rather than how you can scrimp to cut spending. "The Joneses" become a target-- as Vanderkam forces us to question whether the stereotypical major purchases of modern life really bring us happiness, or are we just buying what we think we should be buying, because society encourages us to have big houses, shiny new cars and overflowing closets. I am someone who has always focused on the allocation of money-- from as young as I can remember, when I used to sort my babysitting money in envelopes for spending and saving. I've always also attached a lot of guilt to money, being hypersensitive on every dime I spent, always worried if it was a necessary purchase, or if I could have gotten it for less. This work has reframed my thinking of my finances, and given me the freedom to believe that, if this money is buying me happiness and helping to build the life and world I want to live in, then it is money well spent.

I argue that both this and her earlier book, 168 Hours, are companion works. Both are built on the same foundation: we don't think we have enough time, we don't think we have enough money, but if we analyze and rethink some aspects of our lives, we will find that we do. I also found that they echoed each other in many places. You can buy time with money, and time well spent can earn you more money. I am so thankful that I've read both of these works. I feel like I am smarter and more sensible as a result, but more importantly, happier.(less)

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Oct 12, 2012 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 10-october, finished-2012

Great premise. Maybe someone less completely oblivious will write a useful book on the subject one day.

Here's the premise:

1. Become mindful of what you're doing with your money (and of what you can't do because of other choices you're making)

2. Question your assumptions about spending, saving and earning

3. Determine what you (not society, your peers, expert marketers or your mother) value--what's brought you happiness, what's brought you regret or stress? What do the decision you've made say ab...more

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May 31, 2012 Mo Tipton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biz-money-econ

I found this book at the library, and in skimming the first chapter I came across a passage that framed the cost of the average engagement ring (somewhere in the ballpark of $5,200) in terms of what else that money could buy in the same vein, such as Friday date nights for an entire year, including dinner, entertainment and a babysitter, etc., and which choice would have a greater impact on the spender's happiness. That had me hooked. I love reading books that enable me to shift my perspective o...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Anne Bogel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Vanderkam's take on money in this book. Her style will be familiar to anyone who read her earlier work 168 Hours--Vanderkam herself describes All The Money as "168 Hours, but about money instead of time."

Personally, I like Vanderkam's style, but I can see how not everyone would. I found myself constantly thinking of A Framework For Understanding Poverty as I read, trying to place Vanderkam's worldview within the categories of lower, middle and upper class. Vanderkam is solidly upper-m...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Thomas Holbrook rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ms. Vanderkam’s intentions for writing this book are made clear early, “If money can’t buy happiness, perhaps we’re not spending it right” (p.10). There are three ways to become “rich”: obtain more wealth, use less of the wealth one has or be satisfied with the amount one already possesses. This well done, clearly presented tome is not about money/wealth management, investing nor is it an instruction book on “how to get rich” in the manner that phrase is generally understood. It is, rather, a d...more Ms. Vanderkam’s intentions for writing this book are made clear early, “If money can’t buy happiness, perhaps we’re not spending it right” (p.10). There are three ways to become “rich”: obtain more wealth, use less of the wealth one has or be satisfied with the amount one already possesses. This well done, clearly presented tome is not about money/wealth management, investing nor is it an instruction book on “how to get rich” in the manner that phrase is generally understood. It is, rather, a discourse on how wealth can bring more happiness regardless of the amount of money (or wealth) in one’s “pocket.”
The suggestions Ms. Vanderkam makes are along the lines of asking the reader to consider how they approach, use and think about wealth. As “wealth” is measured in much broader terms than a particular monetary unit, the answers quickly begin to shift one’s perspective both of their wealth and the meaning of that wealth. When one understands wealth in the limited terms of numbers (bank accounts, houses, cars, etc.) then one seeks to add pleasure by adding “things.” When one asks, “what makes me happiest?” or “what brings me the most pleasure?” the answers rarely take the form of “numbers.” Often, it does take money to fill the list discovered by the questions (proving the truth of the proverb, “Money is only important when you DON’T have it.”) but it does not take as much capital as one fools himself into believing it requires,
The research the author presents consistently shows two foundations for “being happy” as they relate to wealth: 1) experiences last longer and bring more pleasure than possessions and 2) the pleasure found in giving lasts as long as the memory of the gift and is not dependent upon the particular gift. She repeatedly insists that money does not equal happiness – it is but a means to the end of “happiness.” “Finding” the money to have such experiences, give such gifts or obtain increased “numbers” is a vital part of her argument and a major focus of this work.
The book does not present itself to have a faith-based or religious basis but it does contain several Biblical references relating to wealth and happiness. Ms. Vanderkam’s research indicates that supporting local businesses does more for the local economy so strongly that the reader will be tempted to boycott all Big Box stores, if only for a day, and buy “local.” With like vigor, the reader’s will begin to accept, at least those who can afford to buy this book (whether they do so or not), that they are among the wealthiest people in human history, irrespective of the size of their bank account, stock portfolio or wardrobe.
This book will be the next addition to “The Marital Reading List” I give to couples wanting to marry or wishing to strengthen their union. Routinely reassessing one’s view of money/wealth is important; discussing the subject of wealth in a committed relationship is a non-negotiable if the couples wish to afford the happiness they desire. The book can help start that chat.
(less)

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Jan 29, 2012 Birgit rated it 3 of 5 stars

What would you do if you had all the money in the world - not literally, but all you wanted - what would you change about your life? Laura Vanderkam is contemplating getting, spending, and sharing money in her book All The Money In The World - the main premise being that you can buy happiness!
Sharing her own experiences and those of people who one day decided they'd rather spend their money on this instead of that, the book will not advise you on how to safe money, but instead encourage you to r...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-book-list

Vanderkam has hit it out of the park with "All the Money in the World" - or at least it rang true for me. Rather than turning the focus on what percentage of our income should be spent in a certain way, or clipping more coupons to buy stuff you don't need or use, she focus's her attention on how using our money wisely might include splurging on areas that others might find, well - odd. Vanderkam points out that while someone might save $30 by using coupons, it's quite possible that their time mi...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Sandy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: src-summer2012-read, read-in-2012, retirement-and-investments

The book wasn't bad - I like the idea of spending your money in the way that makes YOU happy, rather than the way that "they" think you should spend your money.

The problem is that after setting this as the basic premise, the author then appeared to take the position that you should spend your money in the way that makes HER happy. For instance, you shouldn't buy expensive cars, because that won't make you happy, but instead save the money for lots of flowers and lattes from Starbucks. Well, I'm...more

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May 14, 2012 Shelley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall I enjoyed this book, as it offered thought-provoking exercises and stories on earning and spending. However, I felt that there was a little too much emphasis on freelance work without giving enough credit to the benefits that full-time employees enjoy such as health insurance, 401k matching, bonuses, etc. as compared to the downsides of self-employment. Although the author didn't specifically say, I suspect that some of the downsides of self-employment don't apply to her due to her husba...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Cameronse rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really like vanderkam & her perspective. There were several ideas here which are not found in all personal finance books - think about the value of your time, cut big expenses (housing, cars) rather than small pleasures, and spend money in accordance with your values by investing in your local community. I appreciated the books focus on mindfulness & getting away from "stuff".

While the book was generally well researched, vanderkam spent a lot of time on personal anecdotes which I felt...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Cynthia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. Sure, she may have given some illustrations that didn't apply to my specific situation, but I'm grown-up enough to be able to take the best and apply them to my own life. The reviews made me laugh because they're all over the board. But when I thought about it, it made me think of something she said in the book: "It is certainly possible to find tales of wealthy people who are miserable and think their lives are a total waste, but in a world of 7 billion people it is possible...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Kylie rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a ho-hum book for me for the most part although I basically agree with much of what she's saying. It's a book about spending your money from the point of view of a privileged woman whose Princeton education was paid for by her family and who has a job she loves. She finds her answers to questions by querying people on her blogs. Her basic point is to question your assumptions about what you need, and how you spend your money and to spend money in ways that will make you happy, not ways...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Ed Vazquez added it

The book was a refreshing look at money and its uses. Rather than give an editorial on finances, Mrs. Vanderkam made a great argument towards the uses of money and how an individual can make the dollar stretch further, not by minding and saving every penny but by reorganizing one's thoughts on how money can be better spent. To make everlasting impressions on one's own life, and with those that are in this person's life. Excellent book, a must read to show that money doesn't have to control you,...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Deidre rated it 4 of 5 stars

A well-written consideration of the nature of money. Vanderkam addresses common ideas about money, shares a few of her own financial foibles, and interviews a host of experts. Not all of the money we spend can/should bring us joy but thinking about the ways we spend our money and how we can allocate more wisely makes good sense. This isn't a smart money book, it's a joy money book and there's a certain relief and pleasure in that after reading many books about saving. There's nothing particularl...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Ayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have been reading a lot of books about personal finance and consumerism, as I work to pay off all of my debt this year and also get a deeper understanding of how we think about money and why we do what we do with it. This book was different but in a really refreshing way. Laura Vanderkam does not focus on debt or how to pay it off but rather, she has you think about what is most important in your life and how to prioritize to make sure that is what you're focusing on - both with your money and...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Beckey rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book has some weird ideas that for this reader kept me thinking to myself WTH…
But in another hand it had some up points too.
The book was interesting and informative to a point as long as the author quite straying from the flock so to speak from ideas and idioms.
Here's a list the ideas that book basically has in it:
Become aware of what you're doing with your money
Question yourself about spending, saving and earning
Determine what you are spending on and why you are doing it
Make financial...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Donovan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: finances, nonfiction, self-help

First, let me admit that I didn't finish the book. It started to get repetitive and boring in the center, so I made it half way through and skimmed the rest of the chapters. That said, I did take away some great tips and loved some pieces. I would recommend it for some good tips and I think the author is original in how she thinks about money and happiness.

That said, similar to "The 4-Hour Workweek", I found her tone at times to be a little too much about how to be happy HERSELF and less about o...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Katie/Doing Dewey rated it 5 of 5 stars

All the Money in the World is a thoughtful series of essays on earning and using money to maximize your happiness. It’s full of interesting thought experiments, facts, and questions that will make you think about money in ways you never have before. The writing is great, reminding me of Malcolm Gladwell’s many books or Mirroring People, and definitely meeting my criteria that it be clear and concise. Although the chapters could be read as stand-alone essays, the interesting topic kept me reading...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contentment, economics, how-to, non-fiction, social-sciences

I liked everything about this book except for part of chapter 8 (on different forms of philanthropic giving). She touts microphilanthropy but seems to understate some of the pitfall-y-ness of that method of giving. Though, to be fair, I'm a fan of only donating to causes you're familiar with (and ideally involved with on some level).

The whole book talks about how to use money effectively in order to maximize happiness, in regards to earning, saving, and donating. It is definitely NOT a personal...more I liked everything about this book except for part of chapter 8 (on different forms of philanthropic giving). She touts microphilanthropy but seems to understate some of the pitfall-y-ness of that method of giving. Though, to be fair, I'm a fan of only donating to causes you're familiar with (and ideally involved with on some level).

The whole book talks about how to use money effectively in order to maximize happiness, in regards to earning, saving, and donating. It is definitely NOT a personal finance book but it is an applied social economics book. So yay.

The first part of the book talks about earning money, and she's a believer in the idea that it's easier to earn more by doing things that you love (and getting paid for them) than it is to save a few bucks here and there by depriving yourself of small pleasures. She also asserts that the idea of retiring at 65 and living out your days in a life of leisure is passe and totally unrealistic in today's economy.

Then she talks about spending, and that deliberateness in spending can lead to more happiness than just doing whatever everyone else does or what you think you're expected to do in our society. She talks about things like home size or maintaining a yard or two cars and delivers anecdotes of people who buck the trends with those things. Then there's a discussion about how experiences make people happier than things, and how you can have a great and memorable weekend for a relatively small amount of money but will give you more happiness than a trip to the Caribbean (with all the associated hassles and such).
She discusses the marginal utility of children, and how subsequent children in families tend to be less expensive than the first ones. And how people are happy doing things like gardening and farming for their own sake, not because they actually save money.

Mentions hedonic treadmill, that as you add luxuries to your life you become accustomed to them (for her it was the lowly Ziploc bag) and that you can remain happier by avoiding those luxuries as daily things.(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Christian Allen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Not a particularly profound book...much of the author's conclusions and insights could probably be reached on your own with just a bit of thought. "Don't scrimp more, earn more...." I mean, really? Has that somehow not yet crossed your mind?

Seemed to be the inner ramblings of a suburban mom writing a blog, indeed, most of her polls and surveys were answered by her blog readers. Mentions a lot of headscratching, but not much data or interesting studies.

It's general information stretched out, flu...more

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May 05, 2012 Housewifespice rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, I had to go out and buy it. I NEVER buy books. It was that good. Vanderkam's writing style is very similar to Malcolm Gladwell's. I think this is a great companion book to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. If you have your financial house in order, this book helps you focus on how wealth can inspire and support happiness and goodwill. Vanderkam often refers to her previous book 168 Hours, about time, which I want to read next.

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May 28, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this in a couple days because the author is just very engaging. She really gets you to think about money in a different way. All couples in the early stages of planning a wedding (preferabley even pre-engagement ring shopping) should read Chapter 1. If you're getting ready to purchase a new house, read Chapter 4. Chapter 8 is great for those who want to make a difference in the world, but don't know where to start.

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Jan 16, 2013 Justine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Happiness wisdom seems to abound these days and Vanderkam illustrated how our money choices influence our own happiness. While it wasn't the best crafted book and I wouldn't necessarily agree with all of her suggestions, I did learn that the cost of having more kids is actually negligible. In my day to day life, I find myself asking if the money I'm spending on X could be spent on something more enjoyable or that would bring me more of an experience.

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Jun 17, 2012 Triscia Smallman rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a fast read full of great ideas to get the most happiness from one's resources. I appreciate the author's real-life ideas and suggestions, even if some seemed out of my league. My husband and I have completely changed the way we budget and spend our money and a few months later are pleased with the results. I will read it again to gain new ideas. I only wish I had this advice years ago.

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Mar 13, 2012 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

A really thoughtful book about what you are and aren't doing with your "extra" money. Love the riff about how giving up your lovely morning coffee will only save you $600 and won't actually help you buy a house. Insightful questions; read it with the person you share your money (and your life) with. Looking forward to reading her other books about time and health.

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Jun 25, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adviceandhelp, nonfiction

Interesting read, though Vanderkam is definitely entrenched in a money-centric society -- something I probably wouldn't have noticed had I not read this article the day before, about a man who's lived without money for more than a decade.

I ran out of time to do the exercises in the back of the book, so I can't speak to those.

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