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My Money My Way: Taking Back Control of Your Financial Life
The self-made budgeting expert who has helped millions of women transform their relationship with money reveals her secret to guilt-free living and financial fulfillment.
We all want to get in control of our money, but what happens when we don't feel like we're good enough?
In My Money My Way, financial counselor and creator of The Budget Mom Kumiko Love inspires and equips you to end the cycle of self-doubt and make confident money decisions. Previous budgeting methods haven't worked because they weren't designed by you or for you. Love's original strategies will help you define your goals and achieve them on your own terms. You will learn foundational practices such as:
- How to harness your emotions to make authentic money decisions, instead of letting your emotions control you
- How to create a budget based on what you need to spend, not what you think you should be spending
- How to create a motivating debt pay-off plan that fits your life, not a plan that's too strict to succeed
Love knows this better than anyone because she's lived it. Only a few years ago, she struggled to pay her $77,000 dollar debts down while making $24,000 per year as a single mom. Every financial plan she tried failed, so she made one that prioritized her family and her sanity. Today, she's living debt-free in her dream home, which she paid for in cash, and spends stress-free time with her son every day.
Love has motivated millions of women to get in control of their financial futures. Her revolutionary yet practical and accessible approach will unlock the secrets of financial fulfillment so you never have to sweat living your best life ever again.
We all want to get in control of our money, but what happens when we don't feel like we're good enough?
In My Money My Way, financial counselor and creator of The Budget Mom Kumiko Love inspires and equips you to end the cycle of self-doubt and make confident money decisions. Previous budgeting methods haven't worked because they weren't designed by you or for you. Love's original strategies will help you define your goals and achieve them on your own terms. You will learn foundational practices such as:
- How to harness your emotions to make authentic money decisions, instead of letting your emotions control you
- How to create a budget based on what you need to spend, not what you think you should be spending
- How to create a motivating debt pay-off plan that fits your life, not a plan that's too strict to succeed
Love knows this better than anyone because she's lived it. Only a few years ago, she struggled to pay her $77,000 dollar debts down while making $24,000 per year as a single mom. Every financial plan she tried failed, so she made one that prioritized her family and her sanity. Today, she's living debt-free in her dream home, which she paid for in cash, and spends stress-free time with her son every day.
Love has motivated millions of women to get in control of their financial futures. Her revolutionary yet practical and accessible approach will unlock the secrets of financial fulfillment so you never have to sweat living your best life ever again.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2022
501 people are currently reading
3985 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
January 14, 2022
Seven months ago I was terrified to file for divorce from my ex-husband. Even though we had been split up, our finances were still together. I found the budget mom in July of last year and fully dived into all her methods. I filed for divorce two months later. I have been able to fully separate our finances, pay off debt and save money using her methods. When I saw The Budget Mon was launching a book, I knew I had to have it. I had the privilege of reading her book early. This book tied everything together for me. I can clearly define my financial goals, my true why and I’m set to be credit card debt free over the next few months all thanks to what I’ve learned.
February 26, 2022
Most finance books are written for the male audience or set up unrealistic expectations for balancing priorities and financial sacrifices. I have been following the budget mom for years and have had success using her methods in saving for our wedding, purchasing a dog, and creating an emergency fund. I enjoyed this book because it emphasized the power
Women have over their financial future and how they can contribute to financial goals for the household. As a teacher, the methods presented here make so much sense! Definitely a must read for all ladies serious about getting a grip on their financial future!
Women have over their financial future and how they can contribute to financial goals for the household. As a teacher, the methods presented here make so much sense! Definitely a must read for all ladies serious about getting a grip on their financial future!
March 6, 2022
I have read/listened to many financial books. I can gladly get rid of them all except this one. I finally have a financial plan, and even better, a tangible life plan to achieve dreams for me and my family. The shared stories brought tears to my eyes. The explanations on why it was so easy for me to accumulate so much debt finally has led me to me forgive myself. Thank you Ms. Love for not only providing a financial guide, but for sharing the way to love, compassion, and forgiveness for/of myself so that I can move forward towards financial peace. I hope to be the example for my children. Highly recommend.
July 16, 2022
This is Nonfiction on how to become financially secure and live the life you truly want. I'm on the brink of retirement and didn't feel like I was the target audience for this one in any way. My reaction to this one was, "TOWANDA!!!!!"
Seriously though, my young adult kids are her target audience. Plus she sounded like she was 12. She was very personable though and listening to her was like attending a seminar, the kind you intentionally signed up for and where you will be taking a lot of notes. She had some great ideas I wish I could repeat in conversations with my kids, but then I'd be accused of meddling. So ultimately this one wasn't for me but this needs to be taught in high school. So 2.5 stars. I wish half stars were a thing.
Seriously though, my young adult kids are her target audience. Plus she sounded like she was 12. She was very personable though and listening to her was like attending a seminar, the kind you intentionally signed up for and where you will be taking a lot of notes. She had some great ideas I wish I could repeat in conversations with my kids, but then I'd be accused of meddling. So ultimately this one wasn't for me but this needs to be taught in high school. So 2.5 stars. I wish half stars were a thing.
April 9, 2022
I’ve been following the budget mom for about a year and a half now. It is not an exaggeration that this method has changed my life. Most of what I read in the book was not new to me because I’ve watched many of her YouTube videos and follow her social media, but I think she explains everything simply for those who are brand new to her methods. I cannot recommend the budget by paycheck method enough. I no longer stress or worry about money, I can save for all of my travel and experience goals and have a clear plan for my future.
April 1, 2024
Ég hef fylgt Kumiko (the budget mom) á instagram/youtube í langan tíma og var ekki viss um að ég mundi læra neitt nýtt í bókinni hennar. Ég þekkti aðferðafræðina hennar og þankagang frekar vel. En þessi bók er æði, Kumiko er eldklár fjármálaráðgjafi sem fjallar um mikilvægi tilfinninga og andlegs jafnvægis í öllum þáttum persónulegra fjármála. Dæmisögurnar í bókinni eru mjög amerískar (fólk með 11 kreditkort og áfallastreitu eftir herkvaðningu) og því ekki endilega eitthvað sem kona gat speglað sig í, en áhugaverð innsýn í fjármálaumhverfi venjulegs fólks þar ytra.
Áfram budget mom!
Áfram budget mom!
February 7, 2022
I have been following Kumiko for years, even when she was in her little apartment still saving for her dream home. This year I finally started putting her methods into practice and it works and it’s life changing! With her kind and loving spirit she encourages me to take control of my finances and plan for my future! As a former follower of Dave Ramsey I can tell you 100% The Budget Mom is a much more kind, loving and encouraging plan to follow and I have no regrets in ditching Dave!
February 28, 2023
I love this book and thankfully I checked it out at the library BUT Everything she mentions, it’s all on her YouTube channel! Lol. Just take good notes. This was just the “copy and paste” version.
She shared her personal struggles and that’s a pro for me. But she doesn’t go into detail with the “How To’s” of Investing for example. Wish she did.
Do I recommend this book? Yes. But to own, No. lol. Save your coins. Literally.
She shared her personal struggles and that’s a pro for me. But she doesn’t go into detail with the “How To’s” of Investing for example. Wish she did.
Do I recommend this book? Yes. But to own, No. lol. Save your coins. Literally.
May 16, 2022
This book is nothing but a 214-page infomercial for her business (TBM). A lot of generic talk and hand waving peppered with anecdotes but no real/detailed guidance on how to be financially secure.
Published in 2022, there is no reference to the pandemic and economic turmoil it brought with it or anything about how one navigates a shock to the system.
Published in 2022, there is no reference to the pandemic and economic turmoil it brought with it or anything about how one navigates a shock to the system.
December 28, 2022
I liked the core idea of her budget workbook and the things immediately surrounding that. A lot of what was in this book was wordy and repeated things..,like how time she said “my son”!!! SO many times. I couldn’t stand it. I wish they/she would have found another way to say that phrase.
There were some other nice nuggets of wisdom that I really liked: (but beyond those it was sort of long/wordy and repeating the same thing over and over. Especially the last chapter. At first I really wanted to buy a physical copy. It didn’t take long for me to be glad I didn’t.
I liked that she says to budget for what you really spend and not for what you “should” be spending.
Also, to budget for life and real life. And you can budget for several things at once.
I’ve enjoyed the workbook and a couple of videos that help explain how to use it, but beyond that I think her videos are too long. Just get to the meat of it and move on. Also, I don’t care what you ate for dinner (Instagram). I’m happier with her product and using it and not being a follower. Her content is good and wholesome-I just feel like it waters down all the good stuff with her budget workbook.
I would recommend the workbook to others, but that’s all that excites me.
There were some other nice nuggets of wisdom that I really liked: (but beyond those it was sort of long/wordy and repeating the same thing over and over. Especially the last chapter. At first I really wanted to buy a physical copy. It didn’t take long for me to be glad I didn’t.
I liked that she says to budget for what you really spend and not for what you “should” be spending.
Also, to budget for life and real life. And you can budget for several things at once.
I’ve enjoyed the workbook and a couple of videos that help explain how to use it, but beyond that I think her videos are too long. Just get to the meat of it and move on. Also, I don’t care what you ate for dinner (Instagram). I’m happier with her product and using it and not being a follower. Her content is good and wholesome-I just feel like it waters down all the good stuff with her budget workbook.
I would recommend the workbook to others, but that’s all that excites me.
February 13, 2022
It's a very straight forward way of approaching budgeting and one that I think would be most achievable for everyone. But it's not offering any earth shattering information. Very fun, personable read though.
March 15, 2022
2.5 stars. Very skippable. Doesn’t offer any advice or recommendations that you can’t find better articulated in other money books. Lots of emotionalism.
I did appreciate that this is geared toward people in lower incomes, irregular incomes, and tipped wage earners. So many money books are written toward upper middle class types who make plenty of money but don’t know where it’s going. I liked that this book included people waiting tables.
If someone asked me 1 personal finance book to read I would not recommend this…I would start with Ramit Sethi’s I Will Teach You To Be Rich
I did appreciate that this is geared toward people in lower incomes, irregular incomes, and tipped wage earners. So many money books are written toward upper middle class types who make plenty of money but don’t know where it’s going. I liked that this book included people waiting tables.
If someone asked me 1 personal finance book to read I would not recommend this…I would start with Ramit Sethi’s I Will Teach You To Be Rich
April 16, 2022
DNF @ 50%. I didn't enjoy this book. I wanted it to be a step by step instructional book on how to make a budget. That's not at all what it was. It was mostly anecdotes from the author's life, and the lives of her viewers, on how they messed up their finances and realized they needed to change. I have seen Kumiko's youtube videos and like her a lot. But this book wasn't at all what I thought it would be, or what I wanted it to be. I got much more info from her youtube videos for free.
January 13, 2022
Amazing book!
February 1, 2022
If you want to get your finances under control, you MUST read this book!!!
August 23, 2022
This was much more helpful and functional than most budgeting books! Lots of insight.
February 2, 2025
3 ⭐️
That’s a wrap on January-energy reset non-fiction books, ha. This one just wasn’t for me.
If someone felt really out of control with money and needed a start-from-the-beginning guide, if someone was in debt and couldn’t get out of that spiral, this could be a nice resource.
Although it wasn’t totally useless, because I finally decided that no one else’s budget template was going to work for me, and I made my own.
That’s a wrap on January-energy reset non-fiction books, ha. This one just wasn’t for me.
If someone felt really out of control with money and needed a start-from-the-beginning guide, if someone was in debt and couldn’t get out of that spiral, this could be a nice resource.
Although it wasn’t totally useless, because I finally decided that no one else’s budget template was going to work for me, and I made my own.
November 19, 2022
Great introduction to budgeting, saving, paying off debt and planning for retirement!
September 21, 2022
My Money My Way was an easy read. Kumiko Love shares her journey, and others, journey to financial freedom. I am probably biased, as I’ve followed her for the past year and use her system (a lot of which I was already doing before I stumbled across her) but it just makes sense to me. I have read other financial/budget gurus and I don’t connect to them or agree with their philosophies. Love’s philosophy aligns with my own. I would recommend the book, her website, and youtube.
I received a copy from Netgalley when I pre-ordered the book.
I received a copy from Netgalley when I pre-ordered the book.
February 20, 2023
I have followed Kumiko, and parts of her Budget by Paycheck Method for years. I do feel that this book is a great intro to budgeting concepts. If you follow her already, you've heard it all 100 times before. I was hoping as she has such a large, established audience, we'd be getting some new great info in here. There were a couple chapters in the beginning that felt very repetitive, but not in a way that provided additional clarity, in a way that added more words to the book.
March 3, 2022
A pretty general overview but could be helpful to someone just beginning to budget. The book definitely runs on the assumption that you have enough income to pay all your bills and have money left over but you just spend too much on unnecessary purchases.
January 3, 2023
I think I would have found this book more beneficial if I had come across it a few years ago. I have been following TBM since 2020, so there wasn’t much in the book that I wasn’t already familiar with.
March 1, 2023
i would recommend this a hundred times before i ever recommend dave ramsey.
i've followed the budget mom for a few years now, so nothing kumiko said was really new to me, but this is still a great one-stop-shop for all of her advice, wisdom, and anecdotes.
her budget-by-paycheck method is laid out really well and everything is super digestible and easy to implement. i found the investment chapter to be really well done as it breaks down this seemingly intimidating part of personal finance into understandable bits of info.
what really stands out is how this is truly geared towards not just women, but particularly women of lower income who are mothers or have other family dependents. there is a real sense of empathy and understanding in every chapter. you're not going to be shamed for your money habits or for taking on student loans. you're not going to find bullshit "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" rhetoric here. i love how adamant she is about *enjoying* the path to financial freedom and not achieving it through deprivation and self-flagellation. it's lowkey a direct response to the ramsey "rice and beans, beans and rice" method.
the anecdotes and testimonials *actually* show how her budgeting methods can help people achieve financial wellness, without selling you a product at every turn (though there are images and mentions of her branded budget workbook and cash envelopes). the focus here is on working through your finances by digging deep into the emotions that got you to where you are. everything is about your why — the writing gets a little repetitive as a result, but it's still a valuable concept and starting point for your financial journey.
overall a really great personal finance book if you've got some money habits you can't quite break, need to revamp (or create) your budget, or are just over condescending financial advice from men who could never in a million years have empathy for your situation.
i've followed the budget mom for a few years now, so nothing kumiko said was really new to me, but this is still a great one-stop-shop for all of her advice, wisdom, and anecdotes.
her budget-by-paycheck method is laid out really well and everything is super digestible and easy to implement. i found the investment chapter to be really well done as it breaks down this seemingly intimidating part of personal finance into understandable bits of info.
what really stands out is how this is truly geared towards not just women, but particularly women of lower income who are mothers or have other family dependents. there is a real sense of empathy and understanding in every chapter. you're not going to be shamed for your money habits or for taking on student loans. you're not going to find bullshit "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" rhetoric here. i love how adamant she is about *enjoying* the path to financial freedom and not achieving it through deprivation and self-flagellation. it's lowkey a direct response to the ramsey "rice and beans, beans and rice" method.
the anecdotes and testimonials *actually* show how her budgeting methods can help people achieve financial wellness, without selling you a product at every turn (though there are images and mentions of her branded budget workbook and cash envelopes). the focus here is on working through your finances by digging deep into the emotions that got you to where you are. everything is about your why — the writing gets a little repetitive as a result, but it's still a valuable concept and starting point for your financial journey.
overall a really great personal finance book if you've got some money habits you can't quite break, need to revamp (or create) your budget, or are just over condescending financial advice from men who could never in a million years have empathy for your situation.
March 20, 2022
This was a really unique and original finance book and I loved Kumiko’s (Miko’s) approach to going about finances.
She talks about doing it using your emotions to your advantage which is so original and enjoyable! It wasn’t a long or over complicated concept and she breaks it down so well!
Definitely a read you can come back to and something new will stick out every time. As you go through her steps I would recommend that’s when a reread is due.
Loved the addition of her personal story (given through out, which the reader can value more because you see that she had struggled with each thing she’s talking about so her experience is definitely there) but she also adds people who happen to cross her YouTube channel or her blog and change their lives and what they did to do so.
This was fantastic. If you’re a woman, I especially recommend you pick this one up.
She talks about doing it using your emotions to your advantage which is so original and enjoyable! It wasn’t a long or over complicated concept and she breaks it down so well!
Definitely a read you can come back to and something new will stick out every time. As you go through her steps I would recommend that’s when a reread is due.
Loved the addition of her personal story (given through out, which the reader can value more because you see that she had struggled with each thing she’s talking about so her experience is definitely there) but she also adds people who happen to cross her YouTube channel or her blog and change their lives and what they did to do so.
This was fantastic. If you’re a woman, I especially recommend you pick this one up.
January 5, 2025
Life changing! I found Mikos advice on YouTube and Instagram. I was already unknowingly “sort of” doing her budget by paycheck method. Minus the budgeting part! I then got this book and it took me a while to go through because I ordered the BBP workbook, and took me some time to understand and apply the methods. But now that I’ve completed it, I’ve finally found a budget method that works for me, and it is even fun! This book does not preach certain percentages that go to certain things, instead it’s a budget and way of living that works for tue individual. This includes budgeting for fun!
This is definitely a beginners book, and taught in a clear, friend-to-friend, conversational style. If this appeals to you, then I recommend you read this book.
This is definitely a beginners book, and taught in a clear, friend-to-friend, conversational style. If this appeals to you, then I recommend you read this book.
August 23, 2022
A friend of mine uses Kumiko's envelope system and swears by it. I am always wanting to learn about money management. An area i could do so much better with. Creating a budget. A plan for your money. Getting out of debt and discovering why you are in debt. Start asking questions. Find your WHY. Developing decision making awareness. Track your spending.She talks alot about using cash. When you use a debit card $1 feels the same as $100. Plastic makes money intangible. You need it tangible to control it. Asks what do i want my retirement to look like?? The 25 x rule( what do u need per year x 25). That is the minimal goal to shoot for. I always am open and curious to know more about my money. Make time for what you love and enjoy the present. Go for the things you want in LIFE.
January 24, 2023
This was the perfect read for me as I jumpstart my financial journey and learn to manage my money better. I am new to The Budget Mom, so I think that is why I learned so much from this book. It has helped me set up a budget plan and I’m already feeling more comfortable and confident in managing my money. I highlighted many takeaways in this book. It was easy to read and understand for someone who doesn’t have much background knowledge in finance too. I can now say I am an official member of The Budget Mom community, and I look forward to continuing my journey to financial fulfillment.
November 10, 2024
I've followed The Budget Mom and her personal finance methods since August of 2019, when my life was in complete shambles. Her methods and workbooks launched me into such great financial security that it allowed me to take my small business full time. Follow her on Instagram for daily updates and just her fun personality, and read this book for a wonderful step-by-step approach to financial bliss!
May 29, 2025
I've enjoyed Kumiko's budgeting content for many years and was excited to find her book in a thrift store. While I don't agree with everything in her outlook on life, she is one of the most realistic and helpful financial gurus. There wasn't anything new or groundbreaking that isn't already on her website or YouTube, but it is nice to have everything in once place. I would recommend this to anyone looking to improve their finances without being discourage or shamed.
October 31, 2025
"My Money, My Way" resonated deeply with me. The author's approach to budgeting, especially the Budget by Paycheck method, feels practical and empowering, and I’m genuinely excited to put it into action. I also appreciated her thoughtful guidance on reframing wants versus needs and staying focused on personal financial goals. As a woman herself, she brings a unique and relatable perspective to the emotional side of spending, offering insight into the patterns many women face and how to break free from them. Her website and blog is also amazing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews