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The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
by
If you will live like no one else, later you can "live" like no one else.
Build up your money muscles with America's favorite finance coach.
Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into a well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There's one sure ...more
Build up your money muscles with America's favorite finance coach.
Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into a well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There's one sure ...more
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Hardcover, 229 pages
Published
February 1st 2007
by Nelson Books
(first published January 1st 1994)
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Start your review of The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

Oct 24, 2009
Chad Warner
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
finance,
non-fiction
Ramsey presents some sound financial principles in the book, but it came across as a sales pitch because he mentions his other books and live events, and practically every other page contains a lengthy testimonial from people gushing about their Total Money Makeover. I skipped all of these since I'm looking for practical financial advice, not feel-good stories.
I respect Dave Ramsey as a person and agree with many (maybe most) of his financial principles, but I didn't like Ramsey's strict no-debt ...more
I respect Dave Ramsey as a person and agree with many (maybe most) of his financial principles, but I didn't like Ramsey's strict no-debt ...more

Recently, a good friend of mine who knew that I had read this book asked me whether or not I found it helpful. This friend has struggled with managing her personal finances and is drowning in credit card debt. She was feeling pretty hopeless and was worried that she'd never be able to take care of her bills and set enough aside for retirement.
Rather than go into the ins and outs of the book, I downloaded the audiobook version and we listened together while working on paperwork during the work d ...more
Rather than go into the ins and outs of the book, I downloaded the audiobook version and we listened together while working on paperwork during the work d ...more

Buy it, live it! An amazing system that's not a system--just living within one's means. Worth the investment many times over!
...more

I read Financial Peace years ago. We tried to live the plan, but looking back we could have done a lot better. The Total Money Makeover takes the same plan and breaks it down into more detailed babysteps. This REALLY works! We've had our $1000 emergency saving account for years now and have hardly had to dip into it because we really think through what an emergency is. Most of the time we have been able to wait a few weeks until the "extra paycheck," tax return or a bonus comes through instead o
...more

This book is great for those who are in debt because of overspending. Unfortunately Dave Ramsey groups everyone in the same category with the undisciplined, regardless of their background. He uses unrealistic examples of people having a mortgage of $50,000, or someone paying $250/month for a small apartment while paying off debt. He uses examples of young people in their mid-twenties making $50,000 a year. These are completely unrealistic numbers in most regions of the country.
He proudly says th ...more
He proudly says th ...more

This book is an insult to the intelligence of any rational human being who has even the slightest notion of what personal finance is all about. Full of filler, fluff, weak-sauce stories trying to be inspirational.
Let me tell you in one sentence what this book took over 200 pages to tell:
Take personal responsibility for your finances and start living within your means; you'll be happy and wealthy eventually because of it.
Don't read this book! ...more
Let me tell you in one sentence what this book took over 200 pages to tell:
Take personal responsibility for your finances and start living within your means; you'll be happy and wealthy eventually because of it.
Don't read this book! ...more

Oct 07, 2007
Shane
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
anyone wanting to get out of debt and have financial freedom from that bondage
Shelves:
personal-finances
This book is a great step by step plan to help you get control of your finances by walking you through the 7 baby steps.
1. Small Emergency Fund of $1000
2. Pay off all debt except house with debt snowball
3. Fully Fund Emergency Fund to 3-6x of living expenses
4. Invest 15% of income for retirement
5. Fund kids college fund
6. Pay off mortgage
7. Have fun, give and invest
Definitely a must read and the companion website www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com is hands down the best most practical website I've eve ...more
1. Small Emergency Fund of $1000
2. Pay off all debt except house with debt snowball
3. Fully Fund Emergency Fund to 3-6x of living expenses
4. Invest 15% of income for retirement
5. Fund kids college fund
6. Pay off mortgage
7. Have fun, give and invest
Definitely a must read and the companion website www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com is hands down the best most practical website I've eve ...more

Feb 20, 2008
Tonya Aiossa
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
People in debt.
Recommended to Tonya by:
Mom (Bonnie)
I probably should have given this book more than three stars, because it's a good start to figuring out a critical piece of the financial puzzle; getting out of debt. This book is debt-centric, so, if you're in debt, then yes, you really should read this book.
However, while focusing on getting out of debt is a crucially important step of freeing up your income (because if the money you make every month is spent every month, you're not financially fit), there are many aspects of your financial se ...more
However, while focusing on getting out of debt is a crucially important step of freeing up your income (because if the money you make every month is spent every month, you're not financially fit), there are many aspects of your financial se ...more

After hearing about Dave Ramsey from a number of people, I decided to pick this up out of curiosity. I skimmed this book quickly, partly because it is mostly fluff. His crams the book full of testimonials about other families who have gotten out of debt- that's for the outside of the book, not the inside of it. Most of his actual advice (pay for things with cash, don't buy what you can't afford, live below your means, start investing for retirement early) consists of things my parents have been
...more

Sep 16, 2007
Cori
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
people who don't have their finances in order
From my blog:
My friend Amanda was nice enough to buy me Dave Ramsey's book. It must mean it's pretty good if someone else is willing to shell out $25.00 to buy you a book on money management! This book was really repetitive, but I thought it was a fantastic planning tool for those of us who aren't making a gobzillion dollars doing...whatever Paris Hilton does, for example. I have a small bit of debt -- mostly due to 2007: The Year of Dental Nightmares -- and literally no savings. I had quite a b ...more
My friend Amanda was nice enough to buy me Dave Ramsey's book. It must mean it's pretty good if someone else is willing to shell out $25.00 to buy you a book on money management! This book was really repetitive, but I thought it was a fantastic planning tool for those of us who aren't making a gobzillion dollars doing...whatever Paris Hilton does, for example. I have a small bit of debt -- mostly due to 2007: The Year of Dental Nightmares -- and literally no savings. I had quite a b ...more

This guy's claim is basically that the key to accumulating a lot of money is to (1) become debt free, (2) save a sizeable nest egg (3-10k)for the big emergencies that typically send people into debt in the first place, and (3) put the rest of your savings in mutual funds. He's particularly insistent that you suck it up and drive old cars that you've paid cash for rather than make payments on a new car.
Good advice, but it would help if he offered more insights on how to follow it, especially sin ...more
Good advice, but it would help if he offered more insights on how to follow it, especially sin ...more

If you like animated religious sermons, Fox News infomercials and make payments on your Lexus with payday loans then this book is for you.
I'm still on the hunt for a book that will teach me how to invest. ...more
I'm still on the hunt for a book that will teach me how to invest. ...more

Mar 03, 2011
Yolanda
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Everybody
Recommended to Yolanda by:
Misty Green-Brown
I can not believe that I've spent the last 12 years working in the Accounting field being such a good steward of my employers money but could never get a good grasp on my own money. The Total Money Makeover book has helped me go from paycheck-to-paycheck-thinking to wealth-building-thinking. Once my eyes were opened (I read the book in 2 days) I knew my financial life would never be the same. I asked my husband to read the book and when he started sending me texts like: Do you know that if we in
...more

This is a pretty decent plan for getting out of debt and starting to invest. In the time-honored tradition of such self-help books as How To Win Friends and Influence People, Ramsey uses personal stories from other people to drive his points home.
But in essence, the plan is like this:
1) stop buying things, sell off everything you don't need, stop using credit cards, etc.
2) save up a $1000 emergency fund
3) throw all possible cash toward paying off your smallest debt
4) once the first debt is pai ...more
But in essence, the plan is like this:
1) stop buying things, sell off everything you don't need, stop using credit cards, etc.
2) save up a $1000 emergency fund
3) throw all possible cash toward paying off your smallest debt
4) once the first debt is pai ...more

This book is so helpful, straightforward, and inspiring. I have spent my twenties in the misery of consumer debt and student loans.
I am now credit card debt free and am busting up my student loans.
I like his advice. The very first thing you do is to get 1,000 dollars together BEFORE you start tackling your credit cards. Be aggressive, take a second job, sell your prized possessions, whatever, but get that $1,000. This is not $$ to keep in a checking account but in a savings account and with dr ...more
I am now credit card debt free and am busting up my student loans.
I like his advice. The very first thing you do is to get 1,000 dollars together BEFORE you start tackling your credit cards. Be aggressive, take a second job, sell your prized possessions, whatever, but get that $1,000. This is not $$ to keep in a checking account but in a savings account and with dr ...more

I'm temporarily - I hope - departing from my usual review style while life is crazy and we're in the construction zone. I'm trying this rather than no review at all. I'm basically going to make occasional notes as I read, which is not as satisfactory to me, but hopefully they'll still be helpful.
5/28/19: I'm not the financial manager for my home. My husband is. But I decided to listen to this book because I've heard good things about Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University course. We did ...more
5/28/19: I'm not the financial manager for my home. My husband is. But I decided to listen to this book because I've heard good things about Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University course. We did ...more

I was always someone who wanted to manage their personal finance effectively. However, due to my own carelessness or circumstances, I failed to achieve that goal.
After reading this book, I actually realized where I was going wrong and how I could ensure financial stability in my life. The book starts off with debunking myths that every individual has with regards to wealth and money usage.
The book then goes on to provide 7 steps we can incorporate into our lives to ensure we acquire financial a ...more
After reading this book, I actually realized where I was going wrong and how I could ensure financial stability in my life. The book starts off with debunking myths that every individual has with regards to wealth and money usage.
The book then goes on to provide 7 steps we can incorporate into our lives to ensure we acquire financial a ...more

Mar 19, 2008
Jen
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Everyone. The principles apply to the general population.
Recommended to Jen by:
A co-worker and good friend
Shelves:
finance
Let me preface this by saying that I'm a HUGE fan of Dave Ramsey, so of course I'm a bit biased. I listen to his talk radio show every day without fail, and I'm an active member of his subscription website called MyTMMO (http://www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com).
My husband and I began working the baby steps in September 2005. It took us 22 long months of discipline and sacrifice to become completely debt-free. We don't own a home yet, so yes, we really are living the debt-free life. We paid off more ...more
My husband and I began working the baby steps in September 2005. It took us 22 long months of discipline and sacrifice to become completely debt-free. We don't own a home yet, so yes, we really are living the debt-free life. We paid off more ...more

I love Dave Ramsey. We have been doing the Total Money Makeover since Jan 1 of this year (we started after reading Dave's book "Financial Peace") and we are already seeing plenty of success with our baby steps. We pay for everything in cash now and if we don't have the cash, we don't buy it. We've got an emergency fund in place and have used it when things came up - auto repairs, etc. And best of all, we are in debt reduction mode - we had cut up all the credit cards Jan 1 and now we only see ba
...more

Giselle wanted the two of us to listen to this, and I got a few things out of it for sure - but much of it doesn't apply to every situation, regardless of how much the author wants you to think it does. Also the audiobook was kind of hilarious because it's just a guy yelling at you - literally - for 4 hours, haha.
...more

6 years, 3 months
--Pre review --
I'm very familiar with Dave Ramsey (I was introduced to him by my husband). I like both him and Suze Orman (but for different reasons).
This is more of a twofer for me: I get a refresher course on not spending all my damn money AND I knock this book off Mt. TBR. Win/Win.
When I first started listening to Dave's radio show + podcasts (20years+), I was certainly part of his target audience: someone who was never taught about finance and made bad financial decisions. ...more
--Pre review --
I'm very familiar with Dave Ramsey (I was introduced to him by my husband). I like both him and Suze Orman (but for different reasons).
This is more of a twofer for me: I get a refresher course on not spending all my damn money AND I knock this book off Mt. TBR. Win/Win.
When I first started listening to Dave's radio show + podcasts (20years+), I was certainly part of his target audience: someone who was never taught about finance and made bad financial decisions. ...more

My husband & I have come up with a budget & decided to follow Dave Ramsey's 7 step plan to become completely debt free, including our mortgage! We are very excited about it! Our goal is to get to the point where we can pay cash for everything, build wealth & plan for retirement by investing, have fun, & give to others.
The great thing about this plan is that it is NOT a "Get-Rich-Quick Scheme". It will take a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but it will be worth it in the end! It is basic, common ...more
The great thing about this plan is that it is NOT a "Get-Rich-Quick Scheme". It will take a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but it will be worth it in the end! It is basic, common ...more

Apr 01, 2019
Roxanne
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
_favorites,
_read-again
This book contains very helpful steps regardless of what your income is or how much debt you have. I also appreciated the plethora of stories from regular people with a variety of backgrounds explaining how the Total Money Makeover worked for them. I’ll definitely read this again and implement this system!

Thank you Tulsa Blizzard 2011 for helping me finish this book in two days.
What makes this book so effective and successful is that it lays out a very appealing vision, which motivates the reader to make the dramatic changes necessary to become financially secure. By the end of the book, you are motivated and energized to do whatever it takes to achieve the vision of wealth described in this book. The best part is that it’s totally doable and no kind of hoax. Like the author says, there’s no exc ...more
What makes this book so effective and successful is that it lays out a very appealing vision, which motivates the reader to make the dramatic changes necessary to become financially secure. By the end of the book, you are motivated and energized to do whatever it takes to achieve the vision of wealth described in this book. The best part is that it’s totally doable and no kind of hoax. Like the author says, there’s no exc ...more

I'm always cautious about books or products which supposedly save you money. What's the old adage? "How do you make a lot of money? Write a book about how to make a lot of money"
This book did that annoying thing where it spends the first few chapters telling you how great the system works, but doesn't give the system out until the second half of the book. I'm not a fan of that particular literary device.
Also, I felt like many pages of "success stories" were overkill. A few would have been great, ...more
This book did that annoying thing where it spends the first few chapters telling you how great the system works, but doesn't give the system out until the second half of the book. I'm not a fan of that particular literary device.
Also, I felt like many pages of "success stories" were overkill. A few would have been great, ...more

I won this book as part of a prize from a radio quiz contest.
Dave Ramsey is a radio talk show host of The Total Money Makeover. It's on every weekend.
This book basically repeats everything he says on his show: Invest your money wisely, stay out of debt, etc. A lot of the advice is just common sense, but some of it is pretty handy.
If you like his radio show, you'll like the book. If not, you pay your money and take your chances. ...more
Dave Ramsey is a radio talk show host of The Total Money Makeover. It's on every weekend.
This book basically repeats everything he says on his show: Invest your money wisely, stay out of debt, etc. A lot of the advice is just common sense, but some of it is pretty handy.
If you like his radio show, you'll like the book. If not, you pay your money and take your chances. ...more

Oct 25, 2017
Chad Warner
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
finance,
non-fiction
This is my review of the unabridged audiobook. Here's my review of the full book from a few years ago.
My main objection to this book and Ramsey's approach is his anti-debt stance. I understand that he's trying to help people who struggle with debt, and that stance achieves his goal. You'd give different advice about drinking to an alcoholic than a non-alcoholic. I like that he's helping people, and I agree with many of the principles in this book. It's just not for me because I'm more logical th ...more
My main objection to this book and Ramsey's approach is his anti-debt stance. I understand that he's trying to help people who struggle with debt, and that stance achieves his goal. You'd give different advice about drinking to an alcoholic than a non-alcoholic. I like that he's helping people, and I agree with many of the principles in this book. It's just not for me because I'm more logical th ...more

Very practical and biblically sound advice!
This book will hit you in the gut and make you shake your head at the same time. It will be hard to listen to and even harder to do. But, will be beneficial to you in the end.
Dave likens a lot of his advice to working out and getting in shape. He paints the view of someone working hard to ride his bike up the mountain, pushing all the way to the top with "gazelle" like attitude. Once there, enjoy the wind and breeze flying down.
I like this book for man ...more
This book will hit you in the gut and make you shake your head at the same time. It will be hard to listen to and even harder to do. But, will be beneficial to you in the end.
Dave likens a lot of his advice to working out and getting in shape. He paints the view of someone working hard to ride his bike up the mountain, pushing all the way to the top with "gazelle" like attitude. Once there, enjoy the wind and breeze flying down.
I like this book for man ...more

I didn't read this whole thing. I've read it before. I just read about 1/2 of it and skimmed the rest so I could re-motivate myself in the area of my finances. I didn't read most of the personal stories, but think they're great in helping people to see that Dave Ramsey's plan really works. I like how the "baby steps" are very practical and make the idea of being debt free seem an achievable goal. I'm in!
...more
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Dave Ramsey, the nationally-syndicated radio host of "The Money Game" and bestselling author, has helped thousands through Financial Peace University-a 12-week financial planning program. He presents seminars in churches and corporations throughout the country. He holds a degree in finance and real estate and lives with his family in Nashville Tennessee.
...more
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